Columbus is one of the Midwest's best pickleball cities. Pickle & Chill has 38 indoor courts and hosts MLP Columbus, Match Point Worthington adds 17, and New Albany has 16 outdoor tournament-grade courts. The Veolia Cincinnati Cup is two hours south.
Columbus has a real four-season climate, which is why the indoor scene is so deep. Outdoor pickleball runs roughly April through October with peak conditions in late spring and early fall. Summer is warm and humid with occasional thunderstorms. November through March brings cold, snow, and short days, and the indoor courts at Pickle & Chill, Match Point, Scarborough East, Pickle Shack, and the city rec centers carry the load. Columbus Recreation & Parks runs 118 total courts (60 indoor, 58 outdoor) across community centers and parks, most of which are tennis courts with pickleball lines painted on. Bring your own portable net at non-dedicated outdoor courts.
Columbus is one of the deepest pickleball cities in the Midwest, anchored by a private dedicated-pickleball scene that almost no other Midwest city can match. Pickle & Chill expanded to 38 indoor courts and remains the home of MLP Columbus (the only Ohio-based MLP team, The Bus) and the APP Women’s Open, which has been held here annually since 2024. Owner David Kass is a former tennis pro and an early MLP investor. Add Match Point Worthington’s 17 indoor courts with HD instant replay (new in the last year), Scarborough East with 20 (16 indoor, 4 outdoor) plus full restaurant, and Pickle Shack on the north side, and the city has well over 80 dedicated indoor courts. None of this existed five years ago.
The outdoor public scene is genuinely strong too. New Albany Pickleball Complex at Bevelhymer Park has 16 tournament-grade outdoor courts open to the public for free. New Albany Tennis Center adds 8 more dedicated pickleball courts that get a winter dome cover for year-round play. Dublin Coffman Park has 8 free lighted public courts open 5am-11pm. Marion Franklin Park has dedicated city pickleball courts (most Columbus Parks courts are tennis with painted pickleball lines, so the truly dedicated ones are worth knowing). Library Park (Powell), Olentangy Parklands (Worthington), and Roger A. Reynolds Park (Hilliard) round out the suburban free public network. Land-Grant Brewing’s Gravity Experience Park even has pickleball courts that turn into an ice skating rink each winter.
The tournament calendar is heavy. MLP Columbus returns to Pickle & Chill each spring. The APP Women’s Open runs in October. The Columbus Classic amateur event runs alongside MLP. About 100 miles south, the Veolia Cincinnati Cup (PPA, 1,500 ranking points) runs September 14-20 in 2026 at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason; most Columbus tournament players make that drive. Columbus also hosts the National Pickleball League’s Columbus Hotshots and an Ohio State student pickleball club, plus a meaningful slice of the sport’s ownership group: Anne Worcester (MLP strategic advisor) and others on the league’s board call Columbus home.
This is a working guide to where to play and what’s on the calendar. If you spot something wrong or out of date, send a note to letsplay@dinkin.app and it lands in our inbox.
Pickle & Chill
880 W Henderson Rd, Columbus, OH 43214
Central Ohio's premier indoor pickleball destination and one of the largest indoor pickleball facilities in the world, expanded to 38 indoor courts. Home of MLP Columbus and the APP Women's Open (held annually here since 2024). Owned by David Kass, who also owns the MLP team The Bus. Climate-controlled, lounge with Ray's Bar (named after the owner's dog), free paddle and ball rentals, PPR-certified instructors, leagues, tournaments, open play. Locker rooms and showers included. About 20 minutes north of downtown.
Scarborough East
350 McCormick Blvd, Columbus, OH
57,000-square-foot facility with 20 courts (16 indoor, 4 outdoor) in a fully fenced layout that keeps stray balls from drifting between courts. Full restaurant, pro shop with all gear, flexible space for corporate events. Runs DUPR-sanctioned tournaments regularly. About 20 minutes from downtown.
New Albany Pickleball Complex
7000 Bevelhymer Rd, New Albany, OH 43054
Award-winning public complex at Bevelhymer Park with 16 tournament-grade dedicated outdoor courts, open to the public. Daily open play and challenge courts, steady schedule of classes and clinics for all ages and skill levels. About 20 minutes northeast of downtown.
New Albany Tennis Center
5760 Maple Canyon Ave, New Albany, OH 43054
8 dedicated pickleball courts plus 8 tennis courts, directed by USPTA pro Paul Kobelt. Five outdoor hard courts get covered by a dome in winter for year-round play. Junior clinics from Pre-K through high school, adult clinics and leagues for every experience level. About 20 minutes from downtown.
Land-Grant at Gravity Experience Park
424 W Town St, Columbus, OH 43215
Pickleball courts at the Land-Grant Brewing taproom in Franklinton. $20/hour court rental with a shaded bungalow for up to 8 people, $5 more adds paddle and ball rentals. Beer and cocktails on tap. In winter, the courts become an ice skating rink.
Dublin Coffman Park
5200 Emerald Pkwy, Dublin, OH 43017
8 free outdoor dedicated lighted public courts in Dublin, with windscreens. Open 5am-11pm daily. One of the best free outdoor pickleball facilities in the Columbus metro. About 20 minutes northwest of downtown.
