Most pickleball in the UK is played in borrowed space: sports halls, leisure centres and tennis courts with extra lines painted on. It works, and the community around it is strong, but the sport has rarely had a building designed for it.
Dinks in Eastleigh is one that was. It has seven tournament-grade courts, a first-floor bar and viewing gallery above them, and five more courts being built directly opposite, which will take the club to twelve. We visited ahead of the expansion and spent the day on court.
Why Dinks was built
The thinking is simple. Pickleball has grown faster than the places to play it, and most players are still on borrowed badminton courts, school halls and outdoor tennis courts. Dinks was set up to treat the sport as a first-class one, with proper courts, equipment, coaching and a social space, rather than as an add-on to someone else's timetable.
The team's stated aim is to become one of the UK's major venue operators. After a day on site, the plan looks credible.
On court
The courts are the first thing you notice. The surfaces are tournament grade, the spacing is generous, the nets stay put and the lighting is even, which keeps the game fast and clean. It is a higher standard than most of what is available to UK players at the moment.
Upstairs, a bar serves draught beer, wine, hot drinks and food, and a floor-to-ceiling glass gallery looks down over all seven courts. You can watch friends play, go through the last game over a drink, or simply take in a busy session from above.
There is also a pro shop stocking kit from partners including JOOLA, Diadem and Joma, desk space for anyone who wants to work before or after playing, and changing rooms that match the quality of the rest of the building.
Sessions and coaching
The programme covers every level. Open play is drop-in: turn up, join rotating games with players of a similar standard and get on court quickly. Court bookings let a group reserve a court of its own. Clinics and coaching run from beginner fundamentals to advanced strategy, with Level 1 qualified coaches for newer players and more experienced coaches for intermediate and advanced development. Tournaments and events cover juniors through to seniors, with mixed and wheelchair categories.
Membership is available on 12-month or rolling contracts and includes priority booking, discounted court hire and event perks.
Beginners are well looked after. A Beginner Bundle at reception includes a mid-weight paddle, balls and a rules card, and demo paddles in the pro shop help anyone deciding what to buy. Booking is online and kit can be hired.
“We provide the paddles and balls, so you can just turn up wearing trainers and play.” – Chris, Dinks
The community
What stayed with us was the people. The players we spoke to had sought Dinks out, and several had become regulars within weeks of it opening. The founder travelled from New York for the opening week and spoke about the club's ethos with conviction.
“We're community-based. We just want to get the community in. That's what it's all about.” – Andy
The programme backs that up. Social events such as Dinks & Drinks run alongside competitive tournaments, the club works with schools to introduce younger players to the sport, and there are pathways for juniors, seniors and adaptive players.
Why it matters
Purpose-built pickleball venues are still rare in the UK. A place that combines professional courts, serious coaching, a good social space and a full community programme under one roof shows what a facility designed for the sport can offer. It also gives players who have spent years on borrowed courts somewhere to develop their game.
Dinks says more venues will follow. If Eastleigh is the template, the standard of UK pickleball facilities is set to rise.
Visit Dinks Pickleball
Location: Eastleigh, Hampshire
Courts: 7 now, with 5 more being built opposite the current site, making 12 in total. Check with the club for opening dates.
Sessions: Open play, court hire, coaching, leagues, tournaments and events
Booking: Book online here
Equipment: Beginner Bundle at reception; demo paddles in the pro shop
Membership: 12-month and rolling contracts
Social: Follow Dinks on Instagram for sessions, events and expansion news
Find Dinks on The Pickleball Directory and book your first session.
