How I Fell Into the Pickleball Affiliate World — And Why I’m Slowing Down

When I first started watching pickleball videos on YouTube, I kept noticing something.

Every reviewer had a code.

“Use my code for $10 off.”
“Link in description.”
“Discount below.”

How I Fell Into the Pickleball Affiliate World — And Why I’m Slowing Down

When I first started watching pickleball videos on YouTube, I kept noticing something: every reviewer had a code. “Use my code for $10 off.” “Link in the description.” At the time, I didn’t think much of it. I assumed they were just helping people save money on paddles. I had no idea those were affiliate codes — meaning they earned a commission when someone used them.

Then I started playing pickleball myself.

I was brand new to the game, but I’ve always been the kind of person who goes all in when something grabs my attention. My younger brother calls me a nerd for it, and maybe he’s right. When I get into something, I want to understand every detail — how it’s built, why it works, and what makes it different. Before pickleball, I did that with tech. I’ve worked in IT for over a decade, and I had uploaded a few computer review videos just sharing what I knew.

One day I thought, why not try reviewing paddles the same way?

That’s when I applied for my first ambassador program with Vatic Pro. I honestly didn’t expect them to accept me. I had barely started playing pickleball. I didn’t have a big following. I wasn’t some established content creator. But they approved me, and they offered a generous discount on a paddle or two. I only grabbed one because I didn’t want to go crazy spending money. At that point, it was just fun — I was learning the game, learning the equipment, and uploading simple videos.

Then I realized something: this wasn’t just a discount program. It was commission-based.

Suddenly, everything I had seen on YouTube made sense. That’s why everyone had codes.

Now, is that a bad thing? No. Not at all. I worked in sales for almost ten years before moving fully into IT, so I understand what it means to sell. In those jobs, we didn’t get to pick and choose what to push. We sold what the company told us to sell. We had metrics, quotas, and categories to hit. Educate the customer. Encourage them. Close the sale. That was the job.

Paddle companies aren’t much different — except they can’t afford nationwide sales teams. It wouldn’t make sense. Instead, they rely on social media, YouTube, ambassadors, and influencers to spread the word. It’s modern marketing. And if we’re being honest, most of us have searched “best paddle” and trusted someone online. I know I have.

As I continued making content, I started to understand my role in that system. I wasn’t just reviewing paddles; I was part of the marketing pipeline. That realization really hit me when I visited both the UPAA and USAP approved paddle lists. I couldn’t believe how many brands and models were in those databases — companies I had never even heard of. It made me wonder how a handful of reviewers could truly represent the entire paddle market.

The answer is, they can’t.

There are simply too many brands and too many small variations between models. Many paddles are built similarly with minor tweaks. To stand out, a company has to invest heavily in marketing and exposure. They need ambassadors. They need visibility. They need people talking about their products. Brands like Luzz and Vatic Pro didn’t just appear out of nowhere; they built recognition over time. That takes money, patience, and people willing to represent them.

At some point, though, I started questioning myself. As I added more codes and partnered with more companies, I had to ask: am I helping people make informed decisions, or am I just becoming another marketing arm? The honest answer is probably both.

The paddle market is saturated. Some brands will survive long term; others won’t. The big reviewers will continue, and new ones will pop up. Codes will always exist. But recently, I’ve felt myself wanting something simpler.

I don’t want to represent ten different companies. I don’t want to chase every new release. I don’t want to feel like I need to constantly push something. I want to represent what I genuinely believe in. For me, that’s a small handful of brands I trust and enjoy playing with. And honestly, even narrowing that list further would be fine.

Would I like someone to use my code? Of course. If I earn $5, $10, or $20 from a paddle sale and it helps fund the next one I want to try, that’s practical. It offsets the cost of an expensive hobby. But that can’t be the main driver.

Because at the end of the day, I didn’t start this to become an influencer. I started because I love learning about gear. I love understanding how things work. Most importantly, I love playing pickleball.

Lately, I’ve felt the pull to slow down the reviews and just get back to enjoying the game. If you’ve ever wondered why there are so many ambassador codes out there, now you know. It’s marketing. It’s opportunity. It’s passion mixed with commission.

