Running a weekly badminton or pickleball club is one of the most rewarding ways to stay active and build a community around racquet sports. A well-organized session becomes the highlight of your players’ week—something they look forward to and prioritize.

This guide covers the practical side of running regular court sessions, from securing your venue to managing player rotations on game day.

Finding the Right Venue

Your venue is the foundation of your club. For badminton and pickleball, you’ll typically be looking at:

Indoor options:

Community centres and recreation facilities
School gymnasiums (often available evenings/weekends)
Dedicated badminton or sports centres
Church halls with high ceilings (for badminton)

Outdoor options (pickleball):

Public pickleball courts
Tennis courts with temporary pickleball lines
Council-run facilities

What to look for:

Correct ceiling height (badminton needs 7-9m minimum)
Good lighting without glare
Non-slip flooring
Multiple courts if possible
Parking and accessibility
Storage for nets and equipment

Booking Tips

Try to secure a standing weekly booking:

Contact the facility manager directly
Explain you want a recurring booking (same time each week)
Ask about discounts for regular bookings—many offer 10-20% off
Get your reservation confirmed in writing
Clarify the cancellation policy for public holidays

A consistent time slot helps players build your session into their routine.

Setting Up Your Club in Harley

Once you’ve locked in your venue, set up your club in Harley. You’ll need to be on the Captain tier to create clubs and events.

Creating Your Club

Open Harley and tap “Create Club”
Select badminton or pickleball as your sport
Choose a clear name (e.g., “Tuesday Night Badminton - Southbank”)
Write a description covering:
- Skill level (beginner, intermediate, all levels)
- What to bring (racquet, water, non-marking shoes)
- Session format and vibe
Set your location so nearby players can find you

Creating Events

For each week’s session, create a new event:

Go to your club and tap “Create Event”
Set the date, time, and duration (most sessions run 1.5-2 hours)
Set capacity based on your courts (5-6 players per court works well)
Add the session fee if applicable
Include details like parking instructions and what to bring

Get into a rhythm of creating next week’s event right after your current session. This gives players time to RSVP and plan ahead.

Getting the Numbers Right

The magic number for badminton and pickleball is 5-6 players per court. This keeps rotation moving without too much waiting:

Courts	Ideal Players	Max Players
1 court	5-6	8
2 courts	10-12	14
3 courts	15-18	20

With fewer players, you get more games but less variety in partners. With more, wait times become frustrating.

Managing the Waitlist

When your event fills up, Harley creates a waitlist automatically. Players can join with one tap, and when someone cancels, the next person gets notified.

Reducing No-Shows

No-shows throw off your numbers. Minimize them by:

Collecting payment before the session
Setting a clear cancellation deadline (24 hours is standard)
Having a strike policy for repeat offenders
Making it easy to cancel in the app

Collecting Payments

Most clubs charge $10-20 per session to cover court hire and shuttlecocks/balls.

Pricing It Right

Calculate your costs:

Court hire ÷ expected players
Shuttlecocks or pickleballs (they wear out)
Small buffer for equipment replacement

How to Collect

You’ll need to collect payments outside Harley for now:

Cash: Collect on arrival
PayID/bank transfer: Request payment before or after

Many hosts ask for payment when players arrive. Others request it in advance to reduce no-shows.

Tracking in Harley

From your event page, go to the members list and mark each player as paid or unpaid. This helps you:

See who still owes at a glance
Keep records for each session
Follow up with players who haven’t paid

Running a Smooth Session

Game day is where it all comes together.

Before Players Arrive

Get there 15-20 minutes early to:

Set up nets (if not permanent)
Lay out shuttlecocks/balls
Turn on lights and check court conditions
Open the Harley app ready for check-in

Check-In

Keep it simple:

Mark players as arrived in Harley
Collect any outstanding payments
Point new players to where they can warm up

Equipment

You should provide:

Shuttlecocks or pickleballs (have plenty—they break/wear out)
Spare racquets for newcomers or forgetful players
First aid kit

Players bring:

Their own racquet/paddle
Non-marking indoor shoes
Water bottle
Towel

Managing Rotations

Good rotation systems keep everyone playing and prevent the same people dominating courts.

Popular Rotation Systems

King/Queen of the Court:

Winners stay on, losers rotate off
Simple and self-managing
Works best when skill levels are similar

Round Robin with Paddle/Racquet Queue:

Players put their racquet in a queue
Next 4 racquets in line play the next game
Fair and removes politics from court allocation

Challenge Court System:

Court 1 is the “challenge court”
Winners move up, losers move down
Creates natural skill-based groupings

Timed Rotation:

Set a timer (10-15 minutes per game)
When it goes off, everyone rotates regardless of score
Guarantees equal playing time

Tips for Smooth Rotations

Use a whiteboard or scoreboard to track who’s up next
Keep games short (play to 11 or 15, not 21)
If someone’s been waiting too long, bump them up the queue
Mix up partners between games so everyone plays with everyone

Handling Mixed Skill Levels

Most social clubs have a mix of beginners and experienced players.

Make it work by:

Pairing stronger players with weaker ones for doubles
Having a “beginner-friendly” court for newer players
Rotating partners frequently so no one’s stuck with a mismatch
Setting expectations in your event description (social vs. competitive)

If demand is there, consider running separate beginner and advanced sessions on different nights.

Common Challenges

Equipment Breakage

Shuttlecocks and pickleballs don’t last forever. Budget for replacements and have spares on hand. For badminton, expect to go through several shuttlecocks per session.

The Player Who Won’t Rotate

Some players try to stay on court longer than their turn. Handle it by:

Having a clear, visible rotation system
Gently reminding them when it’s time to rotate
If it continues, a private word about fairness

Skill Mismatches

If a player is significantly stronger or weaker than the group:

For stronger players: suggest a more competitive session if available
For beginners: pair them with patient, encouraging players
Consider separate skill-level sessions if this becomes common

Injuries

Badminton and pickleball are generally low-impact, but rolled ankles and muscle strains happen:

Keep a first aid kit handy
Know where the nearest hospital/medical centre is
Don’t let players “push through” obvious injuries

Growing Your Club

If your sessions fill up consistently, you have options:

Add another session:

Different night of the week
Separate beginner and advanced nights

Book more courts:

Scales your capacity
May unlock venue discounts for larger bookings

Get help:

Ask reliable regulars to help with setup or check-in
Consider a co-host who can run sessions when you’re away

Don’t grow too fast. It’s better to have a tight-knit group with a waitlist than an overcrowded session where no one gets enough court time.

Weekly Checklist

Before the season:

Secure your court booking
Create your club in Harley
Buy shuttlecocks/balls and spare equipment
Write a clear event description

Before each session:

Create next week’s event
Check RSVPs and waitlist
Confirm venue isn’t closed for holidays
Pack equipment

On game day:

Arrive early to set up
Check in players and collect payments
Run rotations fairly
Pack up and leave the venue tidy

After:

Mark attendance and payments in Harley
Note any issues to address
Create next week’s event if you haven’t already

Getting Started

Running a weekly badminton or pickleball club takes some upfront effort, but once you find your rhythm, it runs itself. The key is consistency—same time, same place, same format.

Start small. Book one court for a month, invite friends and friends-of-friends, and see how it goes. You can always add more courts or sessions later.

With Harley managing your RSVPs and player tracking, you can focus on what matters: good games with good people, week after week.