How to Grow Your Pickleball Club Membership

Retention Before Recruitment

The fastest way to grow your membership is to stop losing the members you already have. Retention is cheaper, easier, and more effective than constantly chasing new sign-ups. Before launching any recruitment campaign, audit your current member experience and identify the points where people drop off.

Common reasons members leave include inconsistent scheduling, cliquey social dynamics, and a lack of programming for their skill level. Survey your existing members to find out what they value most and what frustrates them. Fixing these issues first ensures that every new member you attract walks into a positive environment.

Referral Programs That Work

Your current members are your most powerful marketing channel. People trust recommendations from friends and family far more than any advertisement. A structured referral program turns that trust into a predictable growth engine.

Keep the incentive simple: offer the referring member a discount on their next month of dues, a free guest pass, or entry into a prize draw for each new member they bring in. Make it easy to refer by providing a shareable link or a simple code. Track referrals so you can thank your top advocates publicly and keep the momentum going.

Beginner Onboarding

The first two weeks of a new member's experience determine whether they stay or leave. A deliberate onboarding process removes the uncertainty and awkwardness that newcomers often feel when joining a club full of established players.

Assign each new member a "buddy" from the existing roster. This person introduces them to other players, explains the club's rotation system, and makes sure they feel included during their first few sessions. Follow up with a personal message after their first visit to ask how it went and invite them to upcoming events.

1. 1Send a welcome email with session times, court locations, and basic club rules.
2. 2Pair the new member with a buddy for their first two sessions.
3. 3Invite them to a beginner-specific clinic or drill session within their first week.
4. 4Follow up after their first visit with a personal message from a club organizer.
5. 5Check in again at the two-week mark to see if they have any questions.

Social Events and Community

People join clubs for pickleball, but they stay for the community. Social events create bonds that go beyond the court and give members reasons to engage even when they are not playing. These events also attract potential members who might not yet be interested in competitive play.

Host a mix of on-court and off-court events throughout the year. Round-robin socials, potluck dinners, viewing parties for professional tournaments, and seasonal celebrations all contribute to a sense of belonging. Keep events low-cost and low-pressure so that participation feels natural rather than obligatory.

Local Business Partnerships

Partnering with local businesses creates mutual value. Restaurants, coffee shops, fitness studios, and sporting goods stores all share an overlapping customer base with your pickleball club. Strategic partnerships increase your visibility and provide tangible perks for your members.

• Approach nearby restaurants to offer a post-game discount for club members who show their membership card.
• Partner with a local sporting goods store for equipment discounts and co-branded flyers in their store.
• Collaborate with fitness studios to cross-promote classes and memberships.
• Invite local businesses to sponsor league nights or tournaments in exchange for signage and mentions in your newsletter.

Seasonal Campaigns

Membership interest follows predictable seasonal patterns. Spring and early summer see the highest demand as people look for outdoor activities, while interest typically dips in winter months for outdoor clubs. Timing your marketing pushes to match these patterns maximizes their impact.

Run a "Bring a Friend" week in early spring when enthusiasm is high. Offer discounted trial memberships in January to capture people acting on New Year resolutions. In the fall, promote your indoor programming or league sign-ups to maintain engagement as outdoor play winds down. Each campaign should have a clear start date, end date, and a specific call to action.

Tracking Growth Metrics

You cannot improve what you do not measure. Track a small set of key metrics each month to understand what is working and where you need to adjust. The numbers do not need to be complicated, but they do need to be consistent.

• Total active members: the count of members who attended at least one session in the past 30 days.
• New member sign-ups: how many people joined this month.
• Churn rate: the percentage of members who did not renew or stopped attending.
• Referral rate: what percentage of new members came from existing member referrals.
• Average session attendance: how many players show up to a typical open play or league night.