The present teachings generally include flexible pickleball paddles and / or frames thereof. In an aspect, a frame of a
paddle includes a region adjacent to a
throat portion of the
paddle that is thinner than other regions of the frame, e.g., thicker regions disposed along its sides, top, and / or
handle. The lack of material in this portion of the frame—e.g., disposed directly above the
handle—may provide advantageous flexing of the
paddle during play (e.g., how fast the paddle can return to the original shape after being flexed), improving power characteristics, control, feel, responsiveness, and / or the like. Moreover, a gap formed by the lack of material in this portion of the frame can provide a region for enhanced
weight control (e.g., by filling the gap with a weighted material), and / or for enhanced sound or
vibration control (e.g., by filling the gap with a sound dampening and / or vibration dampening material).