Brookhaven residents can play pickleball for free at Lynwood Park and Briarwood Park, with the city providing paddles and balls.

The Brookhaven Parks and Recreation Department added pickleball to its lineup of free drop-in activities on Sept. 14, according to The Champion Newspaper. The sessions run four days a week at two recreation centers. No experience is required.

The city's drop-in activities page lists the program as "Adult Pickleball." Lynwood Park, at 3360 Osborne Road, hosts sessions on Mondays and Wednesdays from 5:45 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Briarwood Park, at 1496 Briarwood Road, offers play on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 10:15 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Athletic manager Davian Oglesby said the department chose pickleball because of the sport's growing popularity and because it appeals to all skill levels, The Champion reported. The city provides paddles and balls, though players may bring their own gear.

"Residents should just come out and give it a try," Oglesby said, according to The Champion. "You don't need to have any experience, and you don't need your own equipment."

Interim parks and recreation director Kevin Cowling said the pickleball sessions are part of Brookhaven's broader push to offer free ways for residents to stay active at the city's recreation centers, Rough Draft Atlanta reported.

Participants must sign in at the front desk when they arrive, according to the city's drop-in page. The sessions are informal and supervised, with no long-term commitment.

Pickleball joins several other free drop-in options at Brookhaven recreation centers, including Walk & Talk, Tot Play Time, youth and adult basketball drop-ins and adult basketball open runs.

Residents looking for more court time can also find pickleball at nearby Dunwoody parks. Blackburn Park, at 3493 Ashford Dunwoody Road, and Pernoshal Park, on North Shallowford Road, both offer courts that convert between tennis and pickleball, The Champion reported.

Upcoming drop-in schedule

  • Pickleball at Lynwood Park (3360 Osborne Road): Mondays and Wednesdays, 5:45–8:45 p.m.
  • Pickleball at Briarwood Park (1496 Briarwood Road): Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:15 a.m.–1 p.m.

The full drop-in activities schedule, including Walk & Talk, basketball and Tot Play Time, is available at brookhavenga.gov/419/Drop-In-Activities.