Pickup Games and Tournaments: How to Find Pickleball Courts Near Me

One of the fastest growing sports around the world in recent years has been pickleball. Just as simple as it is engaging, pickleball is a game that has united thousands of people in every city across the United States and beyond. The pickleball community has grown rapidly since the game was invented in 1965 and has a major association, the USA Pickleball Association, as its governing body. Pickleball truly is a game that almost anybody can enjoy either as a professional pursuit or as a leisure activity.

Starting pickleball as a regular activity is something that one can do in practically any stage of their life. Both young children and seniors can enjoy what the game has to offer. In this article, we’ll cover how to connect with other players in communities everywhere. You’ll find answers to searches such as “outdoor pickleball courts near me” and “indoor pickleball courts near me.” You’ll soon find that much more than a simple ball game can be found when you connect with like minded individuals and have some fun.

We’ll also cover where pickleball games are generally played, the best places for pickleball games, and how pickleball games can be played on tennis courts or on gym floors. Additionally, we will cover how the game is enjoyed by seniors as well as where the largest pickleball communities reside. Most of all, you’ll know how to use the pickleball network to your advantage once you’ve finished reading!

Where Do You Play Pickleball?

Pickleball court is one of the most versatile sports around the world. It can be played with either two or four players. It can be played on a variety of surfaces, both indoors and outdoors. The equipment is minimal, consisting of just a few pickleballs, a paddle or two for each player, the net, and an improved surface with painted lines. This makes pickleball adaptable to so many different locations around the world.

A regulation size pickleball court needs to be 20 feet wide and 44 feet long in its playable space, ensuring that there is plenty of buffer space and making it 30 feet wide by 60 feet long when all is said and done. Pickleball games can be picked up on dedicated pickleball courts or improved spaces such as tennis courts, basketball courts, volleyball courts, and more. The only changes that need to be made to these improved spaces  are the spacing of the net and the location of the lines for the playable area.

Where Is The Best Place For Pickleball?

The best place for pickleball will always be a space that has been dedicated for the game, complete with the correct surface dimensions in the painted lines and a net that is set to the correct height. The USAPA lists all of the regulations for official play in Section 2 of their official rule book. 

Pickleball can also be played in various indoor and outdoor sports settings. The most commonly used space is that of a tennis court, which is typically built on a concrete floor and surrounded by a chain link fence. Another popularly used space is the basketball court. Basketball courts can be both indoors and outdoors, using concrete floors or wood floors, respectively. Since both tennis courts and basketball courts are much larger than a pickleball court, the physical sports infrastructure typically does not need to be removed. It is fairly simple to convert either of these spaces to hold a pickleball court. 

Can You Play Pickleball On A Normal Tennis Court?

Yes! However, there are some modifications that you need to make before beginning play. There is a great disparity in the size of the two play areas and their respective buffer zones. This affects the placement of the nets as well. Let’s cover how you can transform a typical tennis court into a pickleball court.

A regulation-size tennis court including its buffer zone is 60 feet by 120 feet, making a total size of 7,200 square feet. This is much larger than a regulation-size pickleball court which is 30 feet by 60 feet, making a total size of 900 square feet. This means that a tennis court is effectively eight times larger than a pickleball court. However, the number of pickleball courts that fit on a typical tennis court is only four. This is due to the buffer zone that is necessary on all sides of a court. It still means that while a tennis court can only host one game at a time, that same tennis court with modifications can host four pickleball games!

Of course, a set of pickleball courts is going to require 4 total nets. A tennis court will need to be repainted to transform into a set of pickleball courts before fair game play can begin. Luckily, the same finished concrete surface of a tennis court can always act as a wonderful setting for multiple pickleball games, so you won’t need to do any reconstruction.

Can You Play Pickleball On A Gym Floor?

Yes! Many pickleball players have found that a hard concrete surface like a tennis court isn’t as enjoyable as the wood floor of a gym, such as a basketball or volleyball court. Wood floors offer a certain amount of bounce that concrete floors simply can’t replicate. This bounce from a wood floor provides less impact on ankles, knees, and hips.

Much like the modifications made to a tennis court, there need to be modifications made to a gym floor basketball court or volleyball court in order to make a suitable pickleball court. A typical basketball court is 62 feet by 96 feet including the buffer zone, making a total size of 5,952 square feet. This makes it approximately 6½ times larger than a typical pickleball court. Basketball courts are capable of holding three full size pickleball courts including their buffer zones. 

In order to transform a basketball court into a pickleball court, nets will need to be installed and lines will need to be repainted. There is a difference in the paint used between indoor and outdoor courts, but you can use the same paint that is used in various basketball or tennis court settings.

Is Pickleball Good For Seniors?

Absolutely! Many seniors have begun to play pickleball as an alternative to many other commonly played sports and games. Pickleball has many health benefits as well as mental benefits, including improved cardiovascular health. Pickleball helps to improve blood flow around the body, especially the arms and legs. This can greatly reduce chances of heart attacks, hypertension, and stroke. Not to mention, the game is fun! You’d be hard pressed to see a group of people playing the game with frowns on their faces.

