Quick Answer
Richmond’s pickleball court count nearly tripled between 2023 and 2025, climbing from roughly 12 courts to 31 according to Trust for Public Land data, before growth leveled off in 2026 as the city reached a point of relative saturation. At the same time, disc golf has quietly built its own following through groups like the River City Disc Golf Club, which supports play across Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Colonial Heights. For renters, proximity to courts and courses has become a genuine lifestyle consideration worth factoring into a neighborhood search, and for owners and investors, a property near this kind of recreation infrastructure carries a modest but real marketing edge.
How Fast Pickleball Actually Grew in Richmond
The numbers tell a clear story. Trust for Public Land data shows Richmond’s public pickleball court count rose from about 12 in 2023 to 21 in 2024 and 31 in 2025, before holding flat into 2026. That plateau mirrors a national pattern: court growth nationwide slowed to roughly 4 percent in 2026, down from 13 to 14 percent in the prior two years, as many cities reached a point where they had already built enough courts to meet demand. According to Will Klein, director of parks research at the Trust for Public Land, cities are still adding courts, just not at the breakneck pace seen during the sport’s initial boom.
Richmond Parks and Recreation has been a direct participant in that growth. The department’s third set of dedicated pickleball courts opened at the Broad Rock Sports Complex in the city’s Southside, adding six new courts to a facility that has received more than a million dollars in improvements since 2019. That kind of targeted public investment is a useful signal for anyone evaluating a neighborhood’s long-term recreational appeal, since a city actively building out a specific amenity type tends to keep maintaining and expanding it.
What’s Happening With Disc Golf
Disc golf has grown with less fanfare but a genuinely loyal following in the Richmond region. The River City Disc Golf Club, a nonprofit volunteer organization, works to grow the sport across Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Colonial Heights through events, clinics, course work days, and financial support for course development. The club also organizes weekly recreational leagues described as low-pressure ways for both newcomers and relocated players to get involved, which makes the sport more approachable than its specialized equipment might suggest.
Interestingly, the same national data tracking pickleball’s plateau also points to disc golf as one of the amenity types now attracting fresh municipal investment as cities diversify beyond court-heavy recreation budgets. That suggests disc golf access may follow a growth trajectory in the Richmond area similar to what pickleball experienced a few years ago, making it worth watching for renters and investors alike.
Why This Matters for Renters Choosing a Neighborhood
| Renter Type | What to Look For |
|---|---|
| Pickleball players | Proximity to a public parks and recreation facility with dedicated courts, and whether that facility has seen recent investment suggesting more courts may be added |
| Disc golf players | Distance to an established course and whether a local club like River City Disc Golf Club runs regular leagues nearby |
| HOA-community renters | Whether the community’s own private amenity package includes courts, since some master-planned Richmond-area communities have added pickleball courts as a standard amenity |
| Casual or social players | Access to a beginner-friendly public facility rather than a membership-only private club, since public courts typically offer more flexible, lower-cost access |
Several HOA-governed communities in the region have already added pickleball courts to their standard amenity packages, a trend worth asking about directly when touring a rental in a planned community, since not every community with a clubhouse necessarily includes dedicated court access. Our broader guide on Gayton and Wellesley in Henrico County touches on how established West End communities have incorporated newer recreational amenities like these over time.
What This Means for Landlords and Investors
A property’s proximity to a well-maintained public recreation amenity is a soft but genuine factor in rental appeal, similar to proximity to a good park or a popular trail. It will rarely be the deciding factor for a prospective tenant on its own, but it can be a meaningful tiebreaker between two otherwise comparable listings, and it is worth mentioning in marketing copy when genuinely relevant. Owners evaluating a potential purchase near a recently expanded facility like Broad Rock Sports Complex, or near an established disc golf course, can reasonably expect that amenity to remain a draw for years to come, since public recreation investment of this scale is not typically reversed once made.
That said, investors should resist overweighting a single recreational amenity in a purchase decision. A property’s fundamentals, including school zone, commute access, and overall neighborhood stability, still matter far more to long-term rental performance than proximity to a specific sport facility. Recreation access is best thought of as a secondary differentiator rather than a primary investment driver.
Where to Actually Play Right Now
- Broad Rock Sports Complex in Richmond’s Southside now has three sets of dedicated pickleball courts built by Richmond Parks and Recreation, making it one of the most significant public pickleball destinations in the city.
- Additional Richmond Parks and Recreation facilities have added courts as part of the citywide expansion from 12 to 31 courts between 2023 and 2025, so checking the department’s current facility list before assuming a specific park has courts is worthwhile, since locations have changed quickly in recent years.
- Disc golf courses across the broader region, supported by River City Disc Golf Club’s ongoing course development work, span Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Colonial Heights, with weekly recreational leagues open to new players.
- Private HOA-community courts exist in a growing number of master-planned Richmond-area developments, though access is typically limited to residents and their guests rather than the general public.
How This Fits Into a Broader Active Lifestyle in Richmond
Pickleball and disc golf are part of a much larger recreational landscape in the Richmond region, and renters interested in staying active have plenty of other options worth exploring alongside these two sports. Our guide to staying active in Richmond covers gyms, broader recreation leagues, and low-cost fitness options across the region, while those looking to build community around a new hobby might also enjoy our piece on volunteering and getting involved in the Richmond community, since recreational leagues and volunteer groups often overlap in the same social circles.
What to Ask Before Signing a Lease If Recreation Access Matters to You
- Confirm the exact walking or driving distance to the nearest public pickleball courts or disc golf course rather than relying on a general neighborhood reputation.
- Check whether a community’s amenity package includes courts directly, rather than assuming a clubhouse or pool automatically comes with pickleball access.
- Look into league schedules and beginner accessibility through organizations like River City Disc Golf Club if the social and community aspect matters as much as the sport itself.
- Ask whether recent public investment in a nearby facility suggests further expansion, which can be a sign that the amenity will keep improving rather than remaining static.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many pickleball courts does Richmond have as of 2026?
According to Trust for Public Land data, Richmond has 31 public pickleball courts as of 2026, up from roughly 12 in 2023, though growth has leveled off after that rapid expansion.
Why did pickleball court growth slow down in Richmond and nationally?
Many cities, including Richmond, reached a point where they had already built a substantial number of courts to meet initial demand, and municipal recreation investment has begun shifting toward other amenity types, including disc golf, gardens, and outdoor fitness zones.
Is disc golf growing in the Richmond area?
Yes, though with less publicity than pickleball. The River City Disc Golf Club actively works to grow the sport across Richmond, Henrico, Chesterfield, Hanover, and Colonial Heights through clinics, course development, and weekly recreational leagues.
Where is the newest major pickleball facility in Richmond?
Broad Rock Sports Complex in Richmond’s Southside added six new courts as part of Richmond Parks and Recreation’s third set of dedicated pickleball courts, part of more than a million dollars in facility improvements since 2019.
Should I choose a rental specifically for its proximity to pickleball or disc golf?
It can be a reasonable tiebreaker between comparable options, but fundamentals like school zone, commute, and overall neighborhood quality should still drive the primary decision, with recreation access as a secondary consideration.
Do any Richmond-area HOA communities include pickleball courts as a standard amenity?
Yes, a growing number of master-planned communities in the region have added pickleball courts to their amenity packages, though access is typically limited to residents rather than the general public, so this should be confirmed directly with the specific community.
Talk to Mission Realty
Whether you’re searching for a rental near Richmond’s growing recreation scene or evaluating how amenities affect a property’s appeal, we can help. Browse our available rentals across the Richmond region, explore resources for residents, or contact our team with questions about a specific neighborhood.
