Hi

First time poster here and pleased to have found this forum.

I am just an average player who enjoys a couple of games a week in my local, small town leisure centre league.  I have fought my way up the divisions to reach Division 1 (one off the top 'Premier' division) and am now increasingly finding myself at loggerheads with my opponents in the higher divisions reagarding ball choice.

Most players seem to insist on the Dunlop double yellow, whereas I prefer to play with the single yellow.  There was never a problem in the lower divisions, as most players there tend to prefer the single yellow.

My take on the choice of balls available is that the double yellow was made to suit the really top class players, as it is only these players who can get it hot enough to provide proper bounce characteristics.  I don't think that even at the top level of my league that the standard of play is good enough to get the sort of ball characteristics that the pros get, consequently, you end up with a very 'dead' game, with the ball often dying too much at the front or back of the court.  In my view, this hardly makes the game interesting or representative of how the game should be played.  This also stifles development, as you do not get long enough rallies to practice good technique, plus it tends to benefit a certain kind of player who is good at drops, kills and lobs.

I suppose my view stems from the fact that I do prefer to rally, but I just feel that there is a sort of 'obsession' with players of club standard to play with the double yellow as they think that you can't be any good if you play with anything else!  I don't think they realise that they are thereby not getting the kind of ball behaviour that is closer to what the pros get.  I have had a number of heated debates with opponents lately on this, but no one seems willing to take on board what I am saying!

What are other people's thoughts and experiences on this issue?  Our league does not have any rulings on this, but do other clubs/leagues?  What is England Squash's, or any other squash organisations', take on this?

I really could do with some back up on this, but if it is a case that most people use the double yellow, then I suppose I will have to take the 'if you can't beat them, join them' approach!

Cheers

Jimbob

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jbs24 - that is a useful link - I have never seen it before.  Good one.

I guess there are horses for courses as the saying goes.  Good advice though but it does not help you in the competition. 

I know in some clubs they have a single dot,  say for the two bottom grades, and then change as the standard gets higher.   To keep the rallies going and give people a good hit. Nothing worse than a lob serve, and no return, as the ball just gets worse.

The cold hard facts are you need to be able to cope with both bounces whether it comes from a single or double yellow dot.  When you play touch players,  more skillful players, or more experienced players, the single yellow can also be dead, as these players may not bash the hell out of the ball and use the tactics and strategies more by keeping the ball close to the walls and corners. 
Competition becomes more about winning, than getting a sweat-up too, I suppose. Sorry to say, to progress up the grades,  you will need to cope with fast,  slow and dead squash balls.  The bounce of course is so variable in different climate changes too, eg winter, summer etc.

As Adz said try to get on the court and experiment/persevere with the double yellow, and you will eventually use the pace when speed is important, and slow when touch is important......it is a learning curve you could say.

Be patient....

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