There’s something new in the air at Racquet Club, and all bets are saying it’s going to be a smash. This season, The Boca Raton is unveiling 12 total hard court pickleball courts, doubling its previous footprint in the ever-growing sport. It’s all part of the property’s recognition of the importance of the sport to both Club members and resort guests, which Director of Racquet Sports Lauren Levine says has risen in recent years. “We’re seeing incredible demand to play pickleball,” Levine says. “Before we added courts, players oftentimes waited for a court to open. Now with the additional courts, the wait time will lessen, giving our players more opportunities to play the sport that they love.” Invented by three dads in 1965 who wanted to find a way to keep family members of all ages engaged and active, pickleball has recently experienced a meteoric rise. Last year, 13.6 million people picked up a pickleball paddle in the U.S., a 65% rise from 2022, which saw 8.9 million people play the racquet sport.
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Court Reporter
A slate of hard-court pickleball courts double the action at Racquet Club—and the fun.
At The Boca Raton, the flood of new and seasoned players has made Racquet Club a go-to spot to dink and dig. With the variety of players now entering the facilities, Racquet Club is unveiling new programming that accommodates various experience levels, as well as specialty clinics to fine-tune parts of the game. Specified lessons on areas of the game include focuses on dink and drop shots, and serving. Racquet Club will have various lessons based off skill levels, too, including beginning classes and lessons for the more advanced players, plus a junior division for the sport’s youngest players. And for the social pickleball players? The Racquet Club has thought about them as well, as additional happy hour play and mixers will also be on the docket. “This sport is so dynamic and attracts so many players from various backgrounds, so it was important to us to ensure we create programming and a space where each player feels comfortable and welcome,” says Levine. If that’s the case, then game on at Racquet Club.
This fall, The Boca Raton introduces a dedicated café and bar at Racquet Club. The brand new Racquet Bar will become an outdoor center for both tennis and pickleball players, and everyone in between. Racquet Bar will serve flavored water, pickle juice, and energy drinks, and become an ideal post-game space for players, as well as a place to power up before a match.
“Racquet Club now has a place to be social without leaving our facilities,” says Lauren Levine, the Director of Racquet Sports. “Having Racquet Bar within our club allows us to have a more cohesive sports experience for pre- and post-match connections, as well as just being the overall social hub of Racquet Club.