As Pickleball Popularity Peeks, People are Flocking to Palmetto Dunes in Hilton Head

Palmetto Dunes is “dinking” its way into the headlines. One of the fastest growing sports is hosting one of pickleball’s biggest events of the year, the APP Hilton Head Open, at the award winning Palmetto Dunes Tennis and Pickleball Center from October 13th through 17th.

This event is catching the attention of players of all levels across the globe as more and more guests make Palmetto Dunes in Hilton Head, SC their top place to visit. Most recently, WSAV of Savannah, GA met with our very own, Sarah Ansboury, Director of Pickleball Instruction, to learn more about the explosion of pickleball in the last 10 years and even received a quick lesson on the sport. Watch the full segment here.

During the interview, Sarah explains that part of pickleball’s popularity is due to the social aspect that pickleball provides. “It’s a little more fun, more social, much quicker than being on a tennis court.” She explains that “warming up across the net on a pickleball court you can have an entire conversation, it’s very intimate.”

When asked who can play pickleball, Sarah replies that “Absolutely anybody. I have worked with every type of ex-athlete, olympians, any sport you can imagine and people who have never played a sport in their lives. We have Pickleball one on one 6 days a week and the goal of that hour is to get them to know how to play the game enough to play round robin at 10 o’clock. We want them to meet people, have fun and playing pickleball as soon as they can. The learning curve is so much easier than most sports... such a great option for anybody of any type of athletic background.”

Sarah mentions that “Palmetto Dunes had 8 pickleball courts in 2018 and now they have 24 pickleball courts, all lighted. There is a waiting list, we stay pretty busy. I have about 9 pros on staff, we have people that come from all over the world to Hilton Head, SC to play which is amazing.”

Pickleball Magazine Recognizes Hilton Head's Palmetto Dunes as a Top Pickleball Destination

The expansion of the dedicated pickleball courts and the increasing popularity of the sport also landed Palmetto Dunes with a feature in the September 2021 Pickleball Magazine (page 38). Pickleball Magazine recognizes Palmetto Dunes as one of the top pickleball vacation destinations in the country. The feature mentions that “If you follow the pickleball tournament circuit, you frequently hear of the Palmetto Dunes Oceanfront Resort, its amenities, and professional pickleball instruction given by on-site pro Sarah Ansboury.” 

Palmetto Dunes offers a wide variety of pickleball lessons and clinics for players of all skill levels. Our most popular program is the daily Round Robin. Each round robin is pro-supervised with the goal to have every player playing at their skill level within the first 20 minutes, so matches are both competitive and social. And for those just entering the sport, Pickleball 101 helps beginners learn the basics such as rules, scoring, court positioning, and more. There is a lesson for everyone.

Stay and Play with Hilton Head Vacation Rentals

As these two recent features suggest, there’s no more complete destination for anyone looking to play, practice, or improve their game than Palmetto Dunes. Palmetto Dunes offers dozens of top-rated Hilton Head vacation rentals, and when booking your vacation rental through Palmetto Dunes, receive two free hours of court time when available for every night of your stay! No need to limit your “play” to just Pickleball either, the resort boasts three world-class golf courses, a brand new Toptracer driving range, boat rentals, bike rentals, and more!

Don’t miss our exclusive vacation package designed specifically for pickleball players. Book your 3 night stay in a resort villa at Palmetto Dunes and receive:

• One Pickleball Clinic & Round Robin Combo (best value for pickleballers who want to work on elements of their game) 
• One additional Pickleball Round Robin 
• Lunch for two at our beachfront restaurant, The Dunes House 
• Two hours of court time per day per villa or home at the Palmetto Dunes Tennis & Pickleball Center when available 
• Resort dining and merchandise discounts 
• Preferred rates on select resort activities 

Request a Hilton Head pickleball vacation package quote here or call 866-744-7558 for more information.

Experience the fastest growing sport in America, lowcountry style

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