SomeBunny Cares – - We do!

At Guts and Glory Tennis we fully understand and appreciate the challenges the current economy can place upon families.  Each Thursday the local paper publishes hundreds of foreclosures from our local county alone.  It is very humbling and drives home the point that many of our neighbors and friends are feeling the economic pinch in a serious way.

Through the past several months we have learned about a number of our long-time local stringing customers who are out of work.  When we learn of a customer who is struggling our inclination is to assist. To date our attempts at assistance have been ad hoc but we want to change that and formalize our commitment to assisting our established stringing customers.

Toward that end we are delighted to announce via this blog that we will be providing our established customers who have lost their jobs or who have a spouse who has lost a job a hand by reducing costs of restringing services until new employment can be secured.

Tennis can play an important role in the physical and emotional health of those who are out of work.  It is an inexpensive form of exercise that provides social interaction as well as networking opportunities.

Our commitment to helping our customers play with healthy and fresh strings remains paramount.  We do not want to see our customers or their families risking arm health by not stringing at their regular intervals.  We also want them to continue their regular tennis routines.

To achieve this we are officially offering to assist our customers in need with discount stringing services.  Just let us know your situation and we will restring your racquet with the string you have been using for whatever you can afford to pay.  If you can afford the labor and not the string…the cost of string is on us.  If you can afford the cost of the string, but not the labor…the cost of labor is on us.  If you can not afford either at the current time, the stringing is on us.  We value our loyal customers and will do our part to help keep them on court and playing with healthy equipment until they are back on their financial feet.

At Guts and Glory Tennis, we CARE about our customers.   Let us know if we can assist.

More on Hybrid Crosses

One of our more popular posts with readers of this blog is our entry on selecting cross strings for hybrids with poly-based mains.  While the content of that posting remains accurate, we would like to add a new perspective we did not have when the entry was written and posted over a year ago.

Recently we have been playtesting poly-based mains with natural gut cross strings.  We have found that our customers prefer the natural gut cross strings over multis as well as solid core strings.  They tend to realize additional pop, bite and feel.  In general they receive at least 50% more string life (time used before breakage occurs) with the natural gut compared to the soft solid core strings we listed in last year’s blog.  They also tend to offer 100 – 200% (or more) greater string life than multis used as a cross string with a poly-based main.

We used to fall into the camp that believed using natural gut as a cross string was a waste of money.  We have re-examined this position and are now ready to amend it.  We still believe that using top-of-the-line natural gut as a cross string in a hybrid setup is not the best value in the world, but we do believe that the lower quality guts we have been using as crosses may very well be the ticket.  With players constantly seeking the best playability for the lowest cost, we are now recommending they explore some lower cost natural gut alternatives as possible cross string options to consider.

Special Orders

If you have played with the POG, can describe Imperial gut or know what a Yamaha Secret is, chances are very good you are of the age to remember the old Burger King jingle, “Hold the pickles, hold the lettuce…special orders don’t upset us…all we ask is that you let us serve it your way!”

For those who are too young to remember we have found a You Tube video of an old Burger King commercial to help you out.

We use this tool to help you remember that we also process a few special orders.  Among items available:

- Custom hybrid sets consisting of any of our WC, MSV, and Topspin strings.
- Extra length sets of MSV and WeissCANNON strings for those needing more than 40′
- Half sets of MSV poly-based strings and all WeissCANNON strings
- Special order reels of Unique Big Hitter and Unique Big Hitter Blue
- Special order reels of MSV Hex in the colors we do not regularly stock

For more information on how to order these products, just fire an email message our way. Remember, “Special Orders Don’t Upset Us, All We Ask Is That You Let Us Serve It Your Way!”

Proposed service modifications

In an effort to maintain a high degree of efficiency with serving our customers we are forced to consider altering some of our current practices.  These modifications will allow us to maintain our low prices.  At the same time, we want our customers to remain satisfied.  We are blogging about this in an effort to generate feedback on the blog site or via direct email.  Below are some proposed changes.  Please feel free to share your thoughts.

