The Recreation Department is recommending a “superior” pickleball as the standard in The Villages.
The Recreation Department purchases approximately 5,000 dozen yellow pickleballs per year at a cost of about $100,000.
Recreation officials have evaluated various pickleball product lines and have determined that the Dura Fast 40 Pickleball is “far superior to the other products available on the market.”
“The recreation centers that currently have and use the Dura Fast 40 Pickleball have received positive resident feedback, particularly from the Villages Pickleball Leagues rated at 4.5 or above, regarding exceptional playability and durability,” according to a memo prepared by Recreation Director John Rohan and the District’s Purchasing Director Mark LaRock.
The Dura Fast 40 are a seamless plastic whiffle ball specially designed for pickleball. The hard plastic of the Dura Fast 40 is designed to increase the life span of the ball in rough outdoor conditions. The name of the ball is short for “durable.”