With an estimated 36.5 million players and a reported 52,000 courts, it’s obvious that court availability is something of an issue. To get around that problem, many ballers are now considering the feasibility of building their own private court.
2.3 Dedicated Courts Per 1,000 Participants
Our article about The U.S. Cities With The Most and Least Dedicated Pickleball Courts reported that the national benchmark stands at 2.3 dedicated courts per 1,000 participants.
In another of our articles dealing with this topic, we found that “As of June 2023, there are currently 51,937 pickleball courts across 12,081 facilities in the United States, with only 29% of those facilities being permanent/dedicated for pickleball.”
These factors are driving the current trend for private courts situated within residents’ properties.
“There’s Always Someone To Play Against”
Tax specialist Jim Faruki never imagined he’d be taking up a new sport at the age of 60. Still, he finds himself on the courts at Walter Reed Community Center in Arlington, Virginia, almost every day on his lunch break.
But, as he tells KVTH of Helen, Montana, there’s always someone around to play against.
“Once you get on this court, I don’t care who you are; it’s all about the sport,” remarked Faruki during a break on a recent Tuesday morning. This example is typical throughout the U.S. as pickleball continues on its stratospheric journey of popularity.
How to Build an Outdoor Pickleball Court: https://t.co/CB5IRBigt5
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“The Momentum Hasn’t Waned”
To address this need, some enthusiasts are opting to construct personal courts in their own backyards, often incurring expenses ranging from $30,000 to $40,000.
“It’s remarkable how much [the sport] has taken off, and the momentum hasn’t waned,” noted Matthew Magner, the proprietor of World Class Courts out of Richmond, Virginia.
Magner disclosed that he and his team have erected hundreds of pickleball courts over the past eight years. However, lately, there has been a notable uptick in the construction of private courts for homeowners.
Typically, Magner outlined that a residential pickleball court necessitates an area spanning 60 feet by 35 feet for proper construction. Besides the cost of asphalt, the fencing installation often heavily influences the expense.
“It has certainly been a boost to our business. Previously, we only added pickleball lines to tennis courts,” he added. “Now there is a greater demand [for individuals] to create their own courts.”
A Basic-Level Court
Carl Schmits, the managing director overseeing equipment standards and facilities development at USA Pickleball, reckons budgeting around $20,000 is advisable for the construction of a basic-level court.
The precise expenditure is contingent on your location, as regional variances in materials and labor costs come into play.
Regarding the backyard area, it’s essential to allocate the minimum space required for a single court measuring 20 by 44 feet within an area spanning 30 feet by 60 feet.
Additional square footage will be necessary if one intends to include a fence and light pole footings.
