Nathan Washam of the Bay Area is a dynamic individual who has found his perfect oasis in the heart of the country club community. As a software sales specialist by profession, Nathan thrives in the fast-paced world of technology, but his true passion lies in embracing the active and fulfilling lifestyle that comes with being a country club resident. From golfing on lush green fairways to engaging in friendly tennis matches, Nathan finds solace and enjoyment in the myriad of activities that the country club has to offer. In the following article, Nathan Washman discusses the growing popularity of tennis and Pickleball in the country club setting.
Country clubs wouldn’t exist without sports.
The first photo showing golf players in the U.S. was taken at a Yonkers, N.Y. country club — St. Andrews Golf Club in 1888.
From then on, golf was commonly associated as the sport of the well-bred, upper class, just the types who are likely to have a country club membership. Nathan Washam says that sports continue to be a big part of the country club experience, but they have evolved.
A country club may have once had just 18 holes, but now it’s likely to have many tennis courts, squash courts, Olympic-size swimming pools and what’s now becoming the fastest-growing country club sport of all: pickleball.
Pickleball is also the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. — period. Though it was created in 1965, pickleball has experienced an eye-opening, sudden rise in popularity over the past few years.
Over 36.5 million Americans played pickleball between 2021 and 2022, according to CNBC. There were just 5 million players before 2021.
Nathan Washam says that while pickleball courts can be found all over the United States, everywhere from indoor courts in large cities to outdoor courts in small town parks, pickleball is also the latest in the long line of sports associated with country club culture.
Nathan Washam of the Bay Area Says “Good Game”
Country clubs and golf have long been a match made in upper-class heaven. Its emergence in Scotland and first appearance in the U.S. in the late 1800s corresponded with the rise of a widening middle- and upper-class in America and country clubs taking root.
Nathan Washam notes that soon after, the elegant and manicured rolling hills of golf courses moved from the so-called country estates of the uber-rich to suburban country clubs and friendly games between members.
The breath of country club sports soon expanded. Racquet sports, primarily tennis, became common at country clubs, solidifying its status as a sport seen by many to be “elite.”
Like golf, tennis has also been long associated with country clubs. Outside of Washington, D.C., signs once beckoned people to country club communities. The next street signs indicated where the golf and tennis courts were.
Golf is still king at many country clubs, especially since the majority were built around the sport. That’s changing. The number of American golfers dropped by 10 million from 2002 to 2016 and hundreds of courses have closed since 2017.
Nathan Washam says that it’s one of the most expensive sports and players tend to be older on average compared to other sports — 54 years old.
Tennis players are younger on average — 36 years old in the U.S. — but it’s also expensive and fights a reputation as a sport that’s not very open to a wide swath of people.
Pickleball is a different case.
Pickleball For All
The Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles is known for its celebrity clientele, Pilates classes, and Hollywood insider deals. There’s golf, of course, and lots of tennis.
And now there’s pickleball. High-profile couples are regularly spotted on the pickleball courts at the Riviera on Sunday mornings, have been since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Nathan Washam explains that Pickleball is also popular at similarly well-heeled country clubs, from the Breakers in Palm Beach to Nantucket’s Westmoor Club. In many places, pickleball courts are either replacing tennis courts outright or sharing spaces with tennis courts.
Pickleball courts aren’t just being built near the 18th hole and manicured tennis lawns.
Nothing But Net
While increasingly popular as a country club sport, pickleball is highly accessible. Free courts are now open seven days a week across the country. There is a Professional Pickleball Association and a rival organization, the Association of Pickleball Professionals. Just last year alone, 5 million people picked up the sport.
The Minto US Open Pickleball Championships is seeing applications for players up 30% in 2023 compared to the previous year.
Nathan Washam says that like golf and tennis, pickleball has become an industry unto itself. Players have corporate sponsors and sports stores are stocking high-end paddles and pickleballs.
Alongside golf shirts and tennis skirts, there is now a slew of pickleball clothing to choose from, ranging from tank tops to dresses to long-sleeved shirts that would be more at home at a country club.
Nathan Washam of the Bay Area says that while some aspects of pickleball may be fancy and feel best suited to a traditional country club, the sport’s popularity is showing that all are welcome — country club membership or not.