For me, it started as curiosity, turned into a side hustle, and is now becoming something more grounded. I just want to represent what I believe in — and then step on the court and play.

Back to Rec Play, Mental Growth & Testing the Boomstik

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Finding My Game Again: Rec Play, Confidence & the Boomstik

Now that ladder league is over, I’m back to playing weekly pickleball with the fellas, and I’ve realized how much I truly enjoy the relaxed side of the game. There’s something different about playing free and loose with friends versus competing against people you don’t know. I learned that same lesson when I played competitive cornhole. The mental pressure changes everything. It’s not just about executing shots — it’s about managing expectations, controlling your self-talk, and not letting the score dictate how you feel. That’s something I’m still learning. During the last night of ladder league, I made it a point to be kinder to myself. If I missed a shot, I reset. If I caught myself worrying about the score, I took a breath. I’m getting better at playing the game without carrying the weight of the outcome on every rally.

Going into rec night, I honestly didn’t know which paddle I wanted to use. My Bread & Butter Loco has been my go-to, but I’ve noticed the higher swing weight can make it feel just slightly slower getting ready at the kitchen. That might just mean I need to stay paddle-ready at all times. The Luzz Inferno has been great for quick flicks, hands battles, and overheads. My Vatic Pro V7 long handle gives me amazing balance and confidence in quick exchanges. Still, something told me to pull out the Selkirk Boomstik Elongated. I’ll admit, it was hard for me to buy this paddle. Not only because of the price, but because I never imagined spending that much on one. I’ve always felt that $180 was a comfortable place to be, and with Bread & Butter I never questioned the value. But after last night, I understand the appeal.

The Boomstik is heavier and the swing weight isn’t ideal for quick flicks, yet it offers traits that fit my game extremely well. I’m not the most aggressive player, but if the ball sits high enough, I’m going to put it away. Drops are my foundation. I try to slow the game down and force dink rallies, especially against players who love to speed everything up. The pop on this paddle has helped my drops tremendously. From the baseline, balls that I think might fall short seem to float right into the kitchen. I’ve been practicing at home with my Enhance Dink Master 3.0 wall, focusing on tracking the ball at its apex, and that work is starting to show. Am I perfect with drops? No. But my confidence has grown, and that makes a difference.

Defensively, the pop and stability really stand out. In transition or when absorbing pace, the paddle helps get the ball back over the net with a little more margin. With less poppy paddles, the angle has to be nearly perfect. Here, there’s forgiveness. There were a few pop-ups — it’s still breaking in — but overall the stability impressed me. On drives, the power is undeniable. The sweet spot feels generous, and the spin surprised me with how sharply the ball dipped back into the court. My topspin serve felt strong, though I’m still dialing in the slice. Overheads were decisive, but I also reminded myself that placement matters more than swinging at 90% every time.

I went into the night focused on a few specific improvements. I committed to moving up to the net immediately after my partner’s return, even if it wasn’t perfect, trusting my hands and reaction time. I built a consistent serve routine — deep breath, same spot, no overthinking. I worked on patience in dink rallies, though I do remember one point where I sped up when I should have stayed calm. Most of the games went to deuce and felt like true battles. Defense was strong on both sides. I actually wish I had recorded the matches because the intensity was high and the rallies were long. It was one of those nights where everyone played well and every point had to be earned.

Personally, I was proud of my forehand drop. My backhand has always been more reliable, but the forehand felt more confident. Court positioning overall improved because I committed to moving forward and applying pressure instead of hanging back. It felt intentional, not reactive.

For context, I had TTO surgery about two and a half years ago, and it was one of the best decisions I’ve made. Last night I didn’t even wear a brace. I’ve been prioritizing strengthening, stability work, and stretching, and it’s paying off. Good court shoes have also been essential. I always tell newer players that shoes matter more than paddles in the beginning. Running shoes simply aren’t built for lateral movement, and I’ve seen too many ankle rolls because of that.

