How to Start a Pickleball Club in the Philippines: A Step-by-Step Guide
Pickleball has grown fast across the Philippines, from Metro Manila to Cebu and Davao. Many new players are looking for a regular place to play, which makes this a good time to start a club. Here is how most successful clubs get going.
1. Find your courts
You do not need to build a court on day one. Most clubs start by renting time elsewhere:
- Basketball and multi-purpose courts, which can fit two to four pickleball courts with temporary lines and portable nets.
- Tennis courts, which fit up to four pickleball courts each.
- Covered courts in barangay halls, schools and subdivisions, which are ideal for the rainy season.
A standard pickleball court is 20 by 44 feet, with a net 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the centre. Leave room around it for safe play.
2. Get the basic equipment
- Portable nets for each court.
- Line tape or chalk if the lines are temporary.
- Outdoor balls for concrete courts and indoor balls for smooth floors.
- A few loaner paddles for first-timers.
3. Set your prices
Most clubs charge per player per open play session, and many add court rental by the hour. Check what nearby venues charge and start in that range. It is easier to add a membership later than to take away a low price.
4. Get your first players
- Start a Facebook group or Messenger chat for your community.
- Run a free beginners' clinic on a weekend morning.
- Partner with a nearby gym, school or subdivision association.
- Make it easy to find you: a clear address, schedule and booking link.
5. Run it well from week one
First impressions stick. New players come back when the first night felt fair and welcoming: they knew when they would play, they got good games, and nobody hogged the court. A consistent check-in and rotation system is the simplest way to deliver that every week.
6. Take payments and bookings the easy way
Chasing cash at the door and bookings in a chat thread takes more time than any other part of running a club. Accepting QR Ph (which works with GCash, Maya and every banking app) and a simple online booking page saves hours every week.
PickleNext gives a new club open play, court booking, payments and a public club page in one place, with a free month to set up. You can start with just the open play screen and add the rest when you need it.