Pickleball continues to grow in popularity — and Life Time is still at the forefront of the game with nearly 800 courts across the country, in addition to custom programming, open play, and countless social opportunities and events. Its latest contribution to the sport? A filed patent for The Ultimate Pickleball — an improved pickleball for players of all levels.
“Life Time has elevated the game of pickleball since 2021 and rapidly grown the number of courts we offer across North America, along with the best lessons, leagues, tournaments and coaches,” says Life Time founder, chairman, and CEO Bahram Akradi. “A clear opportunity emerged to advance the quality of gameplay and participants’ experiences with a vastly improved pickleball.”
Designed to address common issues faced by players — from play that’s too slow to faster play that’s inconsistent in bounce — this first-of-its-kind pickleball has the potential to change the game for players, whether they’re just getting started or competing at the professional level.
Here are four things to know about The Ultimate Pickleball, which is available for play now:
1. It’s designed to ensure predictable speed.
Pickleballs currently on the market often play too slow — or the faster balls preferred by pros and higher-end players are inconsistent in how they bounce. As an engineer and avid pickleball player, Life Time founder, CEO, and chairman Bahram Akradi experienced these pain points and sought to understand what caused them. He then worked with a team to develop a pickleball that would play more consistently.
“I always welcome the opportunity to solve challenges and am excited to launch our Ultimate Pickleball as a solution to offer the right weight, speed, hole distribution and material to support consistent play and durability,” says Akradi.
The innovative design of The Ultimate Pickleball intentionally strays from that of traditional pickleballs. The team came up with a version that more evenly distributes the holes across the surface, which allows for more consistent speed and bounce for the ball.
2. It’s made to be durable and sustainable.
Another pain point for avid pickleball players is that pickleballs often break — in fact, it’s possible for a ball to only last only a short time before needing to be replaced. This is especially true of the balls designed to fly faster through the air, which is often preferred by pros and higher-ranked players.
With its durable design, The Ultimate Pickleball stays in play longer, which leads to less waste and more bang for your buck. The chamfered edges of each hole not only provide a consistent bounce, but they also help prevent cracks, which primarily start at the holes on traditional pickleballs.
“The way the ball bounces point after point, and its feel as it comes off the paddle, don’t change as it wears over time,” says RJ Singh, chief digital officer and leader of the racquet sports division at Life Time.
3. It works for both indoor and outdoor pickleball play.
Although pickleball players often use two different types of balls for indoor and outdoor court surfaces, the consistency, durability, and speed of The Ultimate Pickleball come together to make the ball a great choice for both.
“This pickleball plays fast, which is what you’re looking for in competitive play,” says Singh. “This also means it works well for an exciting game on both indoor and outdoor surfaces.”
4. It has undergone extensive trials by some of the best players at Life Time.
Some of Life Time’s best pickleballers were among the first to have the opportunity to play with The Ultimate Pickleball, and they report that players can expect a 100-percent-consistent bounce, as well as superior speed, which ensures fair and enjoyable matches for beginners and professionals alike.
The new pickleball is available for play at Life Time clubs across the nation and available for purchase online on the LT Shop.
