Paddles & Putters Volume 6

October 9, 2026

In this Issue:

Team USA Repeats as Pickleball Champions of the World
Goodies from SELKIRK, the NEW OMNI Paddle, New BAGS and a Quiet on the Court Ball
Horseshoe Bay Resort expanding Racquet facility
Glasses that ADAPT to your surrounding, Pickleball, Golf and Fishing Active Dim
Gearbox Pressure X Paddles
…….and Our own Kyle Hermetz is on the move

Back-to-Back: Team USA’s Golden Repeat at the Pickleball World Cup

The Stars and Stripes; Dominant winning Gold in 4 of five categories, Open (Pro), Masters, Juniors under 18 and Juniors under 14 at the 2026 Pickleball World Cup in Da Nang, Vietnam. The only Gold to escape Team USA was in the Seniors category where Brazil outduelled Spain.

The Heineken Pickleball World Cup, August 30 – September 6^th was the first for Asia with over 5,000 participants from 64 countries. Pickleball the fastest growing sport in the world is here to stay. Should not be long before it makes a debut in the Olympics.
Team USA and Vietnam played their championship match in front of a sold-out stadium of more than 9,000 people, one of the largest and loudest crowds many of these athletes have ever stepped onto a court in front of.

“Pickleball has truly brought the world together,” said, Steve Rose, Team Coordinator for the U.S. National Pickleball Team. Working alongside the legendary Kyle Yates they were most instrumental in preparing Team USA for the Worlds. Rose added, “Team USA not only showed tremendous talent but fantastic sportsmanship. We competed against countries like Iran, Mexico, China, Australia and Viet Nam. It was standard procedure to take a group picture after every event. It was also a common practice to share gifts.”
The Open (Pro) Division was certainly one of the most closely followed. Team USA lost just 1 game to New Zealand in the round of 16, two in the quarters versus New Zealand. From then on Team USA did not lose a game. Team USA defeated Vietnam 4–0 in the final, winning all doubles matches before singles were needed.

Team USA Sponsor Andrea Kenter, Sales & Strategic Partnerships for Aireo Sports Inc. accompanied the Team to Vietnam and reflected, “When asked about the opportunity to sponsor TEAM USA, it was a resounding YES! Patriotism comes in many forms, but this one was special. I felt so proud to march in with our US delegation during the Opening Ceremonies and especially, to be on the sidelines supporting our 54 athletes on each of the 5 teams that competed. Our team was so carefully selected with the genius of Steve Rose and his team. The junior players were eager to engage with me and our CEO Scarlett Chen who flew in from Ningbo, China. Together, we offered demos, first hand looks at paddles that many of them were able to take back home, and established a unique rapport with our US team.”

Andrea added, “Aireo was able to engage with the 64 delegations from around the world.

These athletes were thirsty to see our paddles, something new on the market. We were able to establish new distributorships as a result of the relationships we constructed that week, and build upon connections that had already been laid prior to the World Cup.”
Team USA players Steve Rose and Carol Emanuel play with the Aireo Cyclone paddle as do a number of players from China, Australia and the UK. Since returning from Vietnam, Andrea has had many inquiries and requests to demo their paddles. For more information on Aireo’s entire product line: Aireo-Sports.com “. The final evening was one that none of us will ever forget,” said Andrea. “Drums banging, flags waving, our collective USA group cheering on the players in center court, athletes, coaches, sponsors, families….just spectacular!”

A special shout out to all of the other Team USA Sponsors.
Pickleball Republic Pickleball Republic
Player U https://www.playeru.ai
Diadem Diadem Pickleball Complex
and Courtsapp Courtsapp
CONGRATULATIONS TEAM USA!

SELKIRK is Pickleball!