Marion Franklin Park
2730 Lockbourne Rd, Columbus, OH 43207
Dedicated outdoor pickleball courts at one of the few Columbus city parks with dedicated (not striped tennis) pickleball courts. Free public access, first-come first-served, reservable by permit through the Columbus Parks & Rec Sports Office.
Library Park
75 N Liberty St, Powell, OH 43065
Free outdoor dedicated pickleball courts in Powell, about 25 minutes north of downtown Columbus. Permanent lines and nets, public park access.
Olentangy Parklands
Olentangy Pkwy, Worthington, OH 43085
Outdoor pickleball courts in Worthington's Olentangy Parklands. Free public access alongside trails and river views. About 15-20 minutes north of downtown.
Roger A. Reynolds Municipal Park
3800 Veterans Memorial Dr, Hilliard, OH 43026
Free outdoor dedicated pickleball courts in Hilliard's main municipal park. Public access, alongside ball fields, walking trails, and playgrounds. About 20 minutes west of downtown Columbus.
Pickle & Chill
880 W Henderson Rd, Columbus, OH 43214
Central Ohio's premier indoor pickleball destination and one of the largest indoor pickleball facilities in the world, expanded to 38 indoor courts. Home of MLP Columbus and the APP Women's Open (held annually here since 2024). Owned by David Kass, who also owns the MLP team The Bus. Climate-controlled, lounge with Ray's Bar (named after the owner's dog), free paddle and ball rentals, PPR-certified instructors, leagues, tournaments, open play. Locker rooms and showers included. About 20 minutes north of downtown.
Match Point Worthington
535 Lakeview Plaza Blvd, Worthington, OH 43085
Columbus's newest pickleball facility with 17 indoor courts and HD instant replay on every court. League play five nights a week across all formats and skill levels. Coaching from beginner through advanced. Also home to 5 golf simulators, 20 table tennis tables, and badminton. Will host a Champion Series Pickleball event (40+ league) in Fall 2026. About 25 minutes north of downtown.
Scarborough East
350 McCormick Blvd, Columbus, OH
57,000-square-foot facility with 20 courts (16 indoor, 4 outdoor) in a fully fenced layout that keeps stray balls from drifting between courts. Full restaurant, pro shop with all gear, flexible space for corporate events. Runs DUPR-sanctioned tournaments regularly. About 20 minutes from downtown.
New Albany Tennis Center
5760 Maple Canyon Ave, New Albany, OH 43054
8 dedicated pickleball courts plus 8 tennis courts, directed by USPTA pro Paul Kobelt. Five outdoor hard courts get covered by a dome in winter for year-round play. Junior clinics from Pre-K through high school, adult clinics and leagues for every experience level. About 20 minutes from downtown.
Pickle Shack
Columbus, OH
Dedicated indoor pickleball facility on the north side of Columbus. Climate-controlled, leagues, clinics, drop-in play. One of the two major standalone pickleball venues in the city alongside Pickle & Chill.
Westgate Community Center
455 S Westgate Ave, Columbus, OH 43204
Two indoor hard pickleball courts at a Columbus Recreation & Parks community center on the city's west side. Permanent lines, portable nets. One-time drop-in fee. Hidden-gem indoor option.
Bill McDonald Athletic Complex
2901 Eakin Rd, Columbus, OH 43204
Indoor pickleball courts at the city's main indoor athletic complex on the west side. Reserve through the Columbus Parks & Rec Sports Office; reservations require booking two basketball courts at a time. Useful for league and event space.
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Columbus Recreation & Parks Pickleball
Website
Official Columbus Parks & Rec pickleball page. Maintains the list of 118 city courts (60 indoor, 58 outdoor) across community centers and parks, plus the court reservation permit system, indoor open play schedules, and instructional programming at community centers.
Pickleball Columbus
Facebook Group
Active local Facebook community for Columbus-area pickleball. Game coordination, partner-finding, court updates, league signups, and the most current source for pickup play and community events.
Columbus Sliders / The Bus (MLP team)
Website
Columbus's professional MLP team, the only Ohio-based franchise. Co-owned by David Kass (Pickle & Chill) and the Pelotonia CEO. Plays MLP events nationwide; home matches at Pickle & Chill.
MLP Columbus
Annual, May
Major League Pickleball regular season event at Pickle & Chill, the home court of the MLP Columbus / The Bus team. Co-ed team format, Dreambreaker scoring, the entertainment-focused tier of pro pickleball. MLP Columbus 2022 set a record for the largest prize purse in pro pickleball history with $100,000 to the winning team.
APP Women's Open
Annual, October
The first-ever APP Women's Open was held at Pickle & Chill in October 2024 and has returned annually. Women's pro and amateur divisions, USAP-sanctioned. One of the most significant events on the APP calendar focused exclusively on the women's game.
Veolia Cincinnati Cup
Annual, September 14-20 in 2026
The closest PPA Cup event to Columbus, held about 100 miles south at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, OH (Cincinnati suburb). 1,500 ranking points on the line, every signed PPA pro attending, amateur divisions alongside the pro draws. Most Columbus tournament players make the drive.
Columbus Classic
Annual, spring
Amateur tournament run alongside the MLP Columbus pro event at Pickle & Chill. All skill levels welcome, registered players get access to watch MLP matches on the same site. Run by Pickle & Chill's tournament team.
Pages are reviewed quarterly, but courts open, leagues move, and venues close. If something here is wrong or outdated, send a note and it lands in my inbox.
Last verified May 15, 2026 · Dinkin