1.  Handle all orders for products via the web.  Currently we take phone orders as well as online orders.  The telephone orders create a series of non-standards for us and there is no back-up system/redundancy in the event an order is taken down incorrectly.

2.  Limit telephone conversations to 5 – 10 minutes.  It is not unusual for us to talk with some customers for 20 – 30 minutes or more.  While we greatly enjoy the personal interaction, we have grown to the point where more time is needed to process orders and string racquets.

3.  Reduce the number of blog entries from at least 2 per week to 1 per week, but maintain or increase our level of activity on twitter.

4.  Reduce the size of our racquet pickup/delivery service area or limit runs to certain parts of the area to a single day each week.  We will still be able to provide 1 hour or same day service to those who choose to drop off and pick up the racquet themselves. (By appointment please.)

Also note we are going to be doing some reorganization in terms of product warehousing.  This will necessitate that we close for several days in July and into August.  More on this as it becomes known.  We will keep our customers updated via twitter.  Please follow us there!

Gauges – Our guide (The REAL Story)

There is much confusion about the gauges of tennis strings as well as current conventions. This blog entry seeks to clarify the standards used at Guts and Glory Tennis while providing a general overview of current status.

First off, the gauge of a tennis string refers to the diameter or thickness of the string. There are two main methods that tennis string thickness is communicated in the USA. The first is by a whole number. In tennis terms, the lower the number the thicker the gauge. The most commonly used gauges are 15, 16, 17 and 18 with 15 being the thickest and 18 being the thinnest. Because we Americas like to make things complicated and convoluted, we have added the letter “L” beside many of the gauges. Of course the “L” stands for “Light.” In our world a 15L is thinner or “lighter” than a 15 gauge, but not quite as thin as a 16. Likewise a 16L is thinner than a 16 but not quite as thin as a 17 and so forth.

The second method is what I will describe as “European” primarily because it makes use of the metric system…a system of measurements that has terrorized some Americans from childhood. Using this convention string gauges are given exact measurements using a unit called millimeters, (mm). While I find this method preferable, I do understand and appreciate that non-string geeks unfamiliar with the metric units may become even more confused by these measurements than the whole 15, 15L, 16…thing. Afterall, most Americans have an inkling of what 1/16th of an inch is, but what the heck is 1.23mm?

Many years ago when tennis was a prominent part of the Sports Supershow in the USA, representatives from professional tennis associations such as the USRSA and major manufacturers would gather to share knowledge and resources. In one of the meetings an agenda item existed that seemed to make a lot of sense. It was proposed that a standard be established to make sure all strings labeled a certain gauge would fall within a parameter of millimeters. In other words all 16ga strings fall in the range of say 1.28mm – 1.33mm. Seems to make perfect sense, doesn’t it?

Unfortunately some of the manufacturers would not agree on the parameters. (The big “G” among others, I am told.) At the time they were producing strings that did not fall into the proposed categories where they wanted them to fall. It was believed that the gauge standardization had the potential to harm sales and thus the concept was harshly rebuked. Manufacturers essentially decided to stick with their non-uniform naming conventions even if it was not consistent within their own product lines. Absolute zaniness if you ask us. The lack of ability to come to consensus has created a great deal of confusion when it comes to the average tennis player being able to understand the difference between gauges.

Today it is not uncommon to find strings with just a gauge indicated on the packaging. It may say 17ga, but what does that really mean? Because there is no universally agreed upon standard, it means the manufacturer wants to label it a 17ga. It usually falls into a broad range of diameters that can vary widely. While one company may call a 1.18mm string 18 ga, another may call it 17L while a third may even call it 17. It’s like the wild, wild west..lawless and chaotic.

The USRSA has attempted to publish a broad standard, but in reality it is not universally accepted and does little to reign in the lawlessness. (See chart at bottom of page.) The range is simply too broad with overlapping measurements to reflect the current desires of the manufacturers to whom many believe the USRSA caters. In reality it is time for it to be tightened up. It is too loosey-goosey and has no real meaning. Thus we propose a convention that we believe reflects the interests of the TENNIS PLAYER, not the manufacturer who is afraid of having a number associated with the real diameter of the string. Below is our totally awesome gauge naming convention. We hope you use it and enjoy. We believe it should become the standard. No messy overlap here. Just hardcore, label it as it is stuff that is not driven by the special/selfish interests of the major string manufacturers.

