Pickleball paddles have been swinging at the Gore Multisports Complex since 2018, with a competitive league playing on Monday evenings and social drop-in sessions on Thursdays.
Gore District Council events centre supervisor Dan Winkel said part of the sport’s appeal was its accessibility.
"You can pretty much just grab a paddle and a ball and figure out the game in a rather quick span of time."
Pickleball was about having a hit of a different kind too.
"It helps get the endorphins going.
"It makes you happy by the end of the day. It’s actually good for you physically and mentally," Mr Winkel said.
The sport was invented in the US in the 1960s and has taken elements of ping pong, badminton and tennis and made them its own.
The fourth annual Southern Slam Pickleball tournament will be run from October 30-November 1 at the multisport complex. Last year’s event drew more than 130 participants and Mr Winkel hoped for an even bigger event this year.
