Pappy & Company X Short Court:
Pappy Plays Pickleball
There isn’t a saying, but maybe there should be - everything has gone to pickle! It seems like pickleball has swept in on a giant paddle and taken over the tennis courts and the social scene. The pickleball craze is real - and we have to admit that we've been taken along for the ride!
The thing that most appeals to us about this game with a silly sounding name is that it is all about fun. The pickleball scoring system admittedly takes a little getting used to but we love a challenge too! A game with a name like that can’t take itself too seriously after all, and the best part is that you can really play it at any level. We encourage you to just get out there, try it out, and enjoy yourself!
While pickleball really gained traction during the pandemic - when we all needed a social and physical outlet - it has stuck around for a few reasons. Why? Like, I sai d - because it is just so dang fun! Plus, it's such an easy way to get people together. It's essentially just an outpouring of joy and camaraderie with a competitive spirit - and it accommodates a cocktail quite nicely.
Pickleball is played on a smaller court and moves very quickly - it's a physically challenging, but not particularly demanding game. We’ve often played with our entire family: grandparents to littlest cousins are a part of the action, swapping in and out in a round robin play. It's hard to be bad at pickleball - so the game is really just a game; it’s fun, fast paced, and seriously addictive. Sometimes we have to pause the play only because we are laughing too hard to continue.
Our product development takes cues from our own lives and often our kismet connections. We happen to have a friend based in Charleston, South Carolina who found a love for pickleball that they made their own company dedicated to pickleball products made to enhance and encourage a continued love of this sport.
Short Court was founded by two friends and fellow racquet sport enthusiasts, Ned Johnson and Neil Thomson. These two grew up with a love for the traditions of tennis and found themselves taken in by pickleball. Instantly obsessed, like anyone who has played even once, they wanted to geared up for their new favorite activity but found current offerings of pickleball gear lacking in style, performance, and fun.
Inspired by the tennis legends they grew up watching, Neil and Ned wanted to give pickleball gear an elevated but fun look with a hint of classic tennis style for today’s player. They consider themselves “Wimbledon, with a wink” - as serious racquet sports fans who aren’t afraid to be playful. Crafting modern pickleball equipment that is designed to pair style with performance, they stay true to classic tennis colors in their muted green and white, with a cheeky nod to classic design.
Ned and Neil share the same passion we inherited from our great-grandfather Pappy Van Winkle for never compromising on quality. They make high performance gear that looks good and plays great. So when they reached out and asked if we had any interest in collaborating, we hopped across the net to say yes!
We envisioned a custom pickleball paddle that would combine our shared aesthetics with retro yet modern style. We also wanted to maintain a focus on high quality, durable and usable gear. Lastly, we had a vision of people playing, laughing, competing and enjoying their paddles. Thus, the idea for our first pickleball tournament was born.
We are always looking for ways to combine our efforts for fun with our efforts for philanthropy. The pickleball tournament presented the perfect opportunity to add a philanthropic element with our Bourbon for Good initiative. For much of 2024, we've been so honored to support Hop on a Cure and their efforts to raise critical funds for research and awareness into ALS. We knew we had to have them as the beneficiary partner of our new pickleball paddle.
This partnership really kept getting sweeter as we decided to combine our new favorite summer (and year-round) sport with our favorite summer destination. We've long spent our summers in Harbor Springs in northern Michigan, enjoying the great outdoors with family. Luck would have it that there are racquet courts right next door to our summer stay! We couldn't think of a better place to host our first annual pickleball tournaments than in our own backyard with family and friends there to participate!
Joined by our friends from Short Court, we held our Inaugural Weque Pickleball Invitational on July 30th at the Wequetonsing Pickleball Courts. And we have to say, it was a smashing success! The field of entries was limited to 60 - and we sold out almost immediately. The entrance fee was a direct donation toHop on a Cure, and participants also had the opportunity to be the very first to purchase and play with our brand new Pappy & Company X Short Court pickleball paddles!
As promised, the tournament designed with fun as the objective, open to players of all levels, and partners were assigned at random. The field winnowed down to a semi-final based on points. We had a crowd of spectators almost as large as our field of entrants - mingling, cheering, toasting and enjoying the the festive atmosphere. This sport is seriously SO FUN!
We encouraged competitive spirit on and off the courts with challenges for team spirit and best costume. Just like those who came to play, the crowd did not disappoint! Strangers became buds, and good-natured heckling and cheering was encouraged. Children and adults of all ages got in on the action. Crowds traveled from court to court to watch. It's nearly impossible to not get sucked into the energy - we had a large and loud audience for the final matches.
A thrilling final ended between a true match up of power players was a hilariously real battle of family and friends. Our aunt (with a broken hand no less!) played with a long time family friend. They faced our cousin-in-law paired with a fellow tennis enthusiast. Cheers, laughter, and general mayhem followed with families cheering for every point - and every player!
Winners were declared, taking home a prize package of Short Court and Pappy & Company gear (plus a shot of the good stuff too). If Pappy is gonna go Pickle then Pickleball gets to enjoy some real Pappy Van Winkle. Courtside sips were enjoyed in our Pappy Hour and pickleball friendly Old Rip Van Winkle custom leather flask.
Experiencing the positive energy all over the courts was such a highlight of our summer. Knowing that each spin of the paddle was contributing to our friends at Hop on a Cure made it all the more meaningful. When good friends and good times come together for a good cause, well it simply doesn’t get better than that!
Thank you to everyone who participated! We can’t wait for our next tournament - stay tuned! And in the meantime, grab a drink, get your Pappy & Company X Short Court pickleball paddle, and come dink with us!
