Pickleball
Pickleball at Bamford Tennis Club is up and running!
We had a trial phase, there was enough interest, so in 2024 we bought kit for players to borrow, including throw down lines.
That is the set up until we can paint permanent lines... *Now our 2025 fundraising campaign has been successful* there will be two courts, with permanent lines, from May 2026, as well as coordinated sessions to get people going with Pickleball, if they want it.
But, before then, if you don't know other to play pickleball with, email sec@bamfordtennis.org.uk and we'll introduce you to other people.
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is played on a small court so isn’t too demanding in terms of mobility and, with light bats and balls, a low net and no need to serve, it doesn’t take long to pick it up and be able to enjoy a good game. It is played either as doubles (4 people) or singles (2 people).
It is a sport that is well suited for young players as well as those playing into older age. Indeed, it’s the fastest growing sport in the US, and gaining ground here too…
Pickleball at Bamford Tennis Club
Booking
- Court 4 must be booked if you want to play pickleball as it is the only court with markers for the throw-down lines
- 'Throw down lines' are the short, flat, blue and yellow rubber strips you can see in the photo above
Pickleball kit
- To mark out the court, use the throw-down lines we provide (you'll find instructions provided with the lines)
- If wanted, there are also balls, bats and instructions on how to play pickleball
- All of this is in the grey plastic box on court 4
- There is a padlock on this box with a code on it. The person booking will be sent the code to the padlock.
- Please look after the kit
Number of players
- The person booking the court is responsible for deciding how many people are in the group that plays during the booking
- 4 to 6 people is ideal
Cost
- Members: No charge, just be sure to book court 4
- Non-members (playing with a member who has booked the court): £2.50 per hour. This fee is for the member to collect and transfer to the club using reference “Pickleball visitor(s)". Club bank details for payments can be found on this page on our website
- Non-members (playing with non-members): £10 per hour for the court. This is paid online by the person who books the court via Pay and Play
And while you can only play pickleball on court 4, those who want to continue playing tennis on court 4 can still do so. Book the court when you want to play as normal, and you choose whether you play tennis or pickleball.
Resources to help get an idea of how Pickleball is played
This links to a PDF of the rules:
The following links take you to videos on YouTube:
- Pickleball Rules | The Definitive Beginner's Resource to How to Play Pickleball
- Pickleball Scoring | What You Need to Know to Get Started
What a pickleball bat and ball look like:
Enjoy!