The EDGE — Perhaps you're like many people who assume that pickleball, the other racquet sport — after tennis, squash, badminton, Ping-Pong, qianball, basque pelota and racquetball — is the new kid on the block. You know, the young and flashy upstart that only exploded in popularity since the pandemic?
Guess again! The fun and social court game, invented on Washington's Bainbridge Island, actually dates back to summer 1965, the same year that saw the advent of Kevlar and SpaghettiOs. Yet recently pickleball has so overtaken other racquet sports that in some communities around the country, the constant thwack! of paddles from sunrise to sunset has sparked lawsuits and neighborhood noise ordinances.
Fortunately, Vermont has found solutions — namely, designated pickleball courts. This year, Seven Days asked pickleballers to pick their go-to pickleball place. (Say that three times fast.) The West Twin Oaks facility of the EDGE — the longtime Daysie winner for best health club/gym — offers eight state-of-the-art outdoor courts and nine climate-controlled indoor courts, plus league play, clinics and pickleball-only memberships.
The EDGE is pickling right. Just don't forget to "clear the kitchen." IYKYK.
Other Finalists
- Bolton Valley Resort
- Green Mountain Community Fitness
- The Pop!
- Topnotch Resort