Pickleball at BallenIsles

Kyle Rose v. Kyle Yates

Pickleball is the sport that’s gaining popularity fast at BallenIsles Country Club. In fact, all across the USA, 2.815 million people count themselves as devoted pickleball players. So what’s the excitement over this spinoff of badminton? With its storied past and dramatic competition setup, you’ll be seeing why everyone’s playing pickleball!

Pickleball first started in 1965 when Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell returned to their vacation home from golf one day to find their family lying at home bored. The two men set up an impromptu court, found a ball and a few rackets, and improvised on the rules of badminton. In this case, players must let the ball bounce once, and then they can swing at it. The receiver cannot start a swing; only return the ones that the server creates. The server loses a point when they miss the receiver’s return. They would then switch sides with the receiver and become the receiver themselves. Like badminton, a pickleball court is split into two sides, with a neutral zone in the middle where the net is, but the two sides are split into two squares as well.

The easy learning curve and competitive nature of this game has attracted hundreds to the pickleball courts, not just in the United States, but also at Palm Beach Gardens. What’s also drawing them? The Grand Slam Pickleball clinic on January 27^th, featuring an exhibition match between two BallenIsles staff and two professionals-Kyle Rose, #1 Men’s 50’s Ranking, and Kyle Yates, US Open 2016 Champion and #1 in the world! If you’re looking to get involved in the pickleball world, this is an event that you won’t want to miss.

Whether your sport of choice is pickleball, tennis, golf, or swimming, you’ll find something to enjoy at BallenIsles. The Fitness Center maintains a full calendar of fun activities, and you’ll find areas like the Golf Shop or personal fitness trainers dedicated to helping you improve your game. There’s always a clinic running, so that you can learn a new skill to success or improve your style. No matter which sport is your favorite, you’ll be sure to find it at BallenIsles. Click here to schedule your private tour today.