Agree with OP
I'm a member of the pickleball community. I'm an avid player. There is a strong consensus among many that indeed the Engage ball represents a significant change in how the game is played. Many players that I play with do not like the Engage ball. The ball gets soft quickly, it becomes "dead" and is harder to put away. The Engage ball will be used in a tournament this week, and many of us are playing with it in order to get a feel for the ball.
I hope The Villages stays with the Dura ball until a better alternative is available. The Dura ball is more fragile in the winter, and perhaps that is part of what is driving the proposal to change the ball.
I appreciate the fact The Village continues to provide balls for the players. We all play with the same ball, which establishes a consistency for all. If players were forced to buy their own balls, that consistency would probably be lost. Moreover, the attitude of "make the players buy their own..." is perhaps expressed by those who don't play the game, or sports in general. Pickleball costs have been factored in the budget for years. Trying to get players to band together and buy the same ball would be difficult as personal biases do exist when it comes to equipment.
The ball matters in many sports, consistency is key.
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