Hop on over

Pickleball seems to be all the rage these days, with fans of every age. It’s an approachable sport that is suitable for all ages.

Kim Copeland, partner with the new TX Hop Club, cites three reasons why the sport has become so popular:

“First, it’s community! Pickleball helps people connect with other people. It is inclusive and welcoming to players of all levels from beginner to pro. Players naturally gravitate towards others of their level, but also build confidence to grow in the sport and, by extension, to grow their community.

“Second, it’s fun and recreational! People of all ages, 2 to 100, can enjoy playing. Every day, every game, every opponent is a new and exciting social and recreational opportunity. And it is as relaxing or challenging as you choose to make it.

“Third, it’s healthy! Pickleball is a great, easy form of cardio. It improves heart health, lung function and overall emotional and physical fitness. It is less intensive than other racquet sports and can prevent cardiac events, improve cognitive and motor skills and balance.”

The TX Hop Club aims to provide Hood County with the best in pickleball facilities, and the response from the community has been very positive. Groundbreaking for the facility was in November and the club just celebrated its ribbon cutting last week.

The custom built, 24,000 square-foot facility offers eight indoor pickleball courts, a comfortable lounge area, a huge patio with skills zones and a full Pro Shop.

“This is a unique facility designed to provide the highest quality playing conditions for the serious pickleball club members as well as the daily walk-ins in from Hood County and beyond looking for a fun weekend,” Copeland said.

TX HOP business partner and Granbury resident Staci Parker concurred.

“We have addressed every element that is important to the serious player that also benefits the novice. We provide specialized, seven-layer Pro-Cushion courts, which are so good for the joints and provide excellent consistent play, specialized lighting for no shadows and great ball visibility, 30-foot ceiling height for an open and spacious play area with netting around each court and an amazing climate-controlled environment for year-round player comfort.”

“We offer the very best playing conditions for players of all levels and a premier training facility for beginners as well as professional players,” added business partner and Granbury resident Jodi Herzog.

And players do appreciate the quality of play. One top player wrote a poem about TX Hop Club describing the first match played there.

“Players love the court surface and the way it plays. They also comment on how great the lighting is and how they love the atmosphere and acoustics. That is music to our ears as we set out to design and build the perfect playing experience,” shared Herzog.

“We have had exceptional reaction to our spacious patio area, which includes individual skill zones, and our large, comfortable lobby, which connects our two court buildings. This area provides a protected area for extended gatherings of Pickleball enthusiasts off the courts,” Copeland said.

Founders of the club have been surprised by the regional draw the facility has experienced.

“We hoped to draw from surrounding communities for tournaments and special events but have been pleasantly surprised by the number of players driving from Fort Worth, Weatherford, Dallas, even as far as Frisco, for regular play days,” shared Copeland.

Still, their favorite part of the new venture is seeing the delight on the faces of locals when they first come into the facility.

“Our mantra is ‘VIP Pickleball for everyone!’ And, while we welcome the attention from anywhere, we also would like our base membership to consist mostly of local players to help build the sport and community of Hood County,” said Copeland.

In fact, community is something the partners hope to build using their club as a catalyst.

“Pickleball helps people connect with other people. It is inclusive and welcoming to players of all levels from beginner to pro. Players naturally gravitate towards others of their level, but also build confidence to grow in the sport and, by extension, to grow their community,” explained Copeland.

The TX Hop Club hopes to be more than a place to play pickleball.

“TX Hop Club is not just for Pickleball players (and those who love them). Two of the three owners have lived in Granbury many years and have children and grandchildren here as well, so we are invested in this community.

“We recently hosted a free concert on our patio that was very well received and lots of fun. We will host our first Friday Night Social Oct. 4 (with) $15 for two hours of play followed by pizza on the patio” Copeland shared.

“We are partnered with KHITS for three more Pickleball Palooza nights. We want to have lots of family and community events to bring people together around the sport of Pickleball,” Copeland continued.

“With our new facility, we are committed to providing a new community outreach for the entire region through benefits, youth leagues, clinics, tournaments, Senior events, social hours, corporate events and many more activities. We’re here for you. If you have ideas, reach out to us,” Copeland said.

TX Hop Club is located at 920 Tucker Way across from Granbury Baptist Church on Farm-to-Market Road 51. For more information about hours, memberships and special events go to txhopclub.com.