Pickleball is much easier on the body than other court-based games. No jumping or running is necessary in normal play. Actually, it’s quite possible to stand in one place for much of the game. The pickleball court enables players to stand much closer, especially when it’s a game with four players. Slight mistakes in both tennis and basketball can cause injuries to arms and legs, since both sports involve lots of complex movement. Pickleball will get the blood moving, but there is a much lower rate of injury. 

Even better, pickleball is widely played in circles that don’t involve senior living as well. This means that you can find plenty of venues across the world where you may be able to get together for a game with people of all ages and skill levels.

Where Are The Most Pickleball Courts?

Pickleball is played all over the world, but it’s important to look back to where the game began. The first pickleball game was played in 1965 in a backyard on Bainbridge Island, Washington, immediately west of Seattle. Over fifty years later, pickleball is still very popular in the same urban area, with a rate of 3 pickleball courts per 20,000 people in Seattle according to Statista. Other cities with lots of pickleball courts include Des Moines (Iowa), Columbus (Ohio), St. Paul (Minnesota), Honolulu (Hawaii), Chesapeake (Virginia), Madison (Wisconsin), Arlington (Virginia), St. Petersburg (Florida), and Boise (Idaho), rounding out the top 10.

Outside of the United States, pickleball is gaining a following in lots of places. Madrid, the capital and largest city of Spain, hosts a large tournament called the Spanish Open Pickleball Championship. Bolton, in England, hosted a pickleball tournament in 2021. Large tournaments have also been held in Italy, Mexico, and Canada. 

Where Can I Find Pickleball Courts Near Me?

Every pickleball player with any sort of experience knows that it doesn’t take much equipment to play a game of pickleball. Once you’ve gotten a reliable pickleball set, it may seem that you can play pickleball practically anywhere. However, you shouldn’t settle for anything less than a proper pickleball court so you can practice your form and have some good fun. The USA Pickleball Association (USAPA) keeps an updated database of verified pickleball court locations called www.places2play.org.

By and large, there are plenty of places to play pickleball all over the United States and Canada that are covered by USAPA’s court location finder. However, many pickleball players around the world may struggle using conventional search engines. That’s why app developer and pickleball enthusiast Alexander Murray created the Pickleball+ App, which is available on the iOS platform. Although it’s not as user-friendly or as comprehensive as Pickleball+, PicklePlay is a decent game finder and organizer app on the Google Play platform.

Where Can I Find Pickleball Players Near Me?

You may have found a venue for your pickleball game and you have all the equipment ready, but finding people to play with is a whole other issue. Fear not, because the pickleball community is tight. Beyond just helping each other find venues and equipment, the pickleball community is mostly about playing the game with each other. 

The Global Pickleball Network is an organization dedicated to the love of the game of pickleball. Their Facebook group is an excellent place to begin as you seek out players, venues, and equipment to continue your interest in pickleball. It’s also a wonderful place to ask for tips and advice on how to improve a game. Anyone with an interest in pickleball and a Facebook account should join!

More and more recreation centers around your area have been adding pickleball courts to their roster of infrastructure for sporting activities. These recreation centers often have pickleball players of all skill levels using the schedule to sign up for a quick pickup game. This is often where you will find ambassadors of the local pickleball association. If no members are present, the front desk will likely be aware of how to get in touch with them. 

How Can I Join A Pickleball Association?

The most direct way you can join a pickleball association is to contact one of the local pickleball ambassadors as designated by the USAPA. Their database of pickleball ambassadors is located here. That person can not only assist you in joining the local pickleball association, but is also a trusted resource to find pickleball courts, reliable equipment, and advice. They’ll even know which courts are the best and what the best times for playing are.

We’ve already covered the many uses of Facebook Groups, though those resources can be somewhat difficult to navigate when asking a simple question or setting up an event. This is because the Facebook Groups tend to be quite large and may have hundreds or even thousands of members. Meetup is a useful resource for people to find other like minded individuals to get together in a specific area for all sorts of gatherings, including pickleball games. For an informal pickup pickleball game, Meetup is a great place to begin.

Joining the USAPA and its associated leagues is a great benefit to any prospective or current pickleball player of any skill set. One full year of membership is only $35 and you will get lots of benefits and discounts for equipment. It will also allow you to participate in USAPA sanctioned events and join the rankings of players all over the country. It’s the best way to get your foot in the door!

How Can I Schedule A Pickleball Game?

Knowing how to schedule a game begins with the type of game you’re looking for. Of course, it’s easy to set up a game if you’ve already got the contacts in a network of pickleball players. We’ve also discussed the merits of using both Facebook Groups and Meetup to reach people that you aren’t familiar with. These are excellent ways to set up informal games in your area and get to know local players in a relaxed setting. Another great resource for directly scheduling games with other pickleball players is Playtime Scheduler.

Scheduling a more formal game is something that can only be done through the official auspices of the USAPA. Leaders of the local pickleball association will set up league games and tournaments with the blessing of the leaders of the USAPA. This will enable individual players and teams to move up the ranks and enter tournaments to win some incredible prizes.