Pickleball

One of the most popular sports among the fit seniors at Ocean Hills is Pickleball.  There are sets of Pickleball courts behind the southeast side of the Clubhouse and also near the Ocean Hills Country Club HOA offices.

Pickle Ball Courts – Photo by Gary Harmon

Paddle Tennis can also be played on these courts.   Ocean Hills Country Club guest are welcome to use the Pickelball courts, but of course, a resident has to be present.  At any time when an Ocean Hills resident is signed up and waiting to play, the resident shall have priority over any guests.

Pickle ball equipment (poles and nets, as well as badminton poles, nets, racquets and shuttlecocks) are stored in the supply cabinets at the Pickle ball courts.  Access may be obtained at the Ocean Hills Clubhouse front desk.  All equipment must be put away in the storage cabinet upon your completion of play.

Players must be dressed appropriately with tennis/court approved shoes while using the pickle ball courts.  Absolutely no street shoes or black soled running or training shoes are to be used on the Pickle ball courts.

If you have never seen Pickle Ball being played, check out the video below. (Video used by permission from owner.)

What is pickleball and why is it popular at Ocean Hills?  Pickle ball is a racquet sport which combines elements of badminton, tennis, and table tennis. The sport is played on a court with the same dimensions as a doubles badminton court. The net is similar to a tennis net, but is mounted two inches lower. Pickle ball is played with a hard paddle and a polymer wiffleball.   Although pickleball appears to be very similar to tennis, there are key differences that make pickleball more accessible to a wider range of players, making it particularly popular with seniors. Chief among these differences is the speed of the pickle ball ball which typically moves at one-third of the average speed of a tennis ball. Equally important, however, is the size of the court which is just under one-third of the total area of a tennis court. This smaller area combined with the slower moving ball makes pickleball much easier to play than tennis.