Swanky West Hartford Golf Club To Build Pickleball Courts

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Already evolving into a key part of municipal recreation offerings, pickleball is now becoming a country club sport.

In fact, one of West Hartford's more exclusive country clubs received town approval to build three new pickleball courts near its world-class tennis and golf facilities in town.

The West Hartford Plan & Zoning Commission March 20 voted unanimously to approve a special permit for the Hartford Golf Club to install three such courts.

The club, founded in 1896, is located at 134 Norwood Road and is a private golf, tennis and country club.

The PZC's 4-0 vote came with basic conditions of approval and after a public hearing revealed no outright opposition to the country club's application.

According to Ryan Conroy, director of sales with the club-hired, Woodbury-based Classic Turf Co., which is building the courts, pickleball is more and more becoming a mainstream, recreational sport.

If features a court similar to tennis, but it's smaller and the player utilizes a smaller, paddle-like raqcuet instead of a traditional stringed tennis racquet.

"Pickleball is an easy-to-learn and fun sport that combines many elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong," wrote Conroy to the town.

"Because pickleball players enjoy both the social aspects of the game and the ability to stay active and healthy, the sport is being introduced to kids and teenagers in schools and summer camps and it is thriving for adults in local communities around the country as well."

Conroy pointed out his company is and has already done business with the town, building pickleball courts at local parks and tennis courts at local schools and parks.

It is also behind the large tennis court complex overhauls at Conard and Hall high schools in West Hartford, he said.

The club's pickleball courts will also feature lights, allowing for play when the sun goes down.

For the minutes of the March 20 West Hartford Plan & Zoning Commission meeting, click on this link.

For all documents related to the pickleball court application, click on this link.

For more information on the Hartford Golf Club, click on this link.