Pickleball Courts in St Louis
Quick Answer: Tower Grove Park has eight hard surface pickleball courts. Access costs 5 dollars a day or a membership, with free public hours Monday to Friday noon to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday noon to 10pm. Missouri Pickleball Club has 18 permanent indoor courts.
St Louis pairs one well known outdoor venue with the largest indoor pickleball only club in America. The outdoor side is worth understanding properly, because it is not the free municipal park most people assume.
What does Tower Grove Park actually cost?
This is the detail that catches people out. Tower Grove Park is run by a park foundation rather than a city department, and pickleball there is not free by default.
The park publishes a 5 dollar daily admission, or access by membership. Outside that, it publishes a set of free public hours:
- Monday to Friday. Noon to 5pm, free public hours.
- Saturday. Noon to 10pm, free public hours.
- Sunday. Noon to 10pm, free public hours.
- Any other time. 5 dollars for the day, or a membership.
If you can play in the middle of a weekday or at the weekend, you can play for nothing. If you want an early morning or a weekday evening, budget the 5 dollars.
How many courts are there and how do they work?
Eight hard surface pickleball courts, in the park’s own wording. During the season the park says courts are open daily on a first come, first served basis.
Off season, the park publishes hours of 7am to 9pm all week for pickleball courts 1 to 8, with limited access.
The park does not publish a reservation system for pickleball, so there is no booking to arrange. It also publishes nothing about court lighting, so do not plan an evening session on the assumption the courts are lit.
Where is the indoor pickleball?
Missouri Pickleball Club, which is the largest indoor pickleball only club in America, with 18 permanent indoor courts.
It runs open play, clinics, events, court reservations, leagues and tournaments. Eighteen dedicated indoor courts in one building is a serious facility, and in a city where December through February closes the outdoor game it changes what the sport looks like locally.
That is what the indoor network is for, and it is the reason St Louis keeps playing through the winter rather than stopping.
Where should a beginner start?
Missouri Pickleball Club runs free beginner sessions and clinics, which makes it the clearest documented entry point in the metro.
Starting indoors also removes the weather from the equation, which matters more here than in a milder city.
When is the outdoor season?
Roughly April through October in practice, with the shoulder months depending on the year.
Summer in St Louis is hot and humid, and midday play from June through August is draining. Autumn is the best of it.
Winter closes outdoor courts for stretches under snow and ice, though clear cold days do occur. Coming back outdoors in spring after a winter indoors is the classic injury window, and our guide to preventing Achilles injuries covers ramping back safely.
What should you bring?
- Five dollars, or your membership. Unless you are playing inside the free public hours at Tower Grove.
- Outdoor balls and a spare. Standard for the park courts.
- Water and a towel. Missouri humidity produces heavier sweat losses than the temperature alone suggests.
- Court shoes with a durable outsole. Hard surface courts are abrasive.
- Indoor shoes if you are heading to the club rather than the park.
Frequently asked questions
Are the Tower Grove pickleball courts free? Not by default. Access is 5 dollars a day or by membership, with free public hours Monday to Friday noon to 5pm and Saturday and Sunday noon to 10pm.
How many courts does Tower Grove have? Eight hard surface pickleball courts.
Can I reserve a court at Tower Grove? The park does not publish a pickleball reservation system. In season it describes the courts as first come, first served.
What are the off season hours? The park publishes 7am to 9pm all week for courts 1 to 8, with limited access.
Are the Tower Grove courts lit? The park publishes nothing about lighting, so do not count on an evening session there.
Where can I play indoors? Missouri Pickleball Club has 18 permanent indoor courts, the largest indoor pickleball only club in America.
Where can I take a clinic? Missouri Pickleball Club runs free beginner sessions and clinics alongside its open play and leagues.
Is Tower Grove a city park? It is run by a park foundation rather than a municipal parks department, which is why it charges admission outside the free public hours.
St Louis has serious indoor capacity and one outdoor venue worth knowing the pricing of before you drive over. For clubs, facilities and courts across the region, browse our public pickleball courts directory, and our guide to finding public courts covers checking a venue before you travel.
Written by the Pickler Junction Team.
