A Suffolk club has introduced people to a popular US fun game that has been gaining more and more enthusiasts in the UK.
Ipswich Pickleball Club is a small friendly society for the fans of the fastest-growing sport in Europe.
The club located at Kesgrave Sports Centre opened in 2016 and has 15 members who meet up every Friday.
Pickleball is a racket sport that combines elements of tennis, platform tennis, badminton and table tennis.
It is easy to learn, fast-paced and extremely fun to play due to the long rallies that occur throughout a game.
Pickleball is almost always played in doubles, although singles are also very popular, especially for those looking for a greater challenge.
Pete Clarke, of Ipswich Pickleball Club, said: “The game itself was invented in the US in the late 1960s by a group of friends.
“They created a game that can be played on a badminton court.
“As they were playing the game, a dog called Pickle, who belonged to one of the men, was always chasing the ball around the court.
“When they were trying to think of a name for this game, they decided to call it Pickleball after the dog.”
The game has been slowly growing in popularity and is now one of the most popular sports in America.
Mr Clarke added: “It takes a little bit longer to make pickleball known in the UK.
“But our club has many long-standing members who really enjoy this sport.
“The age of our members really ranges. Our youngest member, Angie, is in her early 40s and we also have a couple of ladies in their 70s.
“Pickleball is a great way for social activity. We have breaks during the game and people often sit down, chat and enjoy their time together.
“Sometimes our members even bring biscuits and cakes. Our club is definitely a good place for social interaction and the game, which is quite fast, is a great way to get exercise.
“Pickleball is good for keeping joint mobility and keeping strength in muscles.”
The club is running at its full capacity and is currently not looking for new members to join.
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