u3a

Bearsden & Milngavie

Pickleball

Status:Active, full but can join waiting list
Convenor:
When: On Mondays 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
Tuesday 10:30-11:30 Tuesday 12:30-14:30 Wednesday 15:30-16:30 Friday 14:00-16:00
Venue: Allander Leisure Centre

Pickleball was invented in 1965 but has recently exploded in popularity. There are now more than 3,000 u3a members who play pickleball. It’s described as a mixture of tennis, badminton and table tennis which conjures up somewhat perplexing images.

Helen Somerville, Convenor says, “It’s a bit like a short version of tennis played on a badminton court with extra markings and a lower net (unless you’re lucky enough to find pickleball courts). Its connection to table tennis is the bat (paddle) used, bigger than in table tennis, rather than a racket. The ball (wiffle) is plastic with holes, lighter and with less drag than tennis balls”.

It’s a very sociable game and can become addictive as it’s enjoyable and competitive. It requires a level of energy that’s different from keep fit classes and walking. It can feel rejuvenating, exhausting or both when you find that you can actually still run around after a ball. Playing certainly improves levels of fitness. There are one hour and two hour sessions and players often start with one hour sessions but build up to two hours.

We have become a large group of players and are of mixed ability. Playing time has been extended to five sessions a week, details above. Coaching is organised for those who want it. We are a friendly group with lots of laughter heard as we play and we also enjoy social events. We have played competitively with other pickleball groups but find that our large group of members means we can enjoy a level of competition within the group.

If you would are interested in joining please get in touch with our Convenor, Helen.

