PPI scores and estimates.

The fixed 0–10 measurement guide

• Power = 8 + (serve mph − 60) / 5
• Pop = punch-volley mph / 5
• Spin = 8 + (rpm − 2000) / 500

Clip to 0–10, then round to one decimal. 36.2 mph pop becomes 7.2; 38.2 mph becomes 7.6. Power uses the same 0.2 points per mph; spin uses 0.2 per 100 rpm. These fixed reference anchors are scoring conventions, not measured quality thresholds. Another paddle entering the database cannot change your rating. Values at the ends can clip to 0 or 10.

Spin here is fresh ball rotation, not grit durability. Dwell, control and sweet spot follow review guidance or labeled database proxies; they cannot be measured from mph alone. Measurements receive no automatic break-in bonus. Historical article ratings and plots remain as recorded.

The playing profile

The six displayed ratings become four scores. PPI uses those same inputs, with no second power, pop or spin conversion:

• Attack = 0.45 Power + 0.35 Pop + 0.20 Spin
• Touch = 0.35 Dwell + 0.40 Control + 0.25 Sweet spot
• Forgiveness = 0.60 Sweet spot + 0.40 Control
• Balance = √(Attack × Touch)

Balance rewards a paddle that is good at both attack and touch, so one big strength can't hide a weak side.

Shape decides the weights

A flat top moves 2 points to attack and 2 to forgiveness, taking 3 from touch and 1 from balance. An aero outline moves 2 points to attack and 2 to balance, taking 2 each from touch and forgiveness.

Stock setup from my measurements

• Swing fit = 10 − |SW − target| × 0.5
• Twist stability = (TW − 4.5) × 3.5
• Weight fit = 10 − |weight − target| × 5
• Balance fit = 10 − |balance − target| × 0.4

Each is kept between 0 and 10. Stock setup = 0.35 swing fit + 0.35 twist stability + 0.15 weight fit + 0.15 balance fit. Targets: elongated 116 SW, 8.05 oz, 240 mm; hybrid 113 SW, 8.00 oz, 236 mm; widebody 110 SW, 8.00 oz, 232 mm; standard 111 SW, 8.00 oz, 234 mm.

PPI estimates

Same four-component formula, using the displayed ratings and the characteristic rules below. Shape and outline affect the role profile; SW and TW remain in stock setup. Missing source readings are not replaced with invented measurements.

My recorded ratings come first

Explicit numeric review ratings stay unchanged. Next comes my exact-model review wording. Where those are missing, the guide uses the current recorded feel, stock width, twistweight and pop. The page’s “Why these ratings?” panel tells you which route each input used.

A weighted sample’s sweet-spot description is not applied to stock. Feel fit and personal game fit remain separate; these rules describe paddle response, not whether I personally like it.

Dwell: give, not sound

For characteristic-derived guidance, high/long dwell, plush or pocketing maps to 8.8; soft to 8.5; slightly/moderately soft to 7.8; neutral or mixed soft/firm to 7.5; slightly firm to 7.2; firm/crisp to 6.8; stiff or low/short dwell to 6.2; very/extremely stiff to 5.8. Explicit review numbers override these anchors. A purely relative phrase such as “a little stiffer than the original” does not establish an absolute stiffness category; the matched recorded feel is used where available.

These are editorial 0–10 conventions, not measured contact time. Dense/hollow describes a separate feel-and-sound axis and adds no points.^[1] No bonus comes just from foam type, grit tier or assumed break-in.

Sweet spot: footprint + stability

Without a direct stock review rating, width and twist resistance do most of the work. Softness makes only a small contribution through the dwell guide. Stiff but wide and stable can still outrank soft but narrow and twist-prone.

• W = clip((width − 7.75) / 0.25, −1, 1)
• T = clip((TW − 6.5) / 0.5, −1.5, 1.5)
• Sweet spot = clip(7.9 + 0.40 W + 0.45 T + 0.10 (D − 7.5), 6, 9.5)

D is the dwell guide. Unknown D contributes no adjustment, not an invented dwell rating. Width and TW are required; when width is absent, the page labels a nominal shape width: elongated 7.5 in, hybrid 7.75 in, widebody/standard 8 in. Actual dimensions take priority. This is a stock forgiveness guide, not a measured impact map.

Control: pocketing without ignoring rebound

• Control = clip(7.8 + 0.25 (D − 7.5) + 0.20 T + 0.10 W − 0.08 (pop mph − 38), 6, 9)

The fallback needs a dwell guide, stock TW, width or a labeled shape-width assumption, and measured pop. A 2 mph pop gap changes this derived control input by only 0.16 before rounding; it does not measure control. A direct review rating takes priority.

Characteristic-derived control and sweet spot round to one decimal. These coefficients are editorial choices, not fitted or independently validated physics. Width/TW also affect the existing PPI role/setup components; that overlap is intentional, not a set of independent measurements.