New ways to embrace pickleball, the fast-growing racket sport.
As pickleball approaches almost 20 years in Greenville, it’s time to crack open the playbook to explore victories past and present.
John Moore, the unofficial Upstate ambassador of the sport, estimates some 5,000 locals now play, but warns that number could be significantly low. What he is sure of is pickleball’s draw. “The game is easy to learn and anyone with an ounce of athletic ability can have fun playing,” he explains. “But the real reason pickleball is gaining popularity is that friendships are made, and community is built. We’re fortunate to have a city and county respond to pickleball’s popularity by building so many public courts.”
From Seneca to Simpsonville, 130 public courts are available for play and 30 more are planned. And while country clubs and private neighborhoods have created courts within their gates, big business is suiting up to provide courts where anyone can pay to play. “Businesses wanting to capitalize on the sport validates what we’ve known for years—that something special is going on with pickleball,” Moore says. Your serve.
PKL Park
78 Mayberry St., Greenville
Longtime Greenville resident Nick Gilley wasn’t exactly rushing the net to learn the game. Yet as one of the developers behind Gather GVL and Easley Silos, he has a solid strategy for building cool places that generate hardcore fun. He’d spent years looking for the perfect project with friend John Sharkey, who runs GSL (Greenville Sports Leagues). “We toured a chicken and pickleball place in Kansas City,” Gilley recalls. “We thought, this is what we can do but do it even better. We wanted to mix athletics with food and beverages and music and live sports. We wanted to have something for everyone.”
PKL Park opened near Unity Park in November and immediately exceeded expectations. With access to eight state-of-the-art lit courts, three restaurants, and a historic music stage, players feel like winners before and after a game, no matter the score. “It’s been wonderful,” Gilley says. “What we hoped for has been confirmed, and this really is a special place.” Visitors can engage in revelry across the complex for free, while players battle their way through clinics, leagues, and lessons, with options to pay by the hour or by membership.
Not even one month into opening, Gilley and Sharkey were already making plans to expand to other areas. “We’ll have five PKLs in South Carolina, with three of those in the Upstate,” Gilley shares. “We’ve taken this opportunity and we’re running.”
The PICKLR
2435 E. North St., Greenville
Just like the thwack of an overhead smash, The PICKLR hopes to serve up the sizzle when it opens this spring at the North Hills Shopping Center. Jay Sartori, co-founder of Waymor Sports, the company bringing the franchise to Greenville, says, “We like to say, perfect play every day.”
The PICKLR specializes in indoor courts, with more than 275 locations across the US providing reciprocity to members. The facility on East North Street will include eight courts, a pro shop, private event space, and a lounge. Sartori coaches, “Our product will stand alone in the market. We don’t just put courts down in a big box. Every court has fencing to prevent game disruption, high-grade lighting and music, and we have a special sound-reducing system that cuts noise by 40 percent.”
Greenville’s love of the sport broke through the noise to grab Waymor’s attention. “We’re thrilled to come to Greenville,” reveals Sartori. “It’s a thriving community and needs indoor court options. In our heart of hearts, pickleball is truly the greatest sport opportunity of our generation.”
Pickleball by the Numbers
- 47% of local players are women
- 53% of local players are men
- 48% are 55–70 years old
- 38% have played 1–2 years
- 29% have played 3–5 years
- 62% play 3+ times a week
Provided by Upstate Pickleball Player survey 2024
Want to grab a paddle and step on the court? Head to UpstatePickleball.com for information on courts, lessons, leagues, and tournaments.
Innovate and Adapt
The game’s innovation is gaining even more momentum in the Upstate with Adaptive Pickleball. In 2024, APB hosted 90 play days with 1,200 players. The group plans to expand play into Spartanburg and Blue Ridge. As APB grows, they need more coaches and volunteers. Visit AdaptivePickleball.com for ways to engage.
