The Happy Trails Pickleball Tournament is a 50-and-up pickleball event that’s been a huge hit year after year! The Happy Trails Resort and pickleball club are in a prime location near Sun City, AZ. The nearby communities have supported this pickleball event for years, but it continues to grow, with travelers from other states coming to play in the match each year.
Find out what all the buzz is about, and mark your calender to register to play at the Happy Trails Tournament venue in 2024!
What to Expect
The Happy Trails Classic is a tournament hosted and played at Happy Trails Resort, home to the Happy Trails Pickleball Club. Happy Trails Resort has 14 dedicated pickleball courts, with nine well-lit for night play. This is one well-equipped pickleball club and a great venue for the pickleball competition.
Happy Trails Resort is a well-known pickleball club in Surprise, AZ. This event is one of the longest-running tournaments played in the Valley! Playing in the Happy Trails Pickleball Club Classic brings people from around the country to compete for a chance to win medals.
Most pickleball players in the area are either part of this pickleball club or the Surprise Pickleball Association. Surprise Pickleball Association hosts just two tournaments that are played each year, and membership does not guarantee court time.
Happy Trails Pickleball Club is a group of passionate players that come together as a team to host numerous tournaments, pickleball lessons, and other scheduled events. Peak season runs from October through April each year, with regular member meetings each month.
Happy Trails provides players with a high-quality venue, endless fun, and a great community. Located close to the primarily 55+ community of Sun City, there’s no shortage of interested members either!
Tournament Details
Location
The Happy Trails Classic Tournament will be played at Happy Trails RV Resort in Surprise, AZ.
The full address is:
Happy Trails Resort
17200 W Bell Road
Surprise, AZ 85374
Date
The pickleball tournament began on January 16, 2023, and ended on January 20, 2023. This time of year is perfect weather for playing pickleball in AZ!
2024 tournament dates have not been released yet, but we expect it will be in January agan.
Skill Level
This event is open to players with a skill level of 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0.
Ages
Players must be 50 or older to register for the Happy Trails Classic.
Age brackets will be 50-59, 60-69, and 70+.
Tournament Format
The tournament format details aren’t yet known, but it will be a format that’s in accordance with USAPA rules.
Happy Trail Classic has used round-robin and double-round-robin formats in the past.
Tournament Schedule
Monday, 1/16/2023, was a mixed double for skill levels 4.0 and 4.5.
Tuesday, 1/17/2023, was mixed doubles match for skill levels 3.0, 3.5, and 5.0.
Wednesday, 1/18/2023, was women’s doubles for skill levels 3.5, 4.0, and 5.0.
Thursday, 1/19/2023, was women’s doubles for skill levels 3.0 and 4.5. Men’s doubles for skill levels 3.5 and 5.0 will be on the same day.
Friday, 1/20/2023, was men’s doubles for skill levels 3.0, 4.0, and 4.5.
Registration
Registration for the Happy Trails Classic opened on 11/15/2022. It stayed open for one month, closing on 12/22/2023.
The final cancellation deadline to receive a refund before the event was 1/02/2023.
We anticipate 2024 registration will open in November 2023, so mark your calendar!
Cost
The minimum registration cost for a single person was $80.
Players were able to register online using PayPal. PayPal allows credit card payments.
Requirements
All players must be registered USAPA members before the event begins.
Players must be 50 years old or older to register for the Happy Trails tournament.
Each player will be asked to sign an online waiver at the time of registration and payment.
Additional Info
Court
Tournament play takes place on permanent, outdoor, concrete courts.
The Happy Trails Pickleball Club regularly uses these courts. There are 14 outdoor designated pickleball courts.
Primary Ball
A Franklin-X 40 will be the primary game ball.
Sanctioning
This is a sanctioned competition.
That means that all tournament formats, rules, and pickleball equipment used must be in accordance with USAPA standards.
The Happy Trails Classic pickleball event is a great opportunity to play the game you love so much, surrounded by groups of people who feel the same way! Playing in this sanctioned event is well worth the registration fee.
Find more pickleball tournaments around the country, join the fun, and get the best pickleball gear to improve your skills with The Pickleball Source!