The sport of pickleball has been around for nearly six decades, but over the past few years it has taken Michigan and the country by storm as the fastest growing recreational activity. It’s so popular that it even has its own holiday, with National Pickleball Day, set for today -- August 8.
An amalgamation of badminton, tennis, ping pong and wiffle ball, pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island (near Seattle, Washington) by dads – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum – who were trying to find a way to entertain their children over summer vacation.
Pickleball was introduced to Michiganders around 1985, and today it is estimated there are about 50,000 players statewide.
“As a four-season state, we play indoors year-round and outside in the warmer summer months,” says Blair Cremeens, president of Michigan Pickleball, which began promoting and growing the sport in 2016 and formally organized as an entity in 2019.
“The growth is so significant that we are continually using adaptive leadership principles to move the sport forward. Pickleball is the greatest sport in the world, has an easy entrance point for beginners, and is highly social. More places in Michigan need to embrace the huge wave of pickleball as players want to see dedicated courts where they travel.”
While the largest number of courts can be found in the state's urban areas, smaller towns and villages across rural Michigan are getting in on the game and providing resources for locals and visitors. Additionally, many communities are receiving grants and developing recreational plans to address the demand for more court access. Here's a glimpse of what's happening in rural Michigan:
Adrian
The city of Adrian invested $185,000 last summer to establish six new pickleball courts at Heritage Park. Jeremiah Davies, director of the Parks and Recreation Department, says players are in the parking lot most mornings before 7 a.m. anxiously awaiting staff to unlock the courts, which are used throughout the day until dusk at no charge. At this time, leagues aren’t in the game plan as there simply isn’t enough open court time to accommodate them. This past spring, the city applied for a Michigan Department of Natural Resources Recreation Passport Grant that would help fund bathrooms and a pavilion near the pickleball courts.
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The new pickleball courts in Adrian.
Alpena
Led by a group of local players, the city of Alpena unveiled six dedicated pickleball courts in June 2022 at the McRae Park complex. Pro Surfaces, a Michigan company with experience developing sports facilities, developed the courts, which were funded in part by the city along with funds from several local organizations, including the Besser Foundation, the Park Family Foundation, the Community Foundation for Northeast Michigan and the First Federal of Northern Michigan Legacy Foundation, along with about $10,000 raised by local individuals.
East Jordan
In the Antrim County city of East Jordan, there are four standard 20-foot-by-44-foot courts, lined exclusively for pickleball – with two new courts coming soon – to Centennial Park.
“The creation of the courts was a collaboration between the city of East Jordan, Rotary Club, a local condominium association and the Charlevoix County Community Foundation,” says Tom Cannon, city administrator. “Overall, the addition of the pickleball courts have been an exceptional amenity to our recreation inventory that provides an economic impact to our downtown.”
The courts are publicly owned and used by many residents and visitors to East Jordan. The condo association organizes the leagues, which has expanded to include regional participation.
Escanaba
Earlier this year, the city of Escanaba Recreation Department began sourcing funds for eight dedicated pickleball courts at Royce Park. A $400,000 grant application has been submitted to the Michigan Natural Resources Trust Fund, which would include a $100,000 local contribution. Notice of grants will be made in the fall, and if awarded the city would begin the project in late 2025 or early 2026.
Gladstone
For the past three years, pickleball players in Gladstone have been sharing space with tennis and basketball players at Jones Elementary. In the fall of 2021, the Gladstone Area Pickleball Club launched its “Courts of Dreams Project” to raise money to establish eight courts with rubberized surfaces at the John and Melissa Besse Sports Park. The $430,000 project is funded with donations from more than 175 local businesses and families, as well as a grant from the Hannahville Indian Community and a $50,000 matching-fund grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Public Spaces Community Places program.
Ludington
“We have eight very well-maintained courts at the Ludington Oriole Field at the corner of Tinkham Avenue and Gaylord Avenue, for outdoor play from May through October,” notes John Reed, an active member of the Ludington Area Pickleball Club. “Each day from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. is Drop-In Play with a paddle stacking system and 12 p.m. to 9 p.m. is open play, neither of which require membership and is free.”
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City of LudingtonThe Ludington Pickleball Classic is set for Labor Day weekend.
In addition to a variety of club leagues and events, a highlight of the season is the Ludington Pickleball Classic this year set for Labor Day Weekend, September 6-8. Open to those 18 and older, with a play level between 3.0 and 4.5, this event draws about 260 players given the number of courts and hours in the day.
During the winter, players can find one court at St. John’s Lutheran Church on Rowe Street and three courts at the recreation center at West Shore Community College on North Stile Road. Club membership is required to utilize these courts and fees do apply.
Mackinac Island
In July 2023, Mackinac Island received a $50,000 MEDC Public Spaces Community program grant to help fund three new publicly accessible pickleball courts at Great Turtle Park. According to MEDC documents, “Mackinac Island possesses the ideal demographics for pickleball, including a vibrant aging population, energetic children and teenagers seeking summer activities, and a sizable young adult and working population yearning for alternative recreational options beyond the local bar scene.
Additionally, surveys conducted by the Mackinac Island Recreation Department indicated a clear demand for these activities, with a specific interest expressed in pickleball.” The island has raised its matching funds, but there is no project timeline currently available.
Marshall
Fundraising is ongoing in Marshall to convert a 1.6-acre parcel immediately south of its current Athletic Fields complex, including pickleball courts, into a new community area called Eaton Park. To date, $1.9 million has been raised, with another $800,000 to go before ground can be broken for the first phase of the project. “Our plan is to go out for bid in August and are then looking at Fall 2024 construction start with completion in spring 2025,” notes Eric Zuzga, director of Community Services for Marshall.
Saugatuck area
The Douglas Saugatuck Pickleball Club was founded in 2015 when a group of local players coordinated with the village of Douglas and the Community Recreation Department of the Saugatuck School System to construct the Schultz Park courts with financial gifts from Walt Lawrence and Stephen Lewis, as well as contributions from the founding members of the club. Last year, the club had 160 members of varying skill levels, ages and gender.
“The crown jewel of pickleball courts along the lakeshore is Schultz Park. Nestled in the village of Douglas, this facility has eight gorgeous outdoor hard courts with permanent pickleball lines and nets,” says Lisa Mize, executive director of the Saugatuck Douglas Area Convention & Visitors Bureau.
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The courts in Douglas are located along the shoreline.
Seven of the courts in Douglas are reserved for club members ($45 yearly membership), but one court is open to non-members.
One free outdoor concrete court can be found in the Village Square Park in Saugatuck, although the lines have been overlaid on a tennis court and the net is taller than a regulation pickleball court. Mize notes that the city’s Parks and Public Works Committee has plans to improve the facilities in the coming year.
The Fennville Community Athletic Center has three indoor wooden courts, with permanent lines and portable nets. Guest passes are available to use the space for $5.
Traverse City
Last summer, Peninsula Township and the Traverse Area Pickleball Association were awarded a $50,000 matching funds grant from the MEDC for the construction of six new dedicated pickleball courts at Bower Harbor Park on Old Mission Peninsula. Determining the exact location within the park has been a bit of a challenge and the project has not yet advanced to construction.
For a list of pickleball facilities in Michigan, check out www.pickleheads.com/courts/us/michigan.
Dianna Stampfler has been writing professionally since high school. Twenty years ago she founded Promote Michigan and since has authored two books: Michigan’s Haunted Lighthouses and Death & Lighthouses on the Great Lakes, both from The History Press.