OMNI Paddle – All Court Performance Redefined

POWER: For the hard drives.
CONTROL: for the soft game.
GRIT: Infinigrit surface, enhanced spin lasting 3X longer than raw carbon fibre.
What more could one ask for! The Paddle comes in 2 shapes, Widebody for those looking for the largest sweet spot, consistent feel and performance across the face. Elongated for those of us looking for extra reach and power. I am one that prefers the elongated paddle. Six different color themes, I chose what might be the most colorful, Cosmic, it is an attention getter.
NEW: Selkirk’s MOI Tuning System. The paddle comes with perimeter weighting set in the center of the paddle giving you the maximum sweet spot. Move the easily adjustable weights up the paddle and you can feel more power. Want more control and you simply move the weights down. Very easy to manipulate the weights.
NEW: ReactCore. Control when you need it, Power when you want it! Double-ring technology, PureFoam floating center with a new Purefoam Ring surrounded by an EVA Power ring. This is where the power in the paddle comes from, while still providing feeling and control with dwell to maximize spin. If anyone likes to throw some spin out there it’s me.

SELKIRK PRO LINE 2.0 BAGS
Dedicated lightweight pickleball bags that act as an extension of your game. Designed to eliminate pilling and friction wear against your apparel. Tear-Resistant, durable main body, floor shield, and accents prevent abrasions and tearing. Weather-Resistant outer shell and coated zippers protect against sudden downpours, dust, and wind.
35L Tour Backpack: Four Friction-Shield™ Magnetic Paddle Sleeves. 2 MagSlide™ Ball Pockets. CourtAccess™ Wide-Mouth Tote Top & Personal Pocket
25L Team Backpack: 2 Friction-Shield™ Magnetic Paddle Sleeves. MagSlide™ Ball Pocket. CourtAccess™ Wide-Mouth Tote Top & Personal Pocket.
45L Duffle: 4 Friction-Shield™ Magnetic Paddle Sleeves. Wide-Mouth Tote Top & Personal Pocket. Front Access Organizer

Selkirk Q1 Quiet Ball
Community-Friendly: While Pickleball brings people together, in some communities, noise threatens the ability to keep courts open. City ordinances, HOA restrictions, and increasingly dense residential development have placed pressure on facilities and players who simply want to enjoy the game without disrupting their surroundings.
The solution? A ball that’s 34% quieter than a standard pickleball. The Selkirk Q1 Quiet pickleball was created to ensure that the joy of play doesn’t come at the cost of peace in the neighborhood.
Selkirk engineered a smarter, simpler solution: address the sound at the source. By reimagining the construction of the ball itself, Selkirk developed a pickleball that dramatically reduces noise while maintaining satisfying play performance. It’s the only quiet ball currently eligible for use in USAP-sanctioned play.
Acoustic Sound-Dampening Design: Dissipates sound on impact to play 34% quieter than a standard pickleball, helping facilities meet strict community noise standards.
Custom Material Blend: Significantly reduces the signature “pop” of the ball without sacrificing satisfying play performance and feel.
Injection-Molded Construction: Engineered with optimized wall thickness to deliver exceptional durability and consistent, reliable flight.
Instead of looking toward quiet paddles, an expensive and inconsistent approach that few players would realistically adopt simultaneously, it has a quieter feel, so the game can keep going without noise disruption.
For all your Selkirk Needs and Desires Selkirk Sport

Horseshoe Bay Resort Invests $10 Million in
Racquet Sports Expansion

Horseshoe Bay Resort in the Texas Hill Country has broken ground on a $10 million racquet sports expansion, adding four dedicated padel courts and a new Racquet Sports Clubhouse as the luxury resort looks to capitalize on growing demand for padel and social racquet experiences.
Scheduled to open by summer 2027, the project will create a more comprehensive racquet sports campus around the resort’s existing six hard tennis courts, six red clay courts and 14 dedicated pickleball courts. The four new padel courts will give the property a dedicated facility for one of the fastest-growing segments of the international racquet sports market.

