Pickleball in Montgomery Parks

Division: Park Planning and Stewardship

pickleball players

Pickleball in Montgomery Parks

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	Future Plans
Argyle Local Park	2 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User shares the net with tennis.
Bauer Drive Local Park	6 dedicated pickleball courts. Courts have lights.
Calverton-Galway Local Park	4 pickleball courts on two tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Cloverly Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Cannon Road Local Park	4 pickleball courts on two tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Darnestown Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Damascus Recreational Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights
Dufief Local Park	2 pickleball courts on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
East Norbeck Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Glen Hills Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Good Hope Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Indian Springs Terrace Neighborhood Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Longwood Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Meadowood Local Park	4 pickleball courts on two tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.	Lights will be upgraded during FY23. Pickleball striping on one court will be fixed in Spring 2023.
Mount Zion Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Olney Mill Neighborhood Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Piedmont Woods Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Quince Orchard Knolls Local Park	2 pickleball courts on one tennis court. User can bring their pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Tilden Woods Local Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts using new design standard. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Seven Locks Local Park	2 dedicated pickleball courts. Courts have lights.
South Gunner’s Branch Local Park	2 pickleball courts on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Sundown Road Local Park	2 pickleball courts on 1 tennis court. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Wheaton Regional Park Athletic Complex	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.	In FY 24/25, three tennis courts will be converted to 8-10 dedicated pickleball courts, per the 2022 Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan (Approved June 2022).
Wheaton Indoor Tennis	6 pickleball courts on 3 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts are indoors.	In FY 24/25, three tennis courts will be converted to 8-10 dedicated pickleball courts, per the 2022 Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan (Approved June 2022).
White Flint Neighborhood Park	4 pickleball courts on 2 tennis courts. User can bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.

Future Pickleball facilities (in order by anticipated completion date)

Park	Type	Details
Meadowbrook Local Park	Shared	As part of larger park improvements during Winter/Spring 2023, pickleball striping will be added to two tennis courts to create 4 pickleball courts. User will be able to bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis. Courts have lights.
Fairland Recreational Park	Shared	In Spring 2023, pickleball striping will be added to 1 tennis court to create 2 pickleball courts. User will be able to bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Leland Neighborhood Park	Temporary/Shared	Tape pickleball striping will be added to one tennis court during Spring 2023 to gauge community reaction (courts are located close to homes, raising potential concerns about noise). Permanent pickleball striping may be added to one tennis court during Spring/Summer 2023.
Burning Tree Local Park	Shared	Tennis courts to be renovated in FY 23/24; pickleball striping will be added to both tennis courts to create 4 pickleball courts. User will be able to bring their own pickleball net or share the net with tennis.
Stewartown Local Park	Shared	2 pickleball courts on 1 tennis court. To be completed in 2022-23 as part of a park refresher project.
Wheaton Regional Park Athletic Complex	Dedicated	In FY 24/25, three tennis courts will be converted to 8-10 dedicated pickleball courts, per the 2022 Wheaton Regional Park Master Plan (Approved June 2022).
Greenwood Local Park	Dedicated	This park is currently being studied for improvements, which will likely include 2-3 dedicated pickleball courts. Implementation dates TBD.
Johnson’s Local Park	Dedicated	This park is currently being studied for improvements, which will likely include 2-3 dedicated pickleball courts with lights. Implementation dates TBD.

Contact Information:

Chuck Kines, Project Manager
charles.kines@montgomeryparks.org
301-495-2184

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FAQs

What criteria is considered when selecting a pickleball site?

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.
Why is distance from neighboring homes important?

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.
Can Montgomery Parks add pickleball lines to existing tennis courts?

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.
What is a shared pickleball court?

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.
What is a dedicated pickleball court?

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.
Can users reserve courts?

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.
What about courts at Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS)?

Please contact MCPS to learn more about their pickleball courts and policy.