Having a (pickle)ball

Pickleball is the sport of the moment for the over-50s. What’s the appeal – and why has it got such an odd name?

Pickle what?’ you may be asking. I was, having never heard of the game until I found myself in a sports hall holding a paddle (it’s a bat), and a bright yellow plastic ball with holes in, about to learn how to play something with possibly the silliest name ever.

The last racquet sport I played was tennis about 20 years ago when I put my back out – not racing to the net to volley, but bending over to pick up the ball! So I was not feeling my most confident arriving to join my local group in Surrey, the Farnham Picklers. The sport, an American import, is a mash-up of tennis, ping pong and badminton, and it’s creating a huge buzz at the moment – with celebrities including George and Amal Clooney and Leonardo DiCaprio all apparently hooked.

It’s played indoors on a badminton court using a low net or can be taken outside on a tennis court marked down to a smaller size with tape. You can play doubles or singles and the first team to score 11 points wins. The sport is particularly popular with those aged 50-plus and you can see why: it’s not about the power with which you hit the ball, it’s more about patience and waiting for the right shot – so you don’t have to be young and fit to win. The main goal is to have fun, exercise and socialise.

Pickleball is hugely popular in the United States, especially in retirement villages where some residents have made the choice to concrete over their swimming pools and build courts. It’s relatively new in the UK, but is now available to play in local pickleball clubs, some David Lloyd gyms, and even spas such as Champneys. It is also becoming popular with members of U3A (University of the Third Age), which offers the sport in 19 areas around the UK.

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