Pickleball is often seen as a threat to the game of tennis, but it can also be a great opportunity.

Although I don’t play much tennis anymore I used to play tennis ball or racquetball before I switched to tennis. It’s smaller and more actionable. Also, it’s more social because you are mostly married and can talk to each other all the time.

If I looked at Scotland, which has very poor weather and very few indoor tennis facilities, pickleball would be something I could see as something that can really get off of the ground. It can be taught at schools and sports centers with badminton courts of equal size. This helps to keep the tennis skills sharp during the winter months. This could be applied to most of the UK.

A clinic I ran recently introduced some excellent tennis players and taught them how to play racquetball. They had a lot fun. Pickleball has a way of bringing a sense of friendliness to tennis, where it is usually one-on-one. Their communication skills have been a huge help.

It forced them to think creatively about their strategies, such as jumping, jumping, and shooting a lot. On grass courts, we used to say that you must hit the ball and charge it with the net when you return. This is exactly what you get in pickleballs. If you’re teaching people tennis, making a smaller version of the net in a fun shape encourages them to get in the net. You can’t win with force. You have to be smart.

There are legal issues and significant objections in the United States. Some fear that their clubs will become racquetball and limit tennis’s space. The biggest problem for pickleball players is noise. Pickleball courts are noisy and tennis players can be bothered by the sound of a hardball hitting a hardcourt.

From a business standpoint, however, it makes sense to have more pickleball courts within the clubs. The area of ​​one tennis court can fit 4 pickle ball courts, thus it will generate more income. You can adapt the courts to meet the demand of your members.

Tennis is a complex sport, over a large area of ​​court, and therefore from a business and social perspective, I can see the advantage of investing in owning a pickleball as an added activity in your club. My singles club days seem to be over.

There is a possibility that pickleball could encroach upon a lot of tennis courts spaces. However, they can also work together. Andy’s Hotel tried to introduce pickleball using analogy, and by putting frog tape onto the tennis courts. There was a huge turnout, with people of all ages, sizes, and stages. Everyone could join. This is its beauty. Another thing I like about the pickleball is that it fits with the world’s current trend of shorter, sharper activities to grab people’s attention.

Tennis must work harder than ever to maintain its numbers and grow. Pickleball is great fun, and it’s a good game. I can see the dangers it presents to tennis. However, I believe that this is something that can bring people into the tennis world or keep them there.