Big Pine, Bodacious Pickleball


 January 14 2023

Escaping to the Florida Keys in the middle of a northern Indiana winter is not a difficult decision to make. Blue skies, beaches and warmer climates are all good choices. Well, two out of three isn't bad. We happened to arrive when the temperatures were in the 40s and 60s, but still better than back home. Having friends Ed and Dar living on Big Pine Key made it an easy choice where we would spend some of our time catching up. With Ed having the popularity of being "The Mayor of Pickleball" on Big Pine was an added bonus. The three dedicated courts at Blue Heron Community Park were located inland and protected from much of the wind that was occurring during our stay. The players were friendly and challenging with most at or above 3.5. 

They have a nice set up for their rotation system using a paddle holder and indicator of which group is next. Many locations use a paddle grouping system, but few look as good or are as sturdy as this system.

Another aspect we liked about Big Pine Pickleball was that they had a bucket of balls behind the baseline on each of the courts so that you didn't have to worry about one of the players not having a ball or chasing the ball when it leaves the immediate court vicinity.




We thoroughly enjoyed our game with Ed and Char. Barb paired up with Ed and Harold with Char. It proved to be a competitive game yet fun. Hopefully Harold's laid back play didn't prove too frustrating for Char.

Ed's daughter Jenna is actually responsible for initially getting him started playing pickleball. Retirement has allowed him to improve his game by playing daily. Jenna is employed so she is only available to play occasionally. It was good to be on the court with her and Matt who is a family friend.


Having palm trees next to a pickleball court gives it a tropical laid back feel, however, a windy day can cause coconuts and palm branches to fall.  While Harold was playing, a coconut fell with a thud just a few feet away. While Ed was playing, a branch came down on the court. It's much preferred to have an errant ball on your court than a coconut or palm fronds.

While playing on courts in Key West has a certain allure, we much preferred our play here in Big Pine. The skill of the players was great and was matched by their friendly welcome.

It was great playing with you Ed, Char, Bob, Jack, Chris, Bruce, Lisa, Matt and Jenna. We hope to be able to do it again someday. 

Location: 30451 Lyttons Way, Big Pine Key, FL 33043, USA

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