Never heard of it?

The game has actually been around nearly 50 years. It was invented in 1965 by a man in the state of Washington who named it after his dog, Pickles.

A cross between tennis, badminton and ping pong, pickleball can be played indoors or outdoors. According to those who already play, the rules are simple and can be learned in a few minutes.

In addition to the physical aspect of the game, it offers social opportunities and encourages camaraderie. Most players prefer doubles or mixed doubles, and tournaments usually are organized by age groups to encourage equal opportunity for players at all levels.

The sport has seen exceptional popularity with participants over the age of 50, as it involves plenty of physical activity but is not as hard on the body as tennis or racquetball. It is also rather inexpensive to play – the only requirements are tennis shoes, some wooden or composite paddles about twice the size of ping pong paddles, and a baseball-size wiffle ball.

The USA Pickleball Association (no, I hadn’t heard of it, either) estimates that there are more than 150,000 pickleball players nationwide and claims that it is one of the fastest-growing sports in the United States.

Members of the Sun City Pickleball Club will be giving free lessons and demonstrations at the Peachtree City Tennis Center Sunday, Oct. 12, beginning at 2 p.m.

All equipment for this event will be provided by the club and the tennis center. Peachtree City resident Joel Kinsman has been appointed ambassador for the “Peachtree City Pickleball League.” For more information or to RSVP for the event, contact him at [email protected] or call 770-487-0071.

To get a firsthand view of the game before the event, check out the Peachtree Invitational Pickleball Tournament Friday at Sun City Peachtree. There will be a 16-team men’s field and an 8-team women’s field with some of the best players from Lake Oconee, Deaton Creek and Sun City Peachtree. Opening ceremonies begin at 9:30 a.m. and spectators are invited to bring their lawn chairs and favorite beverages to watch the action.