Groups listed alphabetically

  • A Yarn and a Stitch
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Wednesday mornings 10:30 am-12:30 pm
  • Archaeology (OAS)
    Status: Active
  • Around the World Dining
    Status: Active
    Afternoons
    Monthly, Wed or Fri
  • Art
    Status: Waiting list
    Fortnightly on Thursday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    Second and fourth Thursdays
  • Art Appreciation
    Status: Waiting list
    Monthly on Monday mornings 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    The second Monday of the Month
  • Art Appreciation 2
    Status: Waiting list
    Monthly on Monday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    The second Monday of the Month
  • Art Workshop
    Status: Waiting list
    Fortnightly on Thursdays 10:00 am-12:00 pm
    1st and 3rd Thursday in month
  • Artificial Intelligence
    Status: Waiting list
    On Wednesday mornings 11:00 am-12:30 pm
    Last Wednesday in month
  • Astronomy
    Status: Waiting list
    On Mondays
    2nd Monday of month
  • Backgammon
    Status: Active
    On Wednesday afternoons 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
  • Birdwatching
    Status: Active
    TBA
  • Bookworms
    Status: Waiting list
    Monthly on Thursdays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    last Thur of month
  • Bridge
    Status: Waiting list
    On Friday afternoons 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
  • Bus Pass Trippers
    Status: Dormant
  • Carry on Singing
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Friday mornings 10:30 am-12:30 pm
    break for cup of tea halfway through
  • Crime Critics
    Status: Waiting list
    On Tuesdays 3:00 pm-4:00 pm
    First Tues of the month
  • Current Affairs
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Mondays
    last Mon of the month (mid/late afternoon)
  • Cycling
    Status: Active
    On Wednesday mornings
    March - October
  • Dancers and Prancers
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday mornings 11:45 am-1:35 pm
    not 3rd Tues of month to allow participation in Monthly Meeting
  • Dilettanti
    Status: Waiting list
    Varies according to event.
  • Four O'clock Gang
    Status: Full
    Monthly on Wednesdays 4:00 pm
    3rd Wed of the month
  • French Beyond Beginners
    Status: Active
    On Wednesdays 9:30 am-11:00 am
    every second Wed
  • French Conversation
    Status: Active
    On Friday mornings 10:30 am
    every 2nd and 4th Friday of the month
  • Gaelic Conversation
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday mornings 11:00 am-12:30 pm
    except for 3rd Tuesday of the month
  • Gardening
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesdays 10:30 am
    1st Tues each month
  • Genealogy 2
    Status: Active
    On Wednesdays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    2nd Wed of month
  • Genealogy 3
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesdays 10:00 am
    first Tues of the month
  • German Conversation
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday afternoons 4:00 pm-5:30 pm
  • Historical Fiction
    Status: Active
    Afternoons 2:00 pm
    last Tuesday of each month
  • History Book Group (Non-Fiction)
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesday mornings 10:30 am
  • House & Garden Visits
    Status: Dormant
    Monthly
    Monthly, April - Sept
  • IT
    Status: Closed
  • IT Support Circle
    Status: Active
    Monthly
  • Italian Conversation
    Status: Full
    Weekly on Tuesday mornings 10:15 am-12:00 pm
  • Knitters2gether
    Status: Waiting list
    Fortnightly on Wednesday afternoons 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
  • Local History
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Thursdays 10:30 am
    First and third Thurs
  • Mahjong
    Status: Active
    On Monday evenings 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
  • Meditation
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday afternoons 2:00 pm-3:00 pm
  • Members on their Own (MOTO)
    Status: Active
    Various Times & Venues
  • Monday Murder Club
    Status: Waiting list
    Monthly on Monday afternoons 2:30 pm
    2nd Mon of the month
  • Music Appreciation
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesday mornings 10:30 am-12:30 pm
    Last Tuesday of each month
  • Natty Knitters
    Status: Active
    On Wednesday mornings 10:30 am-12:15 pm
    Weekly
  • Operagoers
    Status: Active
    Dates variable
  • Operatic Music Entirely
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Wednesdays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    Third Wed of month
  • Outdoor Sketchers
    Status: Active
    On Thursdays 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
    1st and 3rd Thursdays in Summer as arranged and weather permitting
  • Outings
    Status: Active
    Dates variable
  • Page Turners
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Friday afternoons 2:00 pm
    2nd Friday of the month
  • Painting and Drawing
    Status: Waiting list
    On Monday mornings 10:30 am-12:30 pm
    Second and fourth Mondays of the month
  • Photography 3
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Wednesdays 2:00 pm
    1st and 3rd Wed of the month
  • Photography 5
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Friday afternoons 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    but check as temporary changes in place during winter months.
  • Photography: Shutterbugs
    Status: Waiting list
    Weekly on Fridays
  • Pickleball
    Status: Waiting list
    On Mondays 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
    Tuesday 10:30-11:30 Tuesday 12:30-14:30 Wednesday 15:30-16:30 Friday 14:00-16:00
  • Pickleball for fun
    Status: Full
    On Fridays 9:00 am-10:00 am
  • Play-reading
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Wednesdays
    (Weekly for 5-6 weeks, times vary).
  • Poetry Appreciation
    Status: Waiting list
    On Monday mornings
  • Quizzers
    Status: Active
  • Saturday Morning Coffee
    Status: Waiting list
    Fortnightly on Saturday mornings 10:30 am
    1st and 3rd Sat of month
  • Science
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Tuesdays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    second Tues of month
  • Scottish Dance
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Thursday afternoons 1:00 pm-3:00 pm
  • Scrabble
    Status: Active
    On Tuesdays 2:00 pm-4:00 pm
    Second and fourth Tues of month
  • Short Stories
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Mondays 2:00 pm
    2nd and 4th Mondays
  • Spanish Beyond Beginners
    Status: Waiting list
    Weekly on Monday afternoons 2:00 pm-3:30 pm
  • Spanish Conversation
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Tuesday afternoons 2:30 pm
  • Stitchers
    Status: Dormant
    Monthly on Tuesday afternoons
    Monthly, second Tuesday
  • Sunday Lunch Club
    Status: Active
    Monthly on Sundays
    First Sunday of month
  • Table Tennis
    Status: Waiting list
    Weekly on Wednesday afternoons 1:30 pm-3:30 pm
  • Table Tennis 2 (TT2)
    Status: Active
    On Mondays 10:30 am-11:30 am
  • Tai Chi
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesday afternoons 12:15 pm-1:15 pm
  • Tai Chi Too
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Tuesdays 1:30 pm-2:30 pm
  • Theatregoers
    Status: Active
    Dates variable
  • Ukulele
    Status: Active
    Weekly on Monday mornings 10:30 am-12:00 pm
  • Walking: Longer Walks
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Monday mornings
    First and third Mondays
  • Walking: Mugdock Walks
    Status: Active
    10:00 am
    On the 2nd and 4th Mondays of the month
  • Walking: Summer Evening Walks
    Status: Active
    Fortnightly on Tuesdays 7:00 pm-9:00 pm
    April 21st then 1st and 3rd Tuesday May-August