Dinks Pickleball Clubs

Dedicated pickleball venues are still rare in the UK. Most players find their game in borrowed sports halls, repurposed tennis clubs, and leisure centres doing their best with the space they have. Purpose-built facilities are still the exception.

Dinks is one of those exceptions - and by any measure, one of the most ambitious examples. With twelve tournament-grade courts, a first-floor bar offering a floor-to-ceiling view of the action, coaching technology that most sports centres wouldn't dream of, and a team that talks about community the way other venues talk about court fees, Dinks stands out.

We visited their Eastleigh site ahead of their upcoming expansion and left having played on some of the best courts in the country.

How Dinks Came to Be

The idea behind Dinks is straightforward, even if the execution is anything but: pickleball is growing fast in the UK, and the facilities haven't kept up. Most people playing today are doing so on borrowed badminton courts, repurposed school halls, or outdoor tennis courts with painted lines. It works, and the community is brilliant for it - but the sport has never had a proper home.

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Dinks was built to be that home.

The ambition from the start has been to create venues that treat pickleball as a first-class sport. Not an add-on. Not a quiet afternoon programme. A full facility with proper courts, proper equipment, proper coaching, and a proper social space - the kind of setup that reflects where pickleball is heading, not where it has been.

The expansion is already underway. Five additional courts are launching later this year, located directly opposite the existing site in Eastleigh. And the team's stated ambition - to become one of the UK's major venue operators - feels credible rather than aspirational when you spend a day there.

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What to Expect When You Arrive

The courts at Dinks are genuinely impressive. Tournament-grade surfaces, properly spaced, with nets that don't need adjusting and lighting that makes the game feel fast and clean. There's a reason competitive players travel specifically to play here - the standard of the facility is noticeably higher than most of what's available in the UK right now.

Upstairs, the bar and viewing lounge earn their billing as the social heart of the venue. Draught beer, wine, hot drinks, food - and a floor-to-ceiling glazed gallery overlooking all seven courts below. It's the kind of setup where you can watch your friends play, dissect the last match over a drink, or just absorb the energy of a busy session from above. It doesn't feel like a sports centre canteen. It feels like somewhere you'd actually want to spend time.

There's a pro shop with equipment from their partners including JOOLA, Diadem, and Joma, workstation areas for anyone who wants to work before or after a session, and changing facilities that match the overall quality of the space.

Sessions, Coaching, and Getting on Court

Dinks runs a full programme across ability levels, and the pathways are clearly thought through.

Open play is available for drop-in social sessions - turn up, join rotating games with players of similar ability, and get on court quickly. Court bookings let you reserve a court for your own group. Clinics and coaching run from beginner fundamentals through to advanced strategy, with Level 1 qualified coaches for newer players and more experienced coaches available for intermediate and advanced development. Tournaments and events cover juniors through to seniors, mixed and wheelchair categories.

Membership options are available on 12-month or rolling contracts, with priority booking, discounted court hire, and exclusive event perks.

For complete beginners, there's a Beginner Bundle at reception - a mid-weight paddle, balls, and a rules card. Demo paddles are available across the range if you want to try before you buy.

Booking is online. Equipment is available to hire. You genuinely don't need anything to walk in and play.

"We provide the paddles and balls, so you can just turn up wearing trainers and play." - Chris

The Community

What struck us most on the day wasn't the technology or the courts - it was the people.

"We're community-based. We just want to get the community in. That's what it's all about." - Andy

The players we spoke to weren't just there because it was the nearest option. They'd sought it out. Several had become regulars within weeks of opening. The founder, who had travelled from New York for the opening week, spoke about the club's ethos with the kind of conviction that tends to mean it gets embedded into how a place actually operates.

The programme reflects this. Dinks runs social events like Dinks & Drinks alongside competitive tournaments. They work with schools to introduce pickleball to younger players and run tailored pathways for juniors, seniors, and adaptive players. The phrase they use "pickleball for everyone" isn't just a tagline. The sessions and the facility genuinely back it up.

"We're not just building venues - we're building communities. Every Dinks club is a hub for learning, socialising, and competing." - Dinks Pickleball

Why We Think Dinks Matters for UK Pickleball

Purpose-built pickleball venues are rare in the UK. Venues that combine professional courts, serious coaching technology, a quality social space, and genuine community programming in one place are essentially non-existent outside of Dinks.

That matters because it raises the bar. It shows what a pickleball facility can look like when it's designed specifically for the sport rather than adapted from something else. And it gives players - especially those who've been playing on borrowed courts - a proper home to grow their game.

Dinks is expanding. More venues are coming. If the Eastleigh site is the template, UK pickleball is about to get a lot better.

Visit Dinks Pickleball

Location: Eastleigh, Hampshire (expansion site launching later in 2026 - watch this space)

Courts: 7 courts currently · 12 at full capacity · 5 additional courts launching this year

Sessions: Open play, court hire, coaching, leagues, tournaments, and events

Booking: Book online Here

Equipment: Beginner Bundle available at reception · demo paddles in pro shop

Membership: 12-month and rolling contracts available

Social: Follow @dinkspickleball for session updates, events, and expansion news

Find Dinks Pickleball on The Pickleball Directory | The Home of UK Pickleball and book your first session.