Nicole Chambers is the Director of Racquet Spots at Forest Highlands Golf Club and has many years of experience with club management and coaching. She is also a IPTPA Pickleball Professional. She shares some insights here.
Pickleball Club Mag: How many members do you have at your club?
Nicole Chambers: Give or take 845.
PCM: Besides pickleball, what other sports do you offer at your club?
NC: We have two Championship golf courses, tennis, bocce ball, volleyball, soccer camps, flag football camps, hiking club, disc golf, two swimming pools.
PCM: How long have you had pickleball courts at your club?
NC: We launched pickleball on our tennis courts in 2014 by permanently lining two courts and by taping two additional courts for the weekend. We launched our $4.2 million dollar stand-alone facility, with 8 courts and a full clubhouse in June this year.
PCM: What is the influence that pickleball has had on your club?
NC: Pickleball is the one sport that draws in all types of people, and not necessarily those that have played a sport before. After returning from a tennis conference where a new sport had been created to challenge pickleball’s popularity, I immediately set out to “feel” the game of pickleball, for myself. After arranging for a Pickleball Ambassador to come to the club, to introduce the game to our membership, and getting the chance to step out and play myself, and most importantly, see the immediate smiles on the faces of some of a group of tennis members, that had struggled with the technicality of tennis, I knew how important it was for me to drive our General Manager and Board to build stand-alone courts.
This was not an easy task at one of the top private golf courses in Arizona, having two premier 18 hole courses and an HOA to boot. We had just over 50% of the club utilize pickleball in 2023 and it will only get busier.
PCM: Do you see much crossover in pickleball players to other sports?
NC: I see the crossover from other sports coming to pickleball, but not the crossover from pickleball players that haven’t played another ball sport.
PCM: Do you think that pickleball has brought in new members or players?
NC: Since we are first and foremost a private golf estate with two courses, our membership buys for two reasons. It used to be solely for the two championship courses, hence being called Forest Highlands Golf Club. In the last 5 years, with the growth in family programming, concierge services, recreation, and racquets, it has even been discussed to possibly change the name to only Forest Highlands. Now that we have this outstanding facility, we will most certainly see new members buying in for all the lifestyle choices our club offers and none bigger now than pickleball.
PCM: Do you sell pickleball gear at your club or in your pro shop?
NC: We do sell pickleball gear at our Pro Shop and at our golf shops to make use of the traffic through the Golf Pro Shops.
PCM: How do you schedule court time on the pickleball courts?
NC: We use FORETEES court scheduler for all activities on the courts.
PCM: What advice would you give to other clubs considering pickleball courts?
NC: Don’t wait to add pickleball to your club. It may mean that you have to modify some of your tennis courts, but with creative programming and balanced approach to both, it does work. When you do decide to build a dedicated facility:
- Consider the noise factor as far as how you engineer the layout of the courts and location.
- Make sure you do not have shade on your courts.
- Build a good shade covering for rest breaks in a central location if possible.
- Make sure you have outside bathroom access once the pro shop is closed.
- Don’t build less than 8 courts and preferably do so in an area that allows for growth.
- 80% of your members will play for social reasons, unlike often at tennis it is more clinics and competitive events.
- Have an ad hoc committee of members in place as you go through the process for transparency and decision-making.
- Staff it well.
PCM: What advice would you give to other club operators about integrating pickleball and other sports?
NC: Be creative with your programming so that you aren’t robbing Peter to pay Paul! Make sure your programming fits in with your golf, tennis, and F&B events. Sports like pickleball and padel allow our membership to lead healthier and happier lives for so many reasons. Be respectful of all sports, so that you aren’t undermining one for the other.
PCM: Anything else to add?
NC: It took us close to 10 years to get a stand-alone facility built. This was due to the location of the courts with regards to homeowners and sound. After 31 years in the tennis industry and now 12 at Forest Highlands as Director of Racquet Sports, these “miniature” courts, easier technical games, faster and more social based are a must addition to your Club. If our members are moving, especially chasing a ball, they are exercising without thinking about it, socializing for mental health, and getting to work on something new during mid-life which is so good for the mind.
