Where did we play pickleball outside in Plymouth, Michigan?
Day two of playing pickleball is in the books! This time, we wanted to try playing outside. The riddle with playing outside in Plymouth is that there are no outdoor courts in the city or township limits. To achieve this, Calvin, one of the founders of Plymouth Pickleball, invested in a portable net and court markers.
The portable court setup
Calvin arrived fifteen minutes before the other players to set up the court. His friend Brett arrived a few minutes early pulling his kids by bike, and he joked with Calvin when he saw that he was unboxing the net on-site. They both laughed together as Calvin unwrapped the contents of the packaging, and began assembling the net. It didn’t take too long to set up the net, but the court took a tad bit more time because it required using a measuring tape to indicate the correct length and width of the court.
In total, it took Calvin ten to fifteen minutes to set up the net, measure and mark the court, and get everything ready for play.
How did the outdoor portable pickleball court work for us?
It worked! I would be lying if I said I wasn’t suspicious at first, but it actually worked really well. Unfortunately, portable courts like this don’t look as sexy as the new blue and green courts you see popping up all around the country, but they got the job done. When you have limited space nor access to court time, get creative, and we did!
Here are some quick takeaways from the portable setup.
- The net was easy-peasy to set up and take down. If you are looking to buy a portable net, don’t hesitate, it’s easy!
- Measuring the court dimensions were not great, but we managed. If we wanted to set up more than one court, it might take a while, and we would need to plan for it.
- Bringing chalk was a good idea because it really helped us see the lines between the markers, and when the ball hit the chalk, it sprayed which helped us know if the ball was in or not. Bring chalk!
- Our chalk lines were crooked so we need a better way to draw the chalk lines. Let us know if you have any ideas.
- The blue court markers worked better than expected. They didn’t get in our way as much as we thought they would, and they stayed in place really well.
- We would do it again for sure.
What’s the best part of a portable pickleball court?
Unlike public pickleball courts, bringing your own court means that you don’t need to share! Well, if there are others who want to join you, I encourage you to invite them to play because pickleball is known for inclusiveness and welcomes players to join in, but I digress, it might mean more play-time instead of wait-time. This is because while other players are gathered around the few public courts available, you may be utilizing unused space at a tennis court with your own setup. This is the biggest pro of BYOPB, you play when and where you want!
What’s next from Plymouth Pickleball?
Well, day four is already in the books as well when we ventured to Ann Arbor to play at Leslie Park. Stay tuned for that post coming soon! Also, day five is scheduled, and we’re headed back to the PARC gym, and we’re bringing friends!
Thank you for reading
Thank you for reading and supporting Plymouth Pickleball. We’re building a pickleball community through digital content and playing pickleball. If you live in the Northville, Canton, Livonia, and surrounding Plymouth area, you are always welcomed to join us in the fun! Subscribe and join our Facebook group to stay in the loop with Plymouth Pickleball!