The Pickleball Wars

We have it on expert authority that the recent incursions into our air space are, in fact, spying on U.S. facilities. Sure, they glimpsed the B2 at Whiteman AFB in Missouri and collected information about our communication systems and radar capabilities. However, before being shot down off the coast of South Carolina, the balloon was reportedly heading to Naples, Florida, to observe the site of the Minto U.S. Open Pickleball Championship Zing Zang court! So, thanks to our military and President Biden, the first shots to be fired in the Pickleball Wars were averted.

Although, to our knowledge, no shots have been fired, conflict, controversy, and even lawsuits are being filed in skirmishes between devout pickleball enthusiasts, tennis players, and homeowners.

Courts Litigation

As pickleball has gained popularity, the biggest issue has been space and finding available courts. Many neighborhoods and HOAs converted less frequently used tennis courts to pickleball courts. Our little community converted one of four tennis courts, albeit the stadium court, into four pickleball courts. The tennis players fumed; however, usage shows that although you can reserve a tennis court at nearly any time of the day, pickleball reservations need to be made ten days in advance and courts are in use far more often. The current ratio is eight pickleball courts to three tennis courts.

Across the land, tennis players are rebelling against this spread of pickleball courts and defending their ground in what’s called the “anti-pickleball wars.” Especially egregious to tennis players are the temporary lines placed on tennis courts, converting tennis to pickleball courts. In New Hampshire, multiple tennis Grand Slam winner Martina Navratilova weighed in, “I say if pickleball is that popular, let them build their own courts.”

An even more contentious issue is the noise involved in the game, from the banter between opposing players to the sound of a plastic ball meeting the solid paddle. Pickleball is noisy. Homeowners in proximity to pickleball courts are up in arms due to the constant sounds. Research shows that a solid paddle striking the hard plastic pickleball can be significantly louder than a felt-covered tennis ball connecting with the strings of a tennis racket. The loudest tennis shot may generate 60 decibels, while a pickleball, even 50 feet away from the court, can register 85 decibels.

As a result, neighbors are pitted against one another in state after state, from New Jersey to Southern California. As its popularity explodes, people are declaring war against pickleball in country clubs, local parks, and recreation centers.

In my home state, the local news station, Arizona’s Family, recently ran a feature regarding a class action lawsuit against an HOA that converted tennis courts to pickleball. Why? The HOA failed to do its due diligence regarding sound levels. Some HOAs, concerned about their exposure, have agreed to either no pickleball or drastically reducing noise associated with pickleball.

In various legal proceedings across the country, detractors have successfully claimed that pickleball violates local municipal codes, HOAs, or condominium associations’ rules.

Solutions to this Pickle

For the love of the game and to protect its future, we need solutions, not litigation and arbitration. As much as I enjoy the sport, I understand the noise issue for homeowners near courts. The sport has attracted deep-pocketed investors in its leagues and some of the biggest names in the sports equipment industry. So, let’s put the best minds to work on developing win/win solutions focusing on the sound issues.

· Several communities have opted to relocate their pickleball courts to more remote locations.

· Indoor facilities are another solution, and construction is underway on several elaborate sports complexes.

· Acoustic noise-abating fencing can significantly reduce sound levels and has the added benefit of buffering against windy conditions. Retrofitting existing courts has potential.

Our preferred solution is to address the source of the problem, the paddles and perhaps someday the pickleball itself.

· Green Zone paddles. Sun City Grand in Surprise, Arizona, has developed a list of “green” paddles, quieter paddles, that can be used on their courts. They also have a list of “red” zone, forbidden paddles.

To date, no single company has taken the lead in addressing a quieter “green” paddle. With all the technology surrounding paddles with improved surfaces to provide more power, control, and spin, why can’t manufacturers make noise reduction a priority?

We believe it’s incumbent on those profiting from the game today to help lead us forward — addressing noise abatement proactively.

Grunting Needs to be a Hindrance!

We couldn’t close this article without addressing a future potential noise problem. With more tennis players converting to pickleball, there is one characteristic they can leave on the larger court — grunting. The more radical tennis players like to say pickleball is “tennis for the non-athlete.” They are correct to a point, it’s a smaller court, the ball moves at a lesser velocity, and since you are not driving the ball as far or as fast, it doesn’t require the effort to return the pickleball — so let’s leave the grunting behind. It’s counterintuitive and annoying.

Salome Devidze, a female pickleball pro, may be today’s biggest culprit, but let’s stop this before others follow suit!

Pickleball and tennis are great sports. We need to work together to find a way to coexist peacefully and as quietly as possible. Let’s make the only pickleball wars hand battles at the kitchen.