Pickleball Courts Open For Use In Howell

HOWELL, NJ — Howell Township residents who have been wanting a local spot to join in the pickleball craze can now do so in town, after township officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on the town's courts on Friday.

The courts — four in total — were part of renovations at Deerwood Park, located at 2740 Lakewood-Allenwood Road. In addition to the pickleball courts, there are two new basketball courts, a "kid-sized" basketball court and a half-court, officials said.

The courts are open from 7 a.m. to sunset and while there is no reservation system at this time, Howell officials said they could implement one if demand for the pickleball courts "is consistently high."

"We understand there is at least one online pickleball group that has formed for Ramtown; we are sharing the information for any players who may be interested. The app is called Team Reach, the name of the group is Ramtown Pickleball and the group code is PurplePark," officials said.

Players are expected to observe court usage rules and etiquette. Games are to 11 points, and when there are four or more players waiting, players are expected to use a four players on-four players off protocol. When there are fewer than four players waiting, two on-two off is the rule.

The courts are open to players of all levels, from beginners to experts.

"Please enjoy the new courts; if the sport is as popular as anticipated, we will look to construct courts in other parks as well," officials said.