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Just dill with it—pickleball isn’t going anywhere.
Court is officially in session. Back like it never left, pickleball season is in full swing again as temps begin to rise—and competition heats up. Since our last story on pickleball’s rise to fame, the sport has continued to rise in popularity in Raleigh, and remains the fastest-growing sport in America.
According to pickleball court data provider Pickleheads, Raleigh is the second-most popular city in North Carolina to play pickleball, a cross between tennis, badminton and pingpong that’s played with paddles and a Wiffle-like ball—and there are 17 pickleball courts in Raleigh and counting.
To wit, when Swing Racquet + Paddle—a first-of-its-kind highly anticipated multiracquet and paddle facility—opens in 2024, it will debut 24 pickleball courts, in addition to 29 tennis courts (clay and hard), 16 padel courts, 4 beach tennis/volleyball courts and pingpong tables.
If you’ve yet to jump on the pickleball bandwagon—have no fear. It’s easy to get in the swing of (had to), and anyone can play, no matter their age, station, etc. NTM playing a round or two is far more attractive than running on a treadmill like a hamster on a wheel to get in your daily 30 min of physical activity (!).
“The magic of pickleball is it’s easy to learn, but hard to master,” says Pickleheads Co-Founder Brandon Mackie, who started the free platform a year ago with his team out of their own challenges with finding courts and people to play with locally. “Beginners can go out their first time, learn the game, have fun and even win a few games. But advanced players stay challenged—and keep coming back for more. This dynamic is a big reason why pickleball continues to grow like crazy.”
Whether you’re looking to learn the ropes or engage in some friendly competition, there are a host of local pickleball communities, meet-ups and match-ups worth relishing (see Raleigh Pickleball Club; Raleigh Pickleball Advisory Group; and Pickleheads, which allows users to find a nearby court near and see weekly play times for popular times to play)—and see below for a list of popular courts to play throughout the city. Just remember to dink responsibly—and don’t get smashed.
Top Places to Play Pickleball in Raleigh
Method Road Community Center (free)
The Bucket at North Hills Park (one-time fee required)
Wildwood Green Golf Club (membership required)
Worthdale Community Center (one-time fee required)
Browse all courts in the area here.
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