Is Pickleball Too Loud? Some Westport Residents Think So

WESTPORT, CT — Pickleball may be among the fastest-growing sports in the country, but some Westport residents reportedly want to see a local country club pump the brakes on the activity.

A proposal to put four pickleball courts at Birchwood Country Club on Kings Highway South is meeting resistance from some of the club's neighbors, who have concerns over noise, reported CT Insider.

According to the organization USA Pickleball, nearly 5 million people currently play pickleball in the United States, a sport that dates back to the 1960s.

The game resembles tennis, but is played on a smaller court with paddles instead of stringed racquets, and a plastic ball with holes in it instead of a fuzzy rubber tennis ball.

Some neighbors of the country club believe that four courts will generate a lot of noise, particularly during tournaments.

To address some of the neighbors' concerns, the club reduced the number of courts it wants to build from five to four, and said it will erect a 10-foot acoustic fence to help mitigate the sound. It will also consider other locations on its 80-acre site, which includes a golf course, pool and tennis courts.

The Westport Planning and Zoning Commission is scheduled to again review the proposal during a meeting on July 25.

Read the CT Insider story.