Pickleball
We have 6 brand new courts at John W. Ginty Field for public use. In order to use our courts you must have a badge. Each badge is good for one(1) year, January 1- December 31 of the current year, and can be purchased on our CommunityPass website. Please review the Pickleball Court Rules and Open Play guidance below.
MORRIS TOWNSHIP PARKS & RECREATION
JOHN W. GINTY FIELD PICKLEBALL COURTS
GENERAL RULES FOR USE OF PICKLEBALL COURTS
MUST PURCHASE A YEARLY BADGE TO USE PICKLEBALL COURTS
Courts Open Daily 7:00 AM – 10:00 PM
(Winter Hours – December 1 to March 31st – 7:00 AM to 9:00 PM, conditions permitting)
1. Pickleball Court use is restricted to those individuals who have purchased an annual pickleball registration Identification Badge. Registered Morris Township residents will receive one guest Identification Badge with each paid registration and must accompany their guest at all times. Identification badges must be worn and be visible on players on the courts at all times. Identification Badges are NOT transferable.
2. Spot checks on Identification Badges shall be conducted periodically by Parks and Recreation staff. Violation of these Rules will result in denial of court usage and may subject a player to fines and penalties in accordance with § 1-3 of the Morris Township Municipal Code.
3. No unauthorized paid athletic coaching services or private lessons.
4. Pickleball courts are to be used for pickleball play only. Observe the Court Etiquette and Rules of Play posted on the gates.
5. An athletic shoe, footwear with non-marking soles, is required. Such footwear shall be primarily designed for sports and other forms of physical exercise. Ensure shoes are dry and free from dirt before entering courts. Shirts must be worn at all times.
6. Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
7. There is a maximum of four players on one court at one time.
8. One player may not hold or occupy a court alone if a waiting line exists. During extremely busy hours, players are encouraged to play doubles.
9. Personal chairs and bags should be lined up outside the fence and not brought onto the courts.
10. The Township of Morris shall have priority use for sponsored activities.
11. Music on the courts is permitted but shall not be offensive or bothersome to other players.
12. The following are NOT permitted on the courts:
- Animals, except for service animals
- Bicycles, skateboards, hoverboards, scooters, roller skates, in-line skates, carriages, radio-controlled toys, or any other wheeled devices. Personal assistance mobility devices are permitted.
- Food, gum and beverages except water are discouraged; plastic bottles must be removed from the courts
- Smoking, vaping, alcoholic beverages, and glass containers
- Profanity, bullying, abusive behavior or spitting
13. No individual, group, club, or organization shall occupy the pickleball courts for private league or tournament play without written permit from the Morris Twp. Parks and Recreation Dept. Application must be made at least thirty (30) days in advance of dates set for start of play. Standard permit requirements and fees apply.
14. The unauthorized use of snow/ice removal equipment or chemicals is prohibited. Any violation will result in the immediate closure of the courts for the winter season.
Note:
Rules and Regulations are subject to change by authority of the Department of Parks & Recreation.
OPEN PLAY RULES & COURT ETIQUETTE
All play is subject to the separately posted General Rules of Use of Pickleball Courts.
Courts are available on a first-come, first-served basis for ONE HOUR maximum court time use at all times other than during open play format hours. Courts change on the hour - no consecutive 1-hour play unless courts are empty. On the hour, if there are others waiting, all players must vacate the court after playing (even if they have not played a full hour).
Open Play Format Hours
| Monday, Wednesday, and Friday | 7 AM- 12 Noon 7 PM- 10 PM |
| Saturday | 8:30 AM- 12 Noon |
Rules of Open Play Format and Paddle Rotation
- The spirit of Open Play is that everyone gets to play with different players in a recreational and fun setting.
- Place your paddle in one of the paddle racks located at the Main Gate by the Playground, stacking left to right.
- The first four players in the paddle rack will move to an open court and play a single game to 11 points (win by 2).
- Upon completion of the game, the losing team players will leave the court and put their paddles back in the rack, behind the last paddle on the right. The winning team will stay on the court, split up and play the next two players in the paddle rack queue (2 on/2 off, with winners splitting).
- Teams are encouraged to split up after playing a game together.
- All players will leave the court after having played two (2) consecutive games and may return their paddles to the paddle rack queue.
- Players in the waiting queue may offer up their spot in line only to the next player in the paddle rack queue.
- Players wishing to play together should keep their paddles together in the paddle rack queue.
- If a player goes to a court by mistake, they may return to their position in the paddle rack queue while waiting for a court to open up.
- If there are no players waiting, players may continue to play for another game.
- If there are no players waiting, singles may be played.
- During busy times when there are eight (8) or more players waiting to play at any time, ALL four (4) players on a court will leave the court after completion of their game and place their paddles in the paddle rack queue (4 on/4 off).
- Additionally, during such busy times, the winning game score may be reduced from eleven (11) points to nine (9) points (win by 2).
- Individuals found changing the order of paddle stacking are subject to loss of playing privileges.
Court Courtesy Considerations
PLEASE REMEMBER these public courts are a shared space…please be respectful of everyone’s rights to play! Players are requested to observe pickleball court courtesies as well as rules of good conduct on and around the pickleball courts.
When entering or leaving the court through a gate shared with an adjacent court, wait until any ongoing rally is finished on that adjacent court before going through the gate. Please enter through the gate closest to the court on which you are playing and close gate securely behind you. Please adhere to the diagram below for proper gate/court entry.
- Use Main Gate for Courts 1 & 2
- Use Gate 2 for Courts 4 & 5
- Use Gate 3 for Courts 3 & 6
Please DO NOT chase your ball through other active courts – wait for others to return your ball to you.