The Official Guts and Glory Tennis String Gauge Guide!

1.34mm – 1.40mm – 15L
1.33mm – 1.29mm – 16
1.28mm – 1.26mm – 16L
1.25mm – 1.23mm- 17
1.22mm – 1.19mm – 17L
1.18mm – 1.13mm – 18
1.12mm – 1.08mm – 18L
1.07mm -1.02mm – 19

Note: For those not into “L’s” a 16ga is 1.26mm – 1.33mm, a 17ga is 1.19mm – 1.25mm and an 18ga is 1.08mm – 1.18mm.

USRSA DEFINITIONS (We believe these are simply too broad with too much overlap and need to be refined and brought up to date. There should not be overlap.)

U.S.		Diameter
15		1.41-1.49 mm
15L		1.33-1.41 mm
16		1.26-1.34 mm
16L		1.22-1.30 mm
17		1.16-1.24 mm
18		1.06-1.16 mm

Bluetooth to cure tennis elbow?

The concept sounds kind of wild, doesn’t it? However, upon closer examination, maybe it isn’t so far fetched…if viewed in the correct context.

Ultimately when tennis players experience elbow tenderness, the initial action to take is to look for and hypothesize the actual cause. In some cases the cause can be technique related. In others, equipment related. Still in other cases the elbow pain may not have been caused by any of the above, but rather an outside source. When this scenario arises, the actual act of playing tennis can irritate the injury, but may not be the root cause.

So, what is the cause? It can be any number of things. Certainly tennis related can not be ruled out, however, if you have healthy equipment, have not changed anything in your game and have been playing pain-free for a number of years, outside factors may very well be the root cause. A recent article I read on ERGO web helped bring this point home. In the article it states that prolonged use of mobile phones can cause tennis elbow. Specifically, “Since the elbow is bent over 90 degrees when using the phone to your ear, the ulnar nerve is compressed. Too much pressure can lead to decreased blood flow and pain. Untreated or not to take the necessary measures, the pain can be debilitating, experts point out.” The same article also refers to wii tennis as another possible external cause.

So there are two lessons to be learned today.

1. The root cause of tennis elbow is not always related to action on the court.
2. Using a bluetooth device can reduce the movement/action that puts pressure on the ulnar nerve.

For those interested in the full article, follow this link.

MSV Packaging…What’s up with that???

Several customers may have noticed that the packaging for some of the recent sets of MSV strings has changed recently.  Unfortunately this is causing puzzlement and confusion among some of our customers.  Inquiring minds want to know “What’s up with it?”  So that is exactly what this blog entry is designed to address.

First, it is important to note we are the exclusive US distributor for MSV string products.   When we first began delivering sets to our customers, we chose to use our own custom packaging that we designed and created in consultation with Mauve Sports for USA customers.  Because the string was new to US consumers we believed it was important to increase the amount of information provided via the packaging and we wanted it to stand out for our vendors who display it in clubs and tennis retail establishments.  We felt the USA packaging was bold in color and clever in copy content.

Recently because our orders have grown so much thanks to the many fine US players who are using these strings, our special order unpackaged sets have not always been available as quickly as they have been needed.  As a result we have asked for and received pre-packaged sets that have the new Mauve Sports packaging that is used for English speaking customers throughout the world.

Our option with these pre-packaged sets is to cut them open and repackage them in our packaging, or to sell them in the European packaging.  In an effort to be environmentally friendly and not generate unnecessary waste, we have chosen to sell them to individuals ordering through us in the European packaging.  We try to use the USA packaging for retail resellers, but often times individuals ordering through our Guts and Glory web site will find the white packaging instead of the red.

The same great, freshly made product is enclosed in each package.  The product maintains its excellence as only the packaging varies.  We do apologize to those that have been confused by this.  The bottom line is the products are the same, the packaging is different due to efforts to be kind to our environment.

