Walter Lau is a touring professional pickleball player, coach, and broadcaster, and one of the most sought-after instructors in the country. Across Life Time’s 230-plus locations in the U.S. and Canada, he is the number one revenue-producing pickleball coach, on court seven to eight hours a day, Monday through Friday, and has ranked among the top three coaches nationally in monthly revenue for years running. Today he serves as Director of Pickleball and Head Coaching Pro at Life Time in Laguna Niguel, California.
On the court, Walter competes at the top of the field. He is a two-time Nationals gold medalist and a U.S. Open gold medalist at 5.0 19+, with pro-division wins on the PPA Tour and a silver-medal finish at the Skechers Paris Open. He carries a DUPR rating of 5.9 and has been ranked among the top players in his region by The Dink.
Off the court, Walter is a familiar voice in the booth, commentating and analyzing for the PPA Tour and Major League Pickleball, including center-court and medal-round coverage on championship weekends. He is a USA Pickleball Ambassador and an IFP certified instructor. This past spring he joined three other touring pros on the Pro Pickleball Military Tour for the U.S. Armed Forces, running clinics, exhibitions, and events for servicemembers from California and Arizona to bases in Kosovo, the U.K., Germany, Italy, and Spain.
Walter came to pickleball in 2020 after more than two decades in competitive tennis, where he was a four-star college recruit and ranked among the top players in Southern California. That foundation, along with a deep background across racket and court sports, gives him a rare eye for movement and mechanics. He does not just tell you what went wrong; he shows you why, then rebuilds it into something that holds up under pressure.
He has taught clinics alongside touring pros including Jay Devilliers, Callie Jo Smith, and Jessie Irvine, coached within Nike and Tyson McGuffin camps, and trained accomplished athletes from across the sports world, among them Golden Tate, James Blake, and Michael Chang. He has also served as director or resident pro at private clubs throughout Southern California.
Whether you are picking up a paddle for the first time or chasing your next rating, Walter brings that same gold-medal standard to every session. That is what Catalyst is built on.
Career Highlights
- Two-time Nationals Gold Medalist, 5.0 19+ (Indian Wells, CA and Dallas, TX)
- U.S. Open Gold Medalist, 5.0 19+ (Naples, FL)
- PPA Tour LA Open, Pro Points Draw Gold Medalist
- PPA Newport Beach Shootout, Pro Division Backdraw Gold Medalist
- Skechers Paris Open, Pro Division Silver Medalist (Paris, France)
- Two-time Defending Gold Medalist, Life Time PPA OC Cup, 5.0 19+
- DUPR 5.9; nationally ranked in The Dink’s Top 50 by region (CA and HI)
- USA Pickleball Ambassador and IFP Certified Instructor (Advanced/Plus, 4.5+)
