It’s really no surprise why pickleball is one of – if not the – fastest-growing sport in the country. Anyone who has played it can testify that what it does really well is distill all the most enjoyable parts of tennis down to a fun, fast-paced game that’s as easily mastered by a young first-timer and an old pro on the court. What it jettisons in favor of ramping up the fun is the things no one liked about tennis in the first place – the exhaustion and the devastating impact on your knees.
Until lately, though, there was one element of tennis that pickleball couldn’t shake – the heat. Playing outdoors in the blazing summer sun of the Lowcountry is at best a trial by fire for your antiperspirant and at worst a health hazard.
So, you can imagine what the scene was like when the most popular sport in town met the cooling comforts of air conditioning this past March, when Dill Dinkers opened its doors.
Samuel Tourlitis, Director of Pickleball for Dill Dinkers
“We had five days of free play just to let people see what we were about and we had roughly 2,000 people come through,” said Samuel Tourlitis, director of pickleball for Dill Dinkers. “I wasn’t surprised by the crowd, but I was surprised by how far a trip people made. We had players from Charleston to Savannah because there just isn’t anywhere else for indoor pickleball around here.”
The Dill Dinkers franchise, which started in Maryland, now stretches across eight states. With locations as far flung as Connecticut and Texas, they’ve clearly caught the wave of the sport’s surging popularity, even in states where summer play isn’t as prohibitively steamy.
Director of Operations and Sales, Pete Bernstein
“Right now, it’s been relatively nice out and we haven’t had a lot of rain, but when the humidity starts, we’re ready for the rush,” Tourlitis said.
And those folks won’t just be escaping from the heat. They’ll be escaping to a state-of-the-art indoor facility with pro cushioned courts that are easier on your knees and privately fenced courts that keep errant balls from rolling into play. They’ll also be stepping into one of the most vibrant social scenes on the island.
A large crowd turned out for The Hilton Head Island -Bluffton Chamber of Commerce’s ribbon-cutting event on May 2.
“We’re really creating a fun environment where people can come and hang out,” Tourlitis said, adding that guests often bring in their own “performance enhancing” beverages to ramp up the fun. “There’s a huge social aspect to it and we’re going to be adding some programming this summer to make it even better.”
He’s seen firsthand how tight-knit the community is around the sport. Moving to the area from outside of Philadelphia, this perennial athlete arrived knowing only his aunt and uncle who lived here. “As soon as I got into pickleball, I met my girlfriend and her friends and they introduced me to this whole community. … There aren’t many sports where a 70-year-old can compete against an 18-year-old, and that creates this environment where everyone just plays together.”
His newfound love for the game led him to Dill Dinkers, where he has been able to see the newest location through its opening and begin steering it forward.
“We really have a mix of everything – open plays, clinics, round robins, classes, coaches who can do private lessons. … We’re going to start doing camps, leagues, and bigger tournaments as well,” he said. “We’re a membership-based facility where it really benefits you to be a member because you get 50% off court fees, discounts on tournaments and league fees, and 10% off our pro shop. There are still open plays for nonmembers, but membership gets you so much more.”
And, if nothing else, it gives you a chance to sharpen your game all summer long, rain or shine. Dill Dinkers is located at 3 Mathews Drive, Unit 150 on Hilton Head. Visit dilldinkers.com or call 843-507-3465 to learn more.