As always if you have any questions feel free to post them here and we will do our best to respond in a timely manner.

Follow us…save $$$

Free Shipping.  $5.00 off.  $10.00 off.  $15.00 off. $30.00 off.    Tell me how!

Over the past several weeks customers who are following our tweets have benefited from spur of the moment sales that we refer to as “Twitter Specials” on our tennis string products.  These sales are unannounced, (heck we do not even know when they will run), and typically only last for short periods of time.  While we have had some customers take advantage of them by following the links from our homepage and this blog, those who get the most timely information are those who are active on Twitter and follow us.

If you are a Twitter user, we invite you to follow us, http://twitter.com/ggtennis and save some money.  We also keep customers informed of new products as well as assorted information.  Join the fun.

For those who do not use Twitter, we invite you to become a fan on our Facebook page.  We also keep our Facebook followers informed of products and services and occasionally run specials there as well.

Join us online, learn about our products and possibly even save yourself some money.

WeissCANNON Turbotwist – Initial review

So who really cares if the coil memory of this product makes the installation process take a couple minutes longer??? It is soooo worth it!!!!

The performance of the new WeissCANNON Turbotwist is shockingly good. It not only exceeded, it SHATTERED all reasonable expectations. This string clearly possesses all of the potential to be brobdingnagian, a literal giant in world of poly-based string products.

First the technical stuff.  In a nutshell WeissCANNON uses chemicals unique to them in the production of highly elastic co-polymer fibers which are twisted approximately200 times around a longitudinal axis. The result of this process is a poly-based string unlike any other we have seen to date. The performance is unbelievably solid.

The new WeissCANNON Turbotwist succeeds at finally reaching the illusive goal that string manufacturers have been aiming for with new poly-based strings over the past several years. It is a string that offers the control and spin of a traditional poly-based string along with the comfort, feel and power of a multi. The Turbotwist could very easily become the holy grail of strings for many of today’s players.

In our playtest we were impressed with the wide array of characteristics the string displayed. In all of our years of playtesting poly-based strings, we had not experienced a string that was as versatile as the Turbotwist. First off, we found plenty of spin. While most of the poly-based strings do a good job of biting the ball, this string is exceptionally good in the area of spin generation. Players who rely on spin are going to appreciate the way this string digs into the ball to produce rapid RPM’s. Perhaps equally or more impressive than the spin, was the overall comfort the string offered. If I did not know it was a poly-based string I would have guessed it was a crisp multi, along the lines of a Bi-Phase or Supreme. The power level impressed as did the control. It is easily the most lively poly-based string I have tested, and best of all, the power was completely controllable.

The test string was installed on April 24. One month plus three days later, May 27, the string had experienced a total tension loss of approx. 13.6% which is more than acceptable for a poly-based string product.

Because our playtest is limited, there are still several questions remaining to be answered. The string is only produced in a 1.18mm version (some would call it a 17L gauge, we call it an 18). We do not know how durable the string will be nor do we know how it will stand up to huge hitters and frequent string breakers. We do not yet know how long the string will hold playability in terms of court hours. While comfortable, we do not know how players with sensitive arms will respond to the string. In other words we do not know if it will be a poly-based option for those with sensitive elbows…early indications, however, are very promising. We do not yet know how the string will behave in hybrid situations.

Turbotwist sets are now available!  Click here to order directly.

We invite our customers to be among the first to discover this exceptional new product that has the potential to alter the string manufacturing landscape. We invite you to help us find answers to the unknowns we posted above.

This string proves it is not possible to judge a book by the cover. It feels extremely stiff and wirey during the installation process. The level of comfort and court performance is a shocking and stark contrast to what is expected based on the installation experience. For more on our installation impressions please see our previous blog entry on this topic.

Please feel free to ask us questions about this string here as well as posting your experiences.

MxD Season – some random thoughts to share.

