Bartlesville pickleball players get a new indoor home
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
July 1, 2026
Pickleball players have a way of making the sport sound less like a hobby and more like an inevitability.
First, they ask, "Do you play?"
But if the answer is no, be warned: it's already too late. Because the next question usually comes with a smile, a spare paddle and no real chance of escape.
"Are you ready to learn?"
The counter and pro shop at Aught 2 Pickleball, Bartlesville’s new indoor pickleball facility at 5404 SE Taylor Drive. The facility is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
At Aught 2 Pickleball on Saturday, plenty of people already knew the answer. By the time the new indoor facility celebrated its June 27 grand opening, the courts were packed, the paddles were popping and about 40 players were rotating through games inside Bartlesville's newest place to play.
Located at 5404 SE Taylor Drive in Bartlesville, Aught 2 Pickleball gives local players something they have long wanted: an indoor place to play without driving to Tulsa.
"We just got tired of driving to Tulsa," said Kumar Krishnan, one of the principals behind the new facility.
The name is a little pickleball joke with a scoreboard twist. Yes, as in "you ought to play pickleball." But "aught" also means zero, and "zero-zero-two" is how a pickleball game begins, with the score tied 0-0 and the second server starting play.
It is a nerdy pickleball pun, which is to say, it fits perfectly.
Six courts, open play and a pro shop
The facility includes six indoor courts, with four set aside for open play, one available for reservations and one reserved for lessons.
Open-play courts are divided by skill level, including beginner, intermediate and more advanced play, though players can decide where they fit. Members can play during regular hours, reserve courts and take advantage of lessons. Non-members can also play with a $15 visitor fee for four hours.
Aught 2 Pickleball is open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m.
Players rotate through games during the June 27 grand opening of Aught 2 Pickleball, Bartlesville’s new indoor pickleball facility at 5404 SE Taylor Drive.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
The facility also includes a fully stocked pro shop with everything an eager player needs to enjoy the sport. Krishnan said players can test paddles before buying, which matters in a sport where everyone has very strong opinions about their paddle and is probably only one new model away from greatness.
Players can reserve courts through CourtReserve, a free app used by facilities across the country. Once signed in, players can select Aught 2 Pickleball as their home court and book available time.
The facility also offers a video feature that allows players to record games. Players scan a QR code, enter their information and receive a video that cuts out the downtime and keeps the action. It is useful for anyone who wants to study their game, share footage with a coach or simply confirm that, yes, the ball was absolutely in.
Lessons, mixers and tournaments are coming
Aught 2 Pickleball plans to offer lessons, mixers and tournaments as the facility gets rolling.
General Manager Parker Sturgeon is offering two free lessons each week for anyone who wants to learn the game. Private lessons are also available.
The facility will host a scramble from 2 to 5 p.m. Friday, July 3. The event is limited to 24 players and will include seven rounds, with prizes for different skill levels.
For more information, call 918-558-BALL (2255) or email info@aughttopickleball.com.
Pickleball keeps finding new players
Pickleball has spent the past several years earning its reputation as America's fastest-growing sport. According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, 24.3 million Americans played pickleball in 2025.
In Bartlesville, the draw is not hard to see.
Brent Taylor, another principal and partner in the facility, said he loves the sport because it lets him stay competitive while constantly meeting new people. He said he has made well over 200 friends through pickleball.
Casey Elam plays at the kitchen during the June 27 grand opening of Aught 2 Pickleball in Bartlesville.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
As a golfer, Taylor said he appreciates a good four-hour round. But pickleball offers something different: a new game, and a new group of people, about every 15 minutes.
That social side came up again and again during the grand opening.
Nathalia Hiatt, a USA Pickleball ambassador who came from Ponca City for the event, said she fell in love with the sport 13 years ago after a friend told her about it. She watched one YouTube video and immediately ordered a full kit with nets, paddles and everything else she needed to start playing.
She has been hooked ever since.
Her favorite part is the laughing, the fun and the community that comes with it.
Casey Elam has been playing for three years after seeing pickleball on TV and thinking it looked fun. During his first week, he played so much that his wife told him he might need to slow down a little.
He did, eventually. Sort of.
Elam said he still loves the sport for the people and the community around it.
That was the scene Saturday: players rotating between courts, sorting themselves by skill level, cheering each other on and making room for the next game.
Bartlesville already had outdoor public courts at Sooner Park. Now, with Aught 2 Pickleball open, local players have an indoor option built by people who know exactly why the sport keeps growing.
Players fill the indoor courts during the June 27 grand opening of Aught 2 Pickleball in Bartlesville.
Andy Dossett | The Wiley Post
