Michigan Pickleball Tournaments

A round-robin bracket format is used for this tournament and includes both women’s doubles and singles, men’s doubles and singles, and mixed doubles. Matches are played according to skill levels, including 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, and 5.0. 

There are also five age divisions. These include a division for all players age 19 and over, plus divisions for players aged 50, 60, 65, and 70+ years. 

Depending on the number and age of attendants, age groups may be combined to form a division. However, skill levels are never combined to form a division. A minimum of four players are required to form a division. 

The Pickleball Tournament is typically held in June of each year at Belknap Park Grand Rapids. Pre-registration is required, and this event fills up quickly, so early registration is recommended. 

The BEER City Open has grown in popularity since the tournament was founded in 2018. This year’s tournament features new courts, more stadium seating, and a prize pool that is the largest ever in the tournament’s history. 

The BEER City Open takes place annually at Belknap Park Grand Rapids and is a National Qualifier sanctioned tournament. There are both amateur and pro events, with limits on how many events amateurs can register for. 

This outdoor tournament is open to players aged 11 years and up, with a current prize money pool of $90,000. 

Lake Odessa is a smaller town in Michigan, but even with a population of about 2k residents, they’re still huge into pickleball! The Pickleball Open and Lake Odessa Picklebowl are sporting highlights attracting pickleball lovers from around. 

The Pickleball Open is a non-sanctioned tournament and is open to all players who are ten years of age or older. The Picklebowl is located at the Lake Odessa Fairgrounds and has been operating since 2017. This tournament is primarily structured as a round-robin event and is open to all skill levels. The Lake Odessa Picklebowl/Pickleball Open is a great introductory tournament experience for amateur players. 

The Senior Pro Open, sponsored by Latitude 42 in Kalamazoo, MI, is one of the most popular pickleball tournaments in the area. The Senior Pro Open is open to all senior pro players who are at least fifty years old. 

Pickleball Fever in the Zoo is a sister event and is open to pickleball players as young as 13. The tournaments are both fully sanctioned events that typically take place in July. Cash prizes are awarded to torment winners, with the total amount of prize money exceeding $20,000. The Senior Pro Open is played at the Texas Township 6th Street Park in Kalamazoo, Mi. 

Are you an avid pickleball player that’s at least fifty years old and looking to crush the competition at a Michigan pickleball tournament? The Michigan Senior Olympics Summer Games in Rochester Hills has a spot on their Pickleball tournament roster for you. 

This tournament is MMP sanctioned, with medals awarded in the 3.0/3.5 skill level division and the 4.0/4.5/5.0 skill level division. Tournament play is set up in five-year age bands, starting at age 50. A combination of women’s singles & doubles, men’s singles & doubles, and mixed doubles matches are offered. 

The Michigan Senior Olympic Summer Pickleball Tournament takes place annually in August every year, with the current location being Lifetime Fitness on W Avon Rd in Rochester Hills. 

The Great Lakes Freedom Fest Pickleball Tournament at Grand Valley State University is one of the best tournaments in Michigan for pickleball players of all ages. 

This tournament features a junior division for players as young as eight years old, with the junior division covering age brackets from 8 to 18 years. There’s also a collegiate series and an open series for all players aged 35+. All brackets are set up by skill level, and players without a partner that wants to play in the doubles tournaments will be matched with a partner of a similar skill level. Tournament play includes singles and doubles for both men and women and mixed doubles. 

The PickleSlam is an Amateur Pickleball Association tournament held annually in July at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, MI. Tournament participants can play in one of several junior divisions, starting at 8U and following through at two-year intervals until 18U. There’s also a collegiate series, plus open divisions for women and men bracketed by skill level. 

There’s a large, growing pickleball community in Kalamazoo, MI, and this year you’ll see more avid pickleball players head to the Kalamazoo Pickleball Classic at Western Michigan University (WMU). This round-robin-style tournament features junior events for players aged 8-18 and a collegiate series, along with men’s open and women’s open in both singles and doubles. Mixed doubles are also included in this tournament which traditionally takes place in June. 

The Mid Michigan Grand Slam is a tournament open to all skill levels who want to dip their toes in the world of pickleball tournaments. The Mid Michigan Grand Slam takes place at Grand Valley State University in Allendale, Mi. 

Players of all ages and skill levels are welcome to attend. There are junior events for players aged 8-18, along with a collegiate series and an open 35+ series for both women and men. Tournament participants will be paired with and against other players with similar skill levels. 

The Grand Rapids Amateur Open takes place in June at Grand Valley State University. It is a great experience for players who have a bit of experience on the court and are now ready to try their hands at competitive play. All skill levels are welcome to attend. Tournaments will be played in a junior’s series according to age, a collegiate series, and skill-based singles, doubles, and mixed doubles for both men and women. 

2022 marks the first annual Emily Duits Pickleball Memorial. Emily Duits passed away in a car accident at the tender age of 16. This pickleball memorial and an annual volleyball memorial are held every year in her honor. The Emily Duits Pickleball Memorial takes place in July and is a non-sanctioned tournament that’s open to players who are 12 years or older. Join the Emily Duits Pickleball Memorial at the Lake Odessa Picklebowl in Lake Odessa, Michigan. 

If you’re new to the pickleball tournament scene in Michigan, there are a few things you need to know before joining. 

First, it’s important to know your skill level, even for amateur tournaments. Pickleball skill ratings range from 1.0 to 5.5 and higher. The very first time you step on the pickleball court, your skill level is 1.0. This indicates that you’re a new player with no other background in racquet sports. 5.5 or higher is a pickleball master. This is the level that major pickleball pros play at. For most tournaments, 3.0 is the minimum skill level, although you might find 2.5 categories in some amateur round-robin events. 

Next, make sure you’re aware of not only the tournament dates but also the cutoff dates for registration. All tournaments require advanced registration, which usually takes place about two to three months before the event. You’ll also want to note the registration fees involved.

Some tournaments are forthcoming about any prize money awarded, while others you’ll need to contact directly for more information. Remember that the prize pool is typically the entire amount of prize money that will be divided up and awarded to tournament winners in each series. 

Finally, if this is your first time playing in a pickleball tournament, make sure that your equipment is up to USAPA standards. This applies mostly to pickleball paddles that can be made of a variety of materials but must not measure more than 24 inches when you combine width plus height. No homemade paddles are allowed, and all paddlers must have a smooth surface. 

Pickleball tournament season runs late spring and throughout the summer in Michigan, with a few tournament outliers on each end. Even if you can’t make it to a tournament this year, now is the perfect time to perfect your game and gear up to crush the pickleball tournament circuit next year.