It’s almost here. MxD season is about to begin in Atlanta’s premiere doubles league, ALTA. Many of my like-gender friends do not look forward to MxD, but I do. I may go so far as to say I enjoy it even more than men’s doubles. Why? Well, the food at the matches takes a huge jump in class. In men’s doubles the typical fare consists of beer, Krispy Kreme donuts an occasional banana, beer, perhaps a Kroger sub, beer, potato chips, and more beer. As a non-beer drinker, it is hard to appreciate the featured cuisine item of choice. In MxD we often find tablecloths, centerpieces and themes adorning expertly made main courses in crock pots, home-made baked goods, a wide variety of crackers and cheeses, and an assortment of beverages. Krispy Kremes are not welcome.

The tennis is also of a higher quality than many of my male friends expect. Let’s face it guys, in reality if you are not rated 4.5 or higher, you are a hacker. Women are quite capable of not only hanging with you in doubles, but taking you down hard! The gender difference is not nearly what one would imagine in terms of the overall skill set. In fact, some may argue that the women actually play SMARTER and create victories by allowing the opposing male to self-destruct. Heck there are many men’s matches that I walk away from thinking, I would have won that match easily with my MxD partner.

There is one fairly major difference when playing with the fairer gender, clothing. Generally men do not give two hoots about what they wear to a match, but with some women this is very different. A great deal of thought goes into the entire ensemble. In fact one player on our team calls me when we are scheduled to play together and tells me what colors to wear so we will not clash on the court. Okay, I completely get it that she does not want to be seen with a guy wearing worn out attire with spaghetti sauce stains who is proudly sporting a NASCAR hat, but the whole wardrobe thing puts a tremendous amount of stress on me.

I am the first to admit it. The wardrobe issues are causing me to lose sleep at night. Will my new tennis shirts from TJ Maxx pass the test this season? What will be in style for the women??? EEE GHADSS… I just had a harrowing thought. What if the Bethany Mattek line of apparel is finally in style this season? For those who do not follow the early rounds of tennis, you may have never heard of the quirky American. She is unfortunately more known for her “interesting” attire than her tennis. But what if by some chance the recession has caused women to lose all control of their mental faculties and follow her lead? I personally have no Earthly idea what will match gold lame or a fuschia French baret. Stacey and Clinton, HELP!!!!!!!

WeissCANNON 6StarString – early rumblings

The WeissCANNON 6StarString has yet to officially hit the US shores and already it is one of the most popular email subjects appearing in the ol’ inbox. Here are some tidbits for the curious.

1. We have two samples out and being playtested. Both in hybrids. We have identified a full-set playtester, but need the string to arrive in order to install it and conduct the test. Thus far one playtester is very happy with the overall performance. Another, who is a frequent string breaker, broke the TT before an opinion could be formed. Note…this is a player who has used poly mains and broken through them rapidly in the past. The 6StarString for him, was not as durable as a poly-based string.

2. We heard from the Australian distributor that in his playtest, the string got fuzzy rapidly. He noted, “no sign of breakage, just that old wet natural gut look.”

3. We know that this string has been in development for over 2 years and is said to have unique playing properties. The manufacturer describes it as a completely unique string product. A blend of multis and monos into a durable string that is specifically designed to enhance spin.

4. We are expecting a shipment of the 6StarString to arrive very shortly. It could arrive the end of this month or early June. The length of time it is in customs is difficult to calculate. When it does arrive we will announce it via Twitter and Facebook and have it available for purchase from our web site.

5. The manufacturer sent us an email today explaining that the “fluff that appears on the string is intentional.” The purpose is to enhance spin and control. It is an innovation that is unique in the stringing world. (See WeissCANNON web site for further details )

So what exactly is this mysterious string? How will it hold up to US playtesters? Will the “fluff” be embraced by players or will it frighten them away? Will the string be as versatile as we believe? Will it be another home run for WeissCANNON? All of these questions remain unanswered. However, YOU will help to answer them with us. Be watching because the new 6StarString will soon be available. We believe it will be a winner.

Spider Silk – The Future of Tennis Strings?

Here’s an interesting bit we ran across while surfing the web. Recent laboratory innovations have allowed scientists to clone spider silk. Bioengineered spider silk is said to be strong as steel, yet flexible at the same time. The article from a Tufts University journal (see link below) states that possible applications include use in sporting goods.

