3 Common Mistakes Pickleball Tournament Organizers Make (and How to Fix Them)

Running events across golf, tennis, squash, and pickleball has taught me one big lesson — organization starts with a clear vision. Before anything else, you need to know exactly how you want your tournament to look and feel, then work backward from that vision. Once you define the experience you want players to have — smooth check-in, on-time matches, great energy, and happy participants — every decision becomes easier.

Since launching The Pacific Club Invitational in 2020 and now organizing the Hawaii Pickleball Open, which has quickly become one of the most sought-after tournaments in Hawai‘i, I’ve learned how to host stress-free, well-run events even with limited courts. With just four courts and over 100 players in two days, I’ve seen firsthand what works — and what doesn’t.

How to Run a Profitable Pickleball Tournament: Step-by-Step Guide for Organizers

Unfortunately, many pickleball tournament organizers still make the same avoidable mistakes. Here are the three biggest ones — and how you can avoid them.

1. Taking Too Many Players and Categories for the Available Courts

This is the number-one reason pickleball tournaments fall behind schedule. It’s tempting to accept every player who registers, but overbooking courts creates long waiting times, frustrated players, and exhausted volunteers.

When running a tournament, put yourself in the players’ shoes. Would you want to wait hours between matches or play in a bracket with only two teams — forcing organizers to mix you with other skill levels just to fill time? That’s not the experience anyone wants.A

How t0 Fix it:

Once you know your player limits, the next key step is choosing the right format. The format determines not only how long matches last but how players experience the entire day.

Decide whether you’ll play one game to 11 (win by 2) or best two out of three games to 11 (win by 2). When you select the proper format, you can accurately calculate how many matches your courts can handle.

If you play one game to 11, you can safely estimate around 30 minutes per match. If you choose best two out of three games to 11, plan for about one hour per match. Here’s how that looks in practice:

• 10 courts × 10 hours = 100 court hours

• If you play one game to 11, that’s roughly 200 matches per day.

• If you play best two out of three, you can expect around 100 matches per day.

Now that you know the maximum number of matches your courts can handle in a day, you can start creating the specific groups, categories, and skill levels. Divide players by age brackets (for example, Open, 55+, 60+, 65+) and skill levels (3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, 5.0, or Pro).

This step ensures your tournament stays organized, fair, and competitive — while keeping the total number of matches realistic for the available courts and time. Proper structure is what separates a smooth, professional event from one that runs hours behind schedule.

Tip: Don’t chase money from entry fees — chase the experience your pickleball players will have playing in your tournament. When players have a great time, they’ll come back year after year, bring their friends, and your event will grow naturally.

2. Poor Communication with Players

The second most common mistake pickleball tournament organizers make is not communicating effectively with participants. From confirming whether players are accepted into the tournament to keeping them updated about schedules and format changes, good communication makes all the difference.

Many events fall apart simply because players are left guessing — unsure when to show up, where to check in, or when their next match starts. During the tournament itself, poor communication at the desk can lead to confusion, frustration, and long delays.

How t0 Fix it:

Establish a clear communication plan before, during, and after the event.

• Send confirmation emails as soon as players register or are accepted.

• Share schedules early and post updates online or at a visible location.

• Keep the tournament desk organized and proactive — announcing upcoming matches, reminding players where to go, and answering questions quickly.

When players feel informed and cared for, they’ll remember the event as professional and enjoyable — no matter how they finish on the court.

Tip: Treat every message you send as part of your tournament brand. Clear communication builds trust — and that trust keeps players coming back.

3. Weak Scheduling 

When organizing a pickleball tournament, scheduling is what determines whether the event runs smoothly — or turns chaotic. You can have the best venue, great sponsors, and excited players, but if your schedule doesn’t flow, everything else will suffer.

There are many software tools that can help you manage brackets and timing, but nothing replaces common sense. Every division might have different needs — separate locations, age groups, or formats — so understanding how those moving parts connect is key.

And don’t forget about the weather. What’s your backup plan if it rains or winds pick up? Do you have an indoor location, an extra day available, or a clear rescheduling policy? Being prepared for unexpected situations keeps players confident and the event professional.

How to Fix It:
As mentioned earlier, once you set your format — whether matches are scheduled every 30 minutes (one game to 11) or every hour (best two out of three) — you’ll immediately see how much smoother your tournament becomes.

The key is to stick to the schedule you created and communicate it clearly. Send the schedule to all participants at least two weeks before the tournament, and follow up with a reminder the day before the event. When players know exactly when and where they’re playing, everything runs on time, and the tournament desk can focus on keeping matches flowing instead of fixing confusion.

Consistency and preparation are what turn a stressful weekend into a well-organized, enjoyable event.

Tip: Build your schedule like you’re building a house — solid foundation first, then small adjustments as needed. A flexible, realistic plan is the difference between a stressful weekend and a tournament players can’t wait to return to.

In the end, great pickleball tournaments are built on vision, not luck. Define the experience you want, set realistic player limits, communicate early and often, and run a schedule with buffers and a backup plan. Do those four things and you’ll avoid the three most common mistakes—overbooking courts, under-communicating, and weak scheduling—so players leave saying, “That ran smooth.” Focus on the experience first, and the growth, sponsors, and repeat sign-ups will follow.