Set across three thousand wooded acres in the foothills of North Georgia, Barnsley Resort has long been known for its cottages, golf, spa, and outdoor adventures. But recently, one addition has reshaped how guests spend their time on property. Pickleball has officially taken hold at Barnsley, and for President David Friederich, it has become one of the most valuable enhancements the resort has made in years.
“We call it an experience,” Friederich says. “Pickleball sits within our recreation programming, but it is also something that stands on its own. It gives guests one more reason to get outside, be active, and explore everything we have here.”
Barnsley built six dedicated outdoor courts as part of a broader expansion of its recreation hub, which also includes a resort pool, cabanas, and an eighteen-hole Himalayan-style putting green. With a shaded pavilion, ceiling fans, cold water stations, and a mobile bar that rolls up for events, the courts feel more like a social retreat than a standard sports complex. Views of the surrounding foothills only enhance the atmosphere.
The resort’s embrace of pickleball came after a period of evaluation. For years, the footprint held clay tennis courts that were seeing declining use. During annual planning sessions, Friederich and his team noticed a clear shift.
“We used to have tennis, but the courts were not getting the play,” he says. “And when we compared ourselves to our comp set and thought about the overall guest journey, pickleball just made sense. The craze was too much to deny.”
Pickleball also offered quicker construction, lower costs, and broader appeal. Its instant playability aligned perfectly with a guest base looking for fun, social activities that don’t require prior experience. “Society wants more fun, quicker,” Friederich says. “Pickleball is instant gratification in the best way. You do not need a two-hour match or a perfect tennis serve to have fun.” His own introduction to the sport came through his girlfriend, an avid player. “Once that happened, it was like, okay, we need courts,” he says with a laugh.
Since opening the courts, Barnsley has seen strong adoption from corporate groups, wedding parties, families, and social members. Six courts allow staff to run efficient mixers and round robins, often slotted between meetings or afternoon activities.
“You can start at three thirty and be done by five thirty with a great event,” Friederich says. “People get outside, they bond, and they leave feeling energized.”
Food and beverage integrations elevate these gatherings. “Rosie”, the resort’s converted horse trailer bar, often pulls up courtside to kick off evening play. It reinforces the relaxed, social tone the resort is known for. Pickleball now sits alongside Barnsley’s enhanced beer garden and upgraded pool complex as a major community builder. Guests gravitate toward the courts not just for the game, but for the atmosphere.
“When people see others gathered and having a great time, it draws more people in,” Friederich says. “Pickleball does that naturally. It is social, it is welcoming, and it fits with who we are.”
Guests enjoy the resort’s thoughtful amenities, including branded paddles and coolers of water, with plans for chilled towels and upgraded pavilion features underway. “We want people to step out there and think, this is nice, this is civilized,” Friederich says. Pickleball has become part of the resort’s storytelling, appearing in refreshed photography and campaigns that highlight recent investments, and is framed as one of many approachable, nature-centered experiences that the charming resort has to offer.
“You do not have to be a pickleball enthusiast to enjoy it,” says Liz Eads from Barnsley’s marketing team. “Here, it feels less intimidating and more social. It becomes part of a bigger memory.” For Friederich, that is the goal. “At Barnsley, it all comes down to how we make you feel,” he says. “Pickleball enhances that feeling. It brings people together, it gets them outside, and it leaves them wanting to return. That is exactly what Barnsley is built for.”
