What Is Pickleball?

Combining tennis, ping pong, and a little spice of badminton, you’ll have the recipe for the fastest growing sport in America, played with a paddle not much bigger than a table tennis bat.

With a perforated polymer ball, much like a wiffle ball, players on the pickleball court – roughly the size of a badminton court – enjoy a multi-generational, addictive sporting outlet that is as much about socialising as competing.

Lorraine Christiansen began playing Pickleball five years ago, and has been spearheading the growth of what is quickly becoming a weekend love affair for Whitsunday locals of all ages.

“It’s a great social game; it’s a lot more personal game than other bat or racket sports, because you’re closer to each player and because there’s a chance for some weird and funny shots – especially if it’s windy,” Lorraine said.

Just within Qld there are 70 venues where pickleball is currently being played, with Proserpine jumping on board soon, and 10,000 people in Qld play the game.

That growth is in no small part due to its easily accessible nature, and that it is less taxing on joints, meaning it’s become a favourite with once tennis players who might want a slower, more sociable game.

That doesn’t mean it’s not fast-paced at the higher levels though, and there’s certainly room for some tense rallies and close matches.

Locals are seeing a lot more paddles and perforated balls around Airlie as America’s fastest growing sport slowly takes over, with social play with the Pickleball Whitsunday club at 4:30pm on Thursday’s afternoons, as well as Saturday mornings at 6:30am at the Tennis Whitsundays courts in Cannonvale.

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