Hmmmm. This makes us wonder. Is it beyond the realm of imagination to believe that this silk could be utilized and integrated into the construction of a tennis string? Is there potential for a string with incredible durablity along with good elasticity and feel? Dare we suggest there is potential to surpass the playability of natural gut? No one really knows the hidden potential of this finding as it relates to our favorite sport. We encourage string manufacturers to explore the possibilities. Within the next couple of years we would not be surprised to see this new material find its way into the labs of the major string manufacturers. Cool stuff. Remember, you heard it here first!!!

http://tuftsjournal.tufts.edu/archive/2003/october/briefs/index.shtml

May I have your attention please?

Remember listening to the morning announcements in school throughout the years? Well, I was one of the students who was lucky enough to read the morning announcements.  Typically they consisted of a platter of information to keep the students informed and updated.  Today’s blog entry is just that, some announcements for our customers.

1.  As of Friday night, 5/15/09, our phone systems are not in operation.  We can not receive incoming calls or retrieve messages.  We hope to have the situation resolved no later than Monday.  In the interim, if you need to reach us, please send us an email message and we will do our best to respond.

2.  Please note we have added a new and friendlier way for you to follow us on facebook.  Our new fan page will be a quick way to get out information about sales, new products and items of general interest.  We will no longer be updating the Friends of Guts and Glory Tennis Group on facebook, so please rely on our new fan page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suwanee-GA/Guts-and-Glory-Tennis/73473230425

3.  We are still inviting you to follow us on twitter.  We are tweets several times daily to keep our followers aware of product information, twitter only sales and other fun stuff.  If you are active on Twitter, please follow us. http://twitter.com/ggtennis

4.  We are currently playtesting several new string products that will be available in the coming weeks.  MSV EVO-HEX, WeissCANNON 6StarString and WeissCANNON TurboTwist.  Each has potential to fill a new niche in the stringing world.

Please stay connected with us through use of this blog as well as facebook and twitter.  We will tweet when our phones are once again operational.  Today’s lunch menu:  Johnny Marzetti with salad and pears.  Pastor of the Day is Reverend Dave.  There will be a fire drill sometime between 3rd  and 7th period so be prepared. 

Thanks for your attention and have a great day everybody!

Reducing and Eliminating Tennis String Movement

Broccoli. A newlywed’s cooking. The swine flu. Serena after a loss. A root canal. Potholes. Jelena on a bad hair day. String movement. The Jimmy Fallon Show.

What do each of the above have in common? They are all things that many of us dislike and strive to avoid. While each of us can manage the above annoyances with varying degrees of success, the second to last requires us to work with our stringer. In some instances we need to be prepared to partake in a big slice of “reality pie.”

String movement is the most interesting phenomena that the world of stringing presents. What is described by some as completely unacceptable and excessive, is barely noticeable to others. In most cases it is a matter of personal perception. While the movement may seem minimal to me, it may be driving a customer stark raving mad. It can lead to an on-court distraction which can cause them to lose concentration, points and possibly the match. Worse yet, readjusting the strings can completely ruin perfectly good manicures, eeeghads!!!

So, what can be done? We offer the following options.

1. Learn to straighten strings between points and use the time to focus on game plan. Did you ever watch Maria Sharapova? She is forever adjusting her strings. It is a routine and a routine that serves her well.

2. Ask your stringer to make a tension differential of 4 – 5 pounds between the mains and the crosses. Tighter cross strings tend to reduce string movement. Let’s say you string at 58 pounds. Next time try stringing your mains at 56 and the crosses and 60 and see if this reduces movement for you. For some it may be the answer, while others will still wail…”my strings are moving!”

3. Change string type. In general synthetic gut string users tend to experience more string movement than natural gut and poly-based string users. Some strings begin moving more as tension is lost, thus an attempt to find a synthetic gut that holds tension well may help. Another cause is coating. Some strings use a final coating (like pearlized and titanium) that tend to be more prone to movement. Perhaps your stringer can help you find a synthetic with a coating that does not move as much. Unfortunately the reality is with most synthetics you are going to experience some movement regardless. The question is how much can you tolerate without being driven to the point of distraction?

