Pickleball has piqued the interest of Southlanders of all ages and abilities.
The game is a combination of badminton, racquet sports and tennis and has sparked a lot of interest because of its low impact and family friendly appeal.
Badminton Southland general manager Peter Nielsen-Vold said: "It’s become a huge sport growing exponentially over the last five to 10 years around the world and in New Zealand.
"For a lot of people, playing doubles on a badminton size court is a lot less impacting on joints and muscles."
Last year, Badminton Southland ran a successful 65-plus session for a term; which generated participation from many retirees "who enjoyed sport and liked to exercise".
"It’s become popular with the older age group and we’ve got people up to their 80s playing it," Nielsen-Vold said.
"It’s good for those who don’t want to over exert themselves but it also can be played competitively."
This week, St Patrick’s School principal Callan Goodall brought his teachers out to play pickleball, as a "teacher bonding day before they launch back into teaching this week".
