New indoor pickleball facility expected to open in Montgomery County this fall

It usually starts with a group of friends in a garage, having a conversation.

“Wouldn’t it be cool if we decided to open a pickleball place,” said David Rowen, a Montgomery resident. It’s a conversation he and his friend Karl Woyton had for years. 

In June, the owners of Pickleball Hideout, a six-court indoor facility off Texas 105, broke ground with the expectation of opening in October. 

Pickleball is a growing sport, with more than 36 million estimated pickleball players in the U.S., trailing just behind running and biking, according to national pickleball resource site Pickleheads.

While it was once reserved for mostly older players, the largest category of pickleballers are now ages 18-34, according to Pickleheads.

“All of these big cities are now popping up with indoor courts,” Rowen said, who’s one of the co-owners of Pickleball Hideout. “All of these municipalities and counties are starting to finally realize, ‘Oh, dang. Maybe we should hop along, too.'”

Pickleball Hideout will be the latest facility to open in Montgomery County. In June, another pickleball indoor facility opened in The Woodlands, while eight pickleball courts were added to Falconwing Park the following month. 

Features of the facility 

Pickleball Hideout will have six courts for visitors to reserve. In an “Airbnb fashion,” people will be given a code to enter the facility once they reserve a court, Woyton said.

Pickleballers will be able to reserve courts online, or through an app. The facility will be available for members and non-members. 

Occasionally, someone will be at the facility to assist anyone visiting — especially during tournaments, he said. 

The facility also will include a lounge area and a lobby with seating for private parties, Woyton said. 

Private lessons will be given by Woyton, Rowen and the other co-owner, Lou Mategrano. 

In the near future, Woyton hopes to host tournaments and round robins, mixers and social events, and league play. 

“We really want to try and bring the community together,” he said. 

Inspiration from miniature golf

 In 2006, Woyton and his wife, Stacy, built Shanks Miniature Golf in The Woodlands, which was an indoor, blacklight golf facility. The couple sold the business a few years back, he said. 

Taking from his miniature golf experience, Woyton said he plans to have blacklight pickleball, with florescent lines on the court and glowing balls. 

“It was very well received with indoor miniature golf,” he said. “It’s going to kind of be a fun little twist to pickleball.” 

Woyton, Rowen and Mategrano fell in love with pickleball in recent years and wanted to build a space for other pickleballer lovers. It was an effort from four families to make the space a reality, Woyton said. 

“We’re working diligently to try to get this facility by hopefully mid October, weather permitting,” he said. 

Todd James, a U.S. Senior Pickleball ambassador, said while there’s some courts in Montgomery, the new facility would allow pickleballers to play year-round. 

“It’s just going to be a wonderful addition to the community,” James said. 

James estimates that there are about 600 pickleball players between the surrounding courts that will visit the new facility.