When Bill Gates said 'I'm pickler'. Here's what he meant

There are millions of ways that we can unwind, and for Bill Gates it's pickleball. A game with a funny name and strange terminology, such as, “dink,” “kitchen,” and “skinny singles”, pickleball mixes 3 sports together tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Microsoft co-founder has been playing this game for the last 50 years.

Speaking about the evolution of the game, Gates said in his blog, “Three dads living on Bainbridge Island, near Seattle, came home one summer evening to find their children complaining that there was nothing for them to do. So, they found a net, a Wiffle ball, some ping-pong paddles, and created a game on an old badminton court that the entire family could play together. It was a hit.”

Over the next year, the three friends worked together to develop a set of rules, formalize the court layout, and introduce a larger plywood paddle that was good for striking the ball. And they decided to call it pickleball, he added.

Currently, pickleball is said to be emerging as America’s fastest-growing sport. Gates explians, “I don’t know exactly what’s driven this recent surge in interest in pickleball, but I think the fact that it’s so easy to play is one big reason.”

He further goes on to add, “Everyone from the super young to the super old can take part. It takes minutes to learn the basics, games are short, and all you need is a net, paddle, and ball to get started. It doesn’t take much skill to hit the ball, either, because it doesn’t move as fast as a tennis ball. The best thing about pickleball, however, is that it’s just super fun.”

Despite its silly terms and funny name, pickleball is actually quite a sophisticated game. I enjoy watching YouTube videos where I can learn about tactics and strategies from the best players. It’s amazing to see pros like Ben Johns play the game. Given all the rage about pickleball, I expect someday soon it may end up as an exhibition sport at the Olympics, Gates says in a hopeful note.