Robert and Susan Jones ’ backyard court is poolside in Georgetown , Texas .
There are speakers at each corner of the court in the wildflowers . An Echo Dot in the garage controls the outside music . They prefer oldies and country .
The visiting badgers , turkeys and deer apparently appreciate the music .
Doing it Big in Texas
If pickleball players fell asleep and woke up in Robert and Susan Jones ’ backyard in Georgetown , Texas , they might think they landed in paradise .
The lovely Austin suburb is where Robert and Susan began playing on their new backyard pickleball court in 2022 . The couple , both 59 , played during construction of their adjacent 5,000-square-foot home because the court was finished first , and they were too excited to wait .
The entire court surface is 35 ’ by 65 ’ and cost $ 27,000 . Robert hired seven subcontractors , including an excavator who jack-hammered out 5 feet of rock so the court could be sunken . He says the most difficult part of the process was gathering bids and scheduling contractors , and the most important aspect was proper slab construction .
The acrylic coating is from SportMaster , and the court is not cushioned because , Robert says , “ The cost was significantly higher . I ’ m not sure how [ a cushioned surface ] would hold up with our 100-plus degree days and sub-freezing days .”
Robert is a banker and plays nights and weekends , so he had lights installed . He and Susan enjoy “ quality play without fighting the crowds of a public court , the ability to drill any time , and select a play group .”
The lush landscaping , designed by Susan , was $ 50,000 . There are 20 varieties of plants and six types of trees , including a 35-foot-tall red oak .
When the pickleball sessions are over and everyone ’ s sweaty , they can jump into the 20 ’ by 40 ’ pool . And to soak sore muscles , there ’ s a jacuzzi .
As denizens of the Lone Star State love to say , “ Everything is bigger in Texas .”
Fun , Fun , Fun
Steve Meikle is a certified pickleball instructor and about a 4.25 self-rated player . The 70-year-old California resident is also a musician who ’ s been a drummer and lead singer in classic rock bands . He is a huge fan of
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