What is Pickleball
Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports both in Montgomery County and nationally. Pickleball is a fun, fast-paced, but low-impact sport that is a combination of several classic games – badminton, tennis, and table tennis. It’s played on either a shared court with tennis (players use the existing net or bring their own net) or a dedicated court with a tennis-like net that is 34 inches high. The sport uses paddles slightly larger than ping pong, and a plastic whiffle ball. Pickleball is easy for beginners of all ages to learn and often becomes very competitive among experienced players. Pickleball provides opportunities for active and social experiences. The sport was earlier limited to indoor recreation centers, but there has been a rising demand for outdoor play facilities.
Montgomery Parks is actively working to increase the number of pickleball courts. In April 2019, Montgomery Parks concluded a Pickleball Study. This study investigated service needs and gaps, user preference for facility location and design, and the service delivery strategies for a fast track implementation. The study was a multi-year collaborative process with participation and inputs from various stakeholders — different sport court users (Pickleball, Tennis, and other users), agencies (like Recreation Department, and Municipalities), and citizen representatives — to identify best solutions for creating more opportunities for outdoor pickleball.
Parks with Pickleball Courts
| Park | Details |
|---|---|
| Argyle Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User shares the net with tennis. |
| Bauer Drive Local Park | 6 dedicated pickleball courts. Courts have lights. |
| Buck Branch Neighborhood Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Calverton-Galway Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Cloverly Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Cannon Road Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Columbia Local Park | Four dedicated pickleball courts and one shared tennis/pickleball court. For shared court, user can bring their own net or use existing tennis net. |
| Darnestown Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Damascus Recreational Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights |
| Dufief Local Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| East Norbeck Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. Both tennis courts will be converted to 6 dedicated pickleball courts, like Bauer Drive Local Park. Scheduled for summer 2024. |
| Fairland Recreational Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Glen Hills Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Good Hope Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Hillandale Local Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. During spring 2024, the tennis courts will be renovated. Pickleball striping will be added to both tennis courts. |
| Indian Springs Terrace Neighborhood Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Leland Neighborhood Park | Temporary pickleball striping (tape) on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Tape was installed in May 2023. Montgomery Parks will consider making the lines permanent later in 2024 as part of a new policy the Department will establish for temporary courts located closer than 300′ from existing homes. |
| Longwood Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Meadowood Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. Lights will be upgraded during winter/spring 2024. Pickleball striping on one court will be fixed in spring 2024. |
| Mount Zion Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Olney Mill Neighborhood Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Owens Local Park | Temporary pickleball striping (tape) on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Tape was installed in May 2023. Courts have lights. Permanent pickleball striping will likely be installed during spring 2024. |
| Peachwood Neighborhood Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Piedmont Woods Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Quince Orchard Knolls Local Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Tilden Woods Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. |
| Seven Locks Local Park | 2 dedicated pickleball courts. Pickleball striping on tennis court. Courts have lights. |
| Stewartown Local Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| South Gunner’s Branch Local Park | Pickleball striping on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Sundown Road Local Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. Lights were adjusted in June 2023 to eliminate dark areas along baselines. Lights were upgraded during winter 2024. |
| Wheaton Regional Park Athletic Complex | Pickleball striping on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. In FY 24/25, 2 tennis courts will be converted to 6 dedicated pickleball courts. |
| Wheaton Indoor Tennis | Pickleball striping on 3 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts are indoors. (FEE) |
| White Flint Neighborhood Park | Pickleball striping on both tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. |
| Whittier Woods Local Park | Temporary pickleball striping (tape) on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Tape was installed in May 2023. Montgomery Parks will consider making the lines permanent later in 2024 as part of a new policy the Department will establish for temporary courts located closer than 300′ from existing homes. |
Future Pickleball Facilities (in order by anticipated completion date)
| Park | Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| East Norbeck Local Park | Dedicated | During summer 2024, both tennis courts will be converted to 6 dedicated pickleball courts, like was done at Bauer Drive Local Park in fall 2021. |
| Meadowbrook Local Park | Shared | As part of larger park improvements during summer 2024, pickleball striping will be added to two tennis courts. User will be able to bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights. Lights will be upgraded during FY24/25. |
| Wheaton Regional Park – Orebaugh Area | Dedicated | In FY 24/25, 2 tennis courts will be converted to 6 dedicated pickleball courts as part of numerous improvements in this area of the park. Courts have lights. |
| Greenwood Local Park | Dedicated | This park is currently being studied for improvements, which will likely include 2-3 dedicated pickleball courts. Construction will likely occur in summer 2025. |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Several factors are considered including court condition, whether the facility has lights, and if there is sufficient ADA compliant parking. Location is also an important component to ensure geographic parity of courts, and that the courts are an adequate distance away from neighboring homes.
The plastic pickleball paddle and plastic ball generate more noise than a felt tennis ball. In addition, pickleball is most often played as a doubles game. More players and more paddles on the court at once generate more noise than a typical tennis game.
The majority of pickleball courts in Montgomery Parks are shared courts with tennis. Adding pickleball lines to existing tennis courts is the easiest, quickest and most cost-effective way to increase the inventory of pickleball courts. Montgomery Parks is currently reviewing where pickleball lines can be added to more tennis courts. Before adding pickleball lines, a condition assessment of the court must be completed. The court is examined for asphalt cracks, paint condition, perimeter fence condition, gate condition, need for power washing, and tree trimming. Courts must also be ADA compliant or scheduled within the next few years to become ADA compliant.
A shared site allows for both pickleball and tennis to be played on the same hard surface pad, but not at the same time. The pad has painted lines to the required dimensions of each sport and remains a first-come, first-serve facility. Pickleball players bring their own net or use the tennis net.
A dedicated pickleball court is a single-purpose court designed for pickleball play only. Bauer Drive Local Park currently has the only dedicated pickleball courts in Montgomery Parks. Later this fall, there will be two more at Seven Locks Local Park and more are planned in the future, including Columbia Local Park.
Due to the high demand and short supply of pickleball opportunities, courts cannot be reserved for pickleball at this time. All courts are first come first serve.
Please contact MCPS to learn more about their pickleball courts and policy.