Matkot: Israel's Unofficial National Sport (Beach Paddleball)
Ranked #603 in Sports, #17,702 overall
What's all the fuss about matkot?
Photo: Joe Shlabotnik
How to Play Matkot
1. Make sure that no sunbathers or dangerous objects are close by.
2. Stand at least a few meters apart on the beach or in your backyard.
3. Serve the ball
4. Try to get a rally going
5. Have fun and enjoy the great outdoors!
How to Play Matkot Video
These guys play matkot on the beach in Haifa, Israel
Matkot at Sunset
Thanks to gustav* on flickr (click on the photo to see his photostream)
Matkot Equipment on Amazon
Affordable, wide diameter wooden racquets
Beach Tennis
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 12/23/2009) 
Replacement Smashballs
Amazon Price: $5.69 (as of 12/23/2009)
Prokadima Paddleball Racquet Set
Amazon Price: $9.89 (as of 12/23/2009)
Matkot Equipment on eBay
Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
Talking Hands
Photo Credit: Meir Ben Ari (Mirovarda42 on flickr - Click on the photo to see his photostream.)
A short video about professional matkot in Israel
Some top players hit the ball over 100 miles per hour!
Matkot Goes Pro: Israeli beach sports
Often referred to as Israel's unofficial national sport, Matkot, a combination of tennis, ping pong and squash, is the quintessential beach pastime in Israel. Now some player's passion for the game is pushing for it to go pro.
Runtime: 259
2437 views
2 Comments:
curated content from YouTube
"Did you know that matkot is popular in Brazil? They call it "frescobol", a.k.a. "frescoball""
An Awesome Matkot Rally Caught on Video
I nominate these guys for the Olympics
More matkot links on the web
- Fitness article about beach paddleball
- Some people think that matkot is a great way to keep in shape!
- Find players near you on Facebook
- If you're a member of Facebook, log in and search for groups under the keywords "matkot", "smashball", etc.
You'll find a few of these groups and who knows - maybe some fellow players. (Last time I checked, there was an active group in Nantucket, MA!)
Three Ways to Make the Game More Challenging
1. Hit the ball harder
2. Increase the distance between players
3. Play left-handed :-)
Your opinion is needed
Capture Your Matkot Games and Beach Fun on Video
Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder, 60 Minutes (Orange) OLD MODEL
Amazon Price: (as of 12/23/2009)
I own one of these FLIP cameras, and so far I'm satisfied with it. I like to take it to the beach and have fun recording nature and super-talented matkot players! In fact, the "how to play matkot" video at the top of the page was shot with this video camera.
The Flip Ultra Video Camera is the easiest , cheapest, cutest and most mobile way to create small video clips for the web and for popular video sharing sites like YouTube. This FLIP model can hold up to 60 minutes of video, runs on regular AA batteries, fits in a pocket (or purse), and can be taken everywhere.
Anyone can shoot a video with the touch of a button, edit it, upload it, and send it forward. As a globe trotter, it can come in handy for those unexpected moments that serve as memories for a lifetime.
The camera has a USB port and hooks up to desktops and laptops. It comes in several colors, including black, white, orange and pink.
Note: This is last year's model (which is still selling strong). FLIP recently entered the HD market, so if you're looking for the cutting edge, search Amazon for the "FLIP digital Mino HD" model.
It's all about having fun
There are no winners or losers in this game!
Maccabi & Friends
Photo Credit: Gilad Benari on flickr (click on the photo to see his photostream)
Matkot Photos
Photo credits (left-right):
Justin Marshall, Shawn Zamechek, Shannon Holman, Joe Shlabotnik, Meir Ben Ari (talking hands & walk like an egyptian), Haim a.k.a. "Brazilero"
Repository of Essential Matkot Facts & Rumors
* Matkot doubles as an Israeli pickup method. During a rally, the ball "accidentally" lands next to an attractive female sunbather. This gives the suave matkot player an easy excuse to start a conversation.
* There's a matkot museum in Tel Aviv. I haven't been there yet, but I plan on going soon, taking photos, and posting them to this site. It contains the sport's biggest racquet, which is rumored to be at least 2 meters in diameter!
If you liked this lens, consider Stumbling it by pressing the black button below
Cool people in the StumbleUpon community may want to learn & play matkot too!
Please leave your comments here
I want to hear what you think!
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Reply
- Nick Nick Dec 16, 2009 @ 2:51 pm
- hey there! i'm from Singapore and just returned from Tel Aviv. Saw two guys at the beach near the colourful hotel playing this game. Incidentally, one of the Tel Aviv artists, Stacey Piltzer, is running an exhibition at the Bauhaus Centre, some of her works were done on Rabi brand Matkot racquets. :) Was hoping to buy a pair of bats/racquets and a ball so i could try it out here... but didn't have any luck before i got home. any idea where i might be able to find some online?
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Reply
- Dee Dee Aug 10, 2008 @ 10:47 am
- My Crazy Israeli boyfriend introduced me to this game, and I am HOOKED!!
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Reply
- beachbum_gabby beachbum_gabby Jul 10, 2008 @ 11:04 pm
- what a great sport for us beachbums :) great lens!
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Reply
- ideadesigns ideadesigns Jun 19, 2008 @ 6:11 pm
- Another Great Israel sport! 5 stars.
by PleasantValley
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