Multi-Year Partnership Aligns World’s Largest Club Management Company With Market Leading Pickleball Equipment Brand; Partnership Supported by Stable Of Team Selkirk Ambassadors Led by Former LPGA Star and Major Champion Turned Pickleballer Sherri Steinhauer
Tim Schantz, President & CEO of Troon is joined by former LPGA star and Major Champion, Sherri Steinhauer, now an avid pickleball player and Team Selkirk Ambassador. As the sport of Pickleball continues to surge in popularity, Selkirk Sport becomes the first “Preferred Pickleball Partner” of Troon.
Scottsdale, Ariz., January 26, 2021 – As the popularity of Pickleball continues to surge, Troon, the world’s largest club management company, and Selkirk Sport, a leading Pickleball equipment brand, have announced a multi-year partnership. Through the partnership, Selkirk Sport becomes the first “Preferred Pickleball Partner” of Troon and an official partner of the company’s Cliff Drysdale Tennis division.
As the preferred Pickleball Partner for Troon, Selkirk’s line-up of “Made in the USA” paddles will be available at retail shops on-site at all Troon and Cliff Drysdale Tennis-managed facilities nationwide that offer Pickleball. Selkirk Sport, a family-owned company based in Hayden, ID, is at the forefront of driving growth of the sport at both the recreation and professional levels, while offering a full line-up of “Made in the USA” Pickleball paddles for all levels and an assortment of accessories. The partnership also serves to elevate Pickleball programming, as a complement to tennis at the 31 Cliff Drysdale Tennis facilities across the portfolio.
This news comes as country clubs and golf resorts rapidly add Pickleball to their line-up of activities, due to the sport’s rising popularity among players of all ages. Equally important, as an outdoor activity that adheres to CDC and local/national health guidelines, Pickleball serves as the perfect “social distancing” sport. Today, backed by a growing professional tour and nearly 8,000 facilities to play in North America, Pickleball – a sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping pong – is one of the fastest-growing sports in the USA boasting more than 3.46 million players, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association.
“Aligning with Selkirk Sport, the premier Pickleball paddle brand, is a natural next step to support growth in the sport, as the demand for more Pickleball courts and increased programming is evident across our collection of managed facilities,” said Tim Schantz, president and CEO, Troon. “Pickleball serves as a terrific complement to golf and racquet sports programming, and we are excited to enhance our commitment to the game, while delivering memorable experiences to our members and guests.”
The synergies between golf and Pickleball are profound, as many PGA TOUR and LPGA TOUR stars, as well as premier golf instructors compete on the Pickleball court regularly. In fact, Team Troon member and 17-time PGA TOUR winner Matt Kuchar, and Team Selkirk Ambassador Sherri Steinhauer, a former major Champion and LPGA Star, are both avid pickleball players.
“We are committed to investing in the continued growth of Pickleball, and a partnership with Troon and Cliff Drysdale Tennis is an opportunity to further elevate the sport at both a recreation and professional level,” said Rob Barnes, VP of Product and Relationships, Selkirk Sport. “We are excited to promote the benefits of the game to Troon’s global customers and partners, while supporting and enhancing Pickleball programming at Troon-managed facilities.”
The recent introduction of the VANGUARD paddle reinforces Selkirk’s leadership position in the sport, and the Company’s commitment to push the paddle technology limits, while establishing a new industry standard. Engineered with advanced materials, the face and core work together to absorb the vibration from each hit and yield accelerated velocity. These innovative design elements deliver the ultimate shot-making consistency, accelerated ball velocity, an extra-large sweet spot for off-center hits, maximum spin and the perfect feel. The integration of Selkirk Sport paddles, highlighted by VANGUARD, at Troon and Cliff Drysdale-managed facilities, will further support growth of the sport.
“We fully embrace our leadership position in the sport of Pickleball and recognize the responsibility we have to help grow and promote the game every day,” said Mike Barnes, VP of Operations, Selkirk Sport. “We are thrilled to work alongside a prestigious company like Troon that sees the big picture and shares our vision.”
Selkirk Sport is one of the industry’s fastest-growing companies, and their paddles are used by many of the game’s premier players and coaches/instructors. Team Selkirk Ambassadors include: Tyson McGuffin, 4-Time National Champion and one of the top-ranked players in the world; Cammy MacGregor, top-ranked senior player and former top 75 women’s professional tennis player; Morgan Evans, coach to the world’s elite Pickleball players; Enrique Ruiz: hall of famer & 6-time National Champion; Kaitlyn Christian, 28-year old professional tennis player – top 50 in doubles on WTA Tour; Joanne Russell, 1977 Wimbledon Doubles Champion; Lindsey Newman, top 5 women in the world; Riley Newman, #2 ranked doubles player; and Sherri Steinhauer: former LPGA star, 3-time Women’s British Open Champion & 4-Time United States Solheim Cup winner, among many others.
For more information on Troon visit www.troon.com. For more information on Selkirk Sport please visit www.selkirk.com or to follow the Company through social media, please visit Selkirk on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram @SelkirkSport.
About Troon
Headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., Troon is the world’s largest club management company providing services at 585-plus locations around the globe, including managing 630-plus 18-hole equivalent golf courses. In addition to golf, Troon specializes in homeowner association management, private residence clubs, estate management and associated hospitality venues. Troon’s award-winning food and beverage division operates and manages more than 490-plus food and beverage operations located at golf resorts, private clubs, daily fee golf courses and recreational facilities. With properties located in 40-plus states and 30-plus countries, Troon’s family of brands includes Troon Golf, Troon Privé, Troon International, Honours Golf, OB Sports, Indigo Golf Partners, CADDIEMASTER, True Club Solutions, Cliff Drysdale Tennis and RealFood Hospitality, Strategy and Design. Troon-affiliated properties include Princeville Makai Golf Club on Kauai; Champion Hills in Hendersonville, North Carolina; Ocean Club in Paradise Island, Bahamas; and Vattanac Golf Resort in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. For additional news and information, visit www.Troon.com, or connect with Troon on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Troon Chronicles, Press Room, or subscribe to Troon Magazine.
About Selkirk Sport
Selkirk Sport, a Made-in-the-USA Manufacturer of Pickleball paddles and accessories, is a family-owned and operated company based in Hayden, Idaho, located in the shadows of its namesake, the Selkirk mountain range. Founded in 2014, Selkirk Sport is born off a passion for sport, as well as the great western outdoor leisure lifestyle that was afforded to the Company’s founders, Rob and Mike Barnes, along with their father Jim, who is Selkirk’s production manager. Backed by the philosophy of always pushing the limits, Selkirk Sport is committed to manufