Happy Friday, picklers! 🥒 It's a busy stretch of charity tournaments ahead, and the weekend forecast looks breezy with a few morning showers, so we've got tips for that. Let's get into it.
Coming up
- Oct 23 - Norden Leacox Charity Pickleball Tournament - Apopka - Charity day at The Picklr Orlando North for Cannonball Kids' Cancer Foundation. Starts at 10 AM.
- Oct 24 - Hearts & Paddles Pickleball Classic - Sanford - Benefits the American Heart Association, at Diadem Pickleball Complex. Starts at 1 PM.
- Oct 25 - 2nd Annual Pickleball Tournament at Crush Yard - Kissimmee - Afternoon tournament (2 PM) at the Four Corners pickleball bar and lounge.
- Oct 26 - Serve and Dink for Pink - Orlando - A morning of tennis and pickleball for breast cancer awareness at the Orlando Tennis Centre. Check the city's page for times.
- Oct 28-30 - Geezer Meister 2026 - Summerfield - Three-day tournament at Del Webb Spruce Creek Golf & Country Club. Entry is about $70.
- Nov 7-8 - Edward Jones Rally for Memories Pickleball Classic - Summerfield - Two-day tournament at Oxford Downs. Entry is about $50, and registration is open.
- Nov 13-14 - Big Sun Tournament (3rd Annual) - Ocala - Ocala Pickleball Club event at Coehadjoe Park. Mixed doubles Friday, gender doubles Saturday, 8 AM start, $50 per player.
- Nov 21 - The Orlando Open @ USTA National Campus - Orlando - APA tournament. Sign up through PickleballBrackets, and you'll need a linked DUPR account.
- Dec 5 - Dawg Days at Diadem Sanford-Indoor - Sanford - One-day indoor pool play with playoffs. $75 per player, and registration closes Dec 1.
Open play this week
- Candyland Sports Complex - Free. Saturday morning is open to all skill levels, and Sunday morning is Beginner's Play. Great for new players.
- P.E.A.R. Park 'Gateway' (Leesburg) - Free morning open play, Mon-Sat. Morning is your best bet if showers roll in later.
- Leesburg Indoor Pickleball Open Play - Tue & Thu at the Leesburg Recreation Complex. $2 a day or $20 a year, three indoor courts, all levels. A good rainy-week plan.
- The Country Club of Mount Dora - Sat & Sun open play on 6 lighted outdoor courts (pickleball membership).
More on the full open play list.
New on PickleBoom
We added 88 new listings this week. A few to check out:
- Central Winds Park - Winter Springs - 14 lighted outdoor courts with nets provided. One directory mentions a one-time fee, so check with the city first.
- Eastmonte Park - Altamonte Springs - Free lighted courts, about 4 of them. The nets aren't permanent, so bring one just in case.
- Diadem Pickleball Complex - Sanford - Indoor, 11 courts, with daily open play by skill level, including beginner sessions. Non-members can sign up for single sessions.
- Ocala Parks & Rec Open Play at Mary Sue Rich Community Center - Free indoor open play, Tue & Thu, 9 AM-1 PM.
Browse the rest at playpickleboom.com.
Local news
- The Picklr files for bankruptcy, but clubs stay open. The indoor franchisor filed for Chapter 11, and the company says its clubs and franchise locations are operating as usual. Fox 35 Orlando has the details. Local players may care because The Picklr Orlando North in Apopka is one of its clubs. It's also hosting the Oct 23 charity tournament above. We found nothing saying that event is affected, but check the event page if you plan to go.
That's all the confirmed local news we could find from the past two weeks. We'd rather keep it short than pad it.
Around the pickleball world
- Anna Leigh Waters wins her 200th PPA title. At the Veolia Chicago Cup (Oct 5-11), the 19-year-old swept singles, women's doubles and mixed for her 45th Triple Crown. Dink Authority has the recap.
- Roscoe Bellamy upsets the top seed. The No. 4 seed beat Chris Haworth 11-4, 11-5 in the Chicago men's singles final. The Dink has the story.
- Staksrud and Patriquin keep rolling. They beat Acevedo/Martinez Vich 11-1, 11-6 in Chicago for their fifth title together, per The Kitchen Pickle.
- The Picklr's national bankruptcy filing is the big business story this week. Founder Jorge Barragan says no clubs will close directly because of the filing, though he expects some downsizing. See Entrepreneur.
Tip of the week
Playing in wind? Keep the ball low and slow. Wind makes high lobs and big drives hard to control, so dink more and aim for your opponent's feet. If you're hitting into the wind, a soft shot that stays below net height is safer than a hard swing. With the wind at your back, don't let drives sail long. Shorten your swing and keep your paddle out in front.
Weekend court check
The National Weather Service has Mount Dora at a high near 79 on Saturday, with a 30% chance of showers, mainly between 7 and 11 AM, and wind gusts up to 25 mph. Forecasts change, so check again before you head out.
- Best bet: Saturday late morning or afternoon, once any showers clear.
- Wind: Gusty all weekend. Use the tip above and keep it low.
- Courts: Wet courts are slippery. Take a minute to check them before you play.
Closing
Got an event, clinic or tournament we should list? Submit it here. And if you liked this issue, forward it to a friend who needs a game. See you on the courts!
Issue date: October 16, 2026. Events and times can change, so always check with the venue before you go.