Central to the expansion is a 6,690-square-foot indoor and covered outdoor clubhouse designed to function as both a player amenity and social gathering space. Plans include reception and retail areas, a central lounge overlooking the courts, food and beverage service and a 2,632-square-foot covered outdoor lounge.
The development also builds on Horseshoe Bay’s relationship with Mouratoglou International. The resort is home to the Mouratoglou Tennis Center at Horseshoe Bay, the first location in the United States, offering clinics, private and group instruction and weekend camps.
The project is part of a broader investment program at the 7,000-acre Lake LBJ resort, which reports completing more than $350 million in property enhancements over the past decade, with another $60 million planned during 2026.
Horseshoe Bay Director of Racquet Sports Israel Castillo said the investment reflects the rapid growth of padel and the resort owners’ commitment to developing the specialized glass-and-mesh courts required for the sport. Resort Managing Director Randy Zupanski added that the new clubhouse is intended to become the social center of the property’s overall racquet experience.
Horseshoe Bay Resort

ActiveDim Hero and Ultra Glasses

They do exactly what they say that they do! Adjust to the light wherever you may be. I wear them for driving, fishing, golf and pickleball. I have 2 pairs in use the Hero and the Ultra.
Especially love them for stream fishing as you often find your self within tree canopies, shaded areas where the photocromic lenses adjust the tint base for the surroundings. Back into sunny situations and the lenses go darker. Either way when looking into the stream you can see the contrast right into the water, think polarized! The photocromic lenses are the key feature of ActiveDim glasses.

On the pickleball court, the lenses adjust seamlessly to bright sunlight or shade. Perhaps the biggest thing is the reduction of glare.
Golf and fishing, regardless of the time of day, from low light mornings, bright sunshine to evening sunset, no need to change out glasses and you forget that you even have them on.
Both pairs of glasses are lightweight and very comfortable. Other features include: UV400 on the lenses for eye protection. Magnesium & Aluminum alloy frame, extreme durability while remaining ultralight.
Scratch-resistant lenses. Specialized hinges guarantee a perfect fit on all face shapes and sizes. ActiveDim™

NEW Gearbox Pressure X Paddles

Two Paddles – Two Responses -One Purpose – Play Your Game on Your Terms.
Not More Power BUT- POWER YOU CAN MASTER

Gearbox Pressure X 8E Elongated+
Our team loves the 2 paddles. The 8E is ideal for players seeking an all-court paddle. All the Control one could want with no lack of power. Extended dwell creates a deeper, more connected response—giving you greater control over power, spin, placement, and shot shaping. From the baseline, it produces plenty of pace and spin, while the elongated shape provides extra reach and leverage on drives and serves. Around the kitchen, the paddle feels solid and predictable, with enough touch for drops, resets and controlled dinks.
Its biggest strength may be the balance between power and feel—you can attack when the opportunity is there without feeling like every shot wants to jump off the face.

Gearbox Pressure X 8M Elongated+
Power Players Delight
Quick Release – The ball comes off the face faster
Direct Feel – Crisp, immediate
Explosive Power – Built for drives, counters,

Both paddles feel light in your hands. The 8M is great for speed ups, faster and immediate response at the kitchen. Power plus finesse gives you feedback at impact. Explosive power quick ball exit on drives, counters, even resets.
Full – Face Performance: Pressure X delivers one of the largest, most consistent usable hitting areas ever measured, allowing you to maintain strong performance as contact moves away from center.
Pressure X uses carbon-to-carbon bonding, carbon face ties, and carbon rib structure to create a more connected internal architecture—helping resist disbonding from repeated impact and heat. Gearbox Sports

Our Kyle Hermetz on the Move: Florida Bound:

“If you are going to reach your peak potential in Professional Pickleball in North America you have to play in the USA,” says Kyle. Floridians especially those of you in the Delray Beach area, be on the lookout for Kyle this coming January.
For Kyle this move is about creating the best possible environment to maximize his potential as both a player and a coach. “It’s time to make that commitment to the next level.” Added Kyle.

In just 4 years, when Kyle entered his first tournament at the 3.5 level and winning, his commitment has led to more than 30 podium finishes, currently sports a 5.8 Dupr rating, Top 5 in Canada and is a Certified Level 1 and 2 NCCP Coach.
In 2025, Kyle lead Team Canada at the World Championships in Fort Lauderdale, got another taste of U.S. competition representing Canada at the MLP Mid-Season tournament in Grand Rapids, MI. Since 2024, Kyle has been a mainstay in Canada’s Professional – Canadian National Pickleball League.
We at Golfing Magazine, his friends and family are all extremely proud and supportive of Kyles investment in himself and his future in professional Pickleball. The next step will demand even more, train harder, compete at higher levels and learn from better players and coaches.