If the answer to the above question is “none” then you need to consider one of the following. Prince has designed a string called Recoil. It is a premium priced string because it features a special coating that allows the strings to return to alignment after they are struck. The disadvantage is that it offers inconsistent durability levels.  For flat hitters the durability generally exceeds expectations, but those who hit with a lot of power and spin may find the durability less than satisfying.  Retailing at approx. $25.00 – $28.00 per set, (not counting installation), it is an expensive solution. The other solution is moving to a poly-based string offering. While we offer a fine selection of technologically advanced poly-based strings, you must always keep in mind these strings are stiff. They are extremely durable and much less expensive than Recoil but must be replaced frequently. Unfortunately they do not always play nicely with today’s ultra light frames, (leading to arm pain), but in the correct context and possibly paired with a hybrid string, may be the answer you are seeking.

4. Get a new racquet. In many instances string movement is a product of a player using an open string pattern while hitting with moderate to significant spin. Many racquets have 16 mains (the strings that run up and down) while some have 14. These racquets are much more likely to have string movement perceived as intolerable than a racquet with a denser string pattern, 18 mains. If you have not played with a racquet with 18 mains, we suggest giving one a demo. Not only will string movement be greatly reduced or eliminated, but you may find yourself experiencing more control that you ever realized playing with a racquet that only has 16 mains.

Is it possible to eliminate all string movement? Technically, not really, but the extent to which it is noticed can be managed using some of the strategies mentioned above. We invite local players to give us a call as we offer professional stringing services with insight, understanding and a level of professionalism that is not easily found. Guts and Glory Tennis will work with you to solve your unique stringing needs and find a setup that compliments your game. If you are outside of our area, we hope you will use some of the information presented here and let us know how it works for you. Thanks for visiting our blog!

Dear Manny…

Dear Manny,

Thank you for taking time to visit our blog site. We understand for the next couple of months you will be seeking some sort of diversion until you can return to the diamond. We have a suggestion for you. Why not join our owner and founder, John, for some tennis doubles action? There is an independent tennis league in the area called T2, which may the perfect way for you to fill your time.

John is in possession of legal prescription steroids for his back ailment (MethylPREDNIsolone) and he also has a a fresh bottle of Prednisone for his dog. We know he will share with you if you care to partake while on the court. To date the T2 tennis league has no silly rules banning substances such as steroids so all will be cool. Heck, if you want to cork your racquet John will help you. It’s perfectly legal here.

We are not sure of your experience level in the sport of tennis, but it won’t matter because John is pretty good and will coach you through the matches. You will of course get all of the “glory” shots and your opponents will come to fear you. With the pair of you on steroids, we suspect you will be fervently blasting winners from all over the court. You will be awesome.

Just a few things to keep in mind…

1. Hitting the ball over the fence on the fly is considered “bad” in tennis, it must first strike the opponents side of court before leaving the yard.
2. High fly balls are actually lobs. They should not be caught. Just smack the living bijeebers out of them making sure they hit the opponents court before becoming souvenirs.
3. No spitting on the court.
4. No cleats.
5. Grabbing crotch…no rule against it, go ahead if you like.
6. Can’t call out “infield fly rule” on high balls.
7. Nobody in tennis bunts, but grunts are commonplace.
8. Not likely to foul anything off your foot in tennis.
9. High scoring games with plenty of opportunities for hits.
10. If you do well in T2 doubles, John may invite you to participate on his ALTA team during your off season.

Manny, c’mon and play. It’s all good. Lots of fun. Plenty of opportunities to smash balls, keeping that hand/eye coordination in tip-top shape. Did we mention that chicks in short skirts are frequently at the courts and they dig burley tennis players? Oh yah, one more thing. Division winners are awarded tennis ball magnets that say “Division Winner.” How awesome would one of those be on that Bentley?

Thank you, Manny, for your consideration. Looking forward to seeing you on the courts real soon!