So is the Boomstik worth it? Selkirk Sport makes high-end gear, and this paddle performs at a high level. But I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone. If you’re playing competitive leagues or tournaments consistently and plan to stick with one paddle long-term, it’s worth considering. If you’re mostly playing casual rec, there are excellent alternatives at lower price points. For me, I’m glad I bought it. Last night was intense, competitive, and fun. There were errors, but there was growth. As the weather warms up, we’ll likely move outdoors to save on court fees, though if it gets too crowded, we may find ourselves back inside. Either way, I feel like my game — especially mentally — is heading in the right direction, and for now, the Boomstik is staying in the bag.

What a Recent Pickleball Ladder League Really Taught Me

When I signed up for the 3.5+ men’s pickleball ladder league, I didn’t really know what to expect. I just knew I wanted more competitive reps. More pressure. More growth.

Six weeks later, I finished with a record of 11 wins and 19 losses.

Not great. Not horrible either. But here’s the part that stung — I finished second to last.

Paddles I Played w in League (Bread & Butter Loco*, Luzz Inferno, Vatic VSol Pro V7 LH)

The league wasn’t ranked by wins. It was ranked by point differential. So even when I won, if the score was 11-8 instead of 11-2, it didn’t carry much weight. The numbers don’t lie. My differential wasn’t good. And as much as I tell myself numbers aren’t everything, they do tell a story.

That story? I’m probably at the lower end of 3.5 compared to that group.

And honestly, that’s okay.

One thing I noticed right away was the top players were different. Out of the 24 guys in the league, the ones near the top didn’t just show up once a week. They were playing multiple times a week. Some of them had podium finishes in 3.5+ tournaments. A lot of them were already on the courts from 6–8pm before our 8pm matches started. By the time league began, they were loose, warm, and dialed in.

Smart? Absolutely.

Realistic for me with work and family? Not always.

I’ve played four-hour sessions during the summer before, and I love it. By hour three, I can feel the fatigue creeping in — but that’s when I’m fully warm, relaxed, and playing free. In league, I was sometimes warming up during the first game while others were already in rhythm.

The league itself was run through the CourtReserve app, which honestly was great. It auto-paired partners, rotated courts, and made it easy. One of the biggest benefits was not needing a set partner. You show up solo, and you play. That part I really liked. I got to play with people I normally wouldn’t. I saw different styles. Different tendencies. Different personalities.

And I improved in areas because of it.

There’s this heavy slice serve some guys hit — not topspin, but a sharp, curving serve that dips and dies near the kitchen. Early on, I couldn’t return it cleanly. The ball would just drop and fade off my paddle. Over time, I adjusted my positioning slightly more to the right, anticipated the curve, and started handling it better. Not perfect, but better. That felt like real progress.

But here’s where things got interesting.

On the lower courts — where I played most of the time — the game was fast. Drives everywhere. Speed-ups. Minimal dinking. Almost no resets. And what made it tougher was that even after driving, a lot of players wouldn’t move up to the kitchen.

I’m not going to pretend I dropped every ball either. I drove plenty. But there were moments where I knew I should’ve slowed it down. I knew the smarter play was a drop, a reset, a dink — something to transition forward properly. Instead, the game often turned into “who can hit harder.”

And transition, I’m realizing, is everything.

Knowing when to move up.
Knowing when to stay back.
Knowing when to shift from defense to offense.

Even for me, I noticed I sometimes hesitate moving up when my partner hits a return. With my history of knee surgeries, I’m not as quick to close in as some guys. I know when I should go — but my body takes an extra half-second. At this level, that half-second matters.

Communication was another thing I struggled with. I’m usually vocal — calling balls, directing traffic, saying “mine” or “yours.” In this league, I got quieter. I’m not even fully sure why. Maybe because I didn’t know my partners as well. Maybe because I was overthinking. But I noticed it.

Poaching is something I’m learning too. I see opportunities. I go for them occasionally. But if my shuffle isn’t set right, I’ll dump it in the net. I’ve been conservative because of that. Still improving.

Now let’s talk about the real challenge.

Me.

I realized over these six weeks that I am extremely hard on myself. Back-to-back balls into the net? It lingers. A simple return long? I replay it in my head. I’d carry an error from three games ago into the next match. Sometimes even from the week before.

The night before the final league night, I listened to a mental performance coach talk about separating effort from outcome and managing emotions in competition. One phrase stuck with me.

Be kind to yourself.

That last week, I kept repeating it.

Before every serve, I slowed down. I took a deep breath. I stopped trying to crush heavy serves that sometimes clipped the net. I focused on just putting the ball in play. Build the point. Play simple.

Week two had actually been my best week, and when I look back, it’s obvious why. I wasn’t forcing anything. My serves were consistent. My returns were solid. I wasn’t chasing perfect. I was just playing.

Free points are killers. Giving away serves or easy returns is a momentum swing you feel immediately.

There were frustrating moments too. In/out calls were tough sometimes. From certain angles, a fast ball is hard to judge. A few times I called one out and saw the look on their faces like it clipped the line. A couple times I just gave them the point. Not ideal — but part of rec play reality.

Despite finishing near the bottom, I did some things really well.

My overhead confidence has grown a lot. Especially with paddles like the Luzz Inferno, Tornazo, and Selkirk Boomstick — those feel incredible out of the air. When I got a clean overhead, it was usually over.

My third-shot drop is something I’m genuinely proud of. I’ve worked hard on it at home with the Dink Master 3.0. Seeing a smooth backhand drop float over the net and not get slammed back at my feet? That’s satisfying. That’s earned.

I can hang at 3.5. I’m not dominating it. But I can compete. And that matters.

Would I recommend a ladder league?

Yes — especially if you don’t have a consistent partner and want structured competition with rotating pairings. It’s great for exposure and variety.

But for me personally? I’d rather build chemistry with a steady partner. Learn each other’s tendencies. Stack. Adjust roles. If he’s aggressive, I reset and defend. If I’m attacking, he covers middle. There’s something powerful about that consistency.

The league cost $150 plus tax for six weeks. Not cheap. Open play near me is $20, but it books fast. Indoors is fine, but I’ll always prefer outdoor summer pickleball. The heat. The sound. The atmosphere. It just hits different.

In the end, this league wasn’t about my record.

It was about learning that my mental game needs work. That breathing before serves matters. That slowing down wins more than forcing pace. That I have strengths. And that I need to stop being so hard on myself.

Everyone posts their highlights.

Not many people post 11–19.

But growth doesn’t always show up in standings.

If you’re competitive like me and struggle to let mistakes go, hear this:

Be kind to yourself.

You’re learning.
You’re improving.
And that counts.

Two Paddles, Two Personalities w Similar Power | Loco vs VSol Pro V7 LH

 

In this comparison, I break down the Bread & Butter Loco vs the Vatic Pro VSol Pro V7 LH, focusing on feel, power, control, stability, and overall playability. The VSol Pro V7 LH shines with control and confidence on drives, while the Loco brings a firmer, poppier response with great stability thanks to its heavier build. Two solid paddles with very different personalities.

Paddle Discounts & Gear I Personally Use

If you’re looking for discounts, below are paddle companies and gear I actually trust and use. You can use code TechYeti where noted.

Paddles

• Vatic Pro – VSol Pro V7 LH

• Luzz Pickleball – Tornazo, Inferno, Pro Cannon (listed in my order of preference)

• Warping Point Pickleball – Neon
  Gen 3 hybrid feel, similar to the Vapor Power but not as poppy

• Friday Pickle – 101 Elongated
  (Affiliate code: Jonathan40142)
  My first Gen 3 elongated paddle. Still a solid paddle I pull out for fun.

• Enhance Pickleball – Duo Elongated
  Great feel with strong power and pop. More muted on soft shots, but a really satisfying pop on drives.

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Training Equipment

• Dink Master 3.0 – Use code TechYeti
  I wasn’t sure about this at first, but it’s become a must-have for at-home training. If you have the space, I’d honestly recommend this over buying another paddle.

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Pickleball Bag

• Luzz Sports Bag – Use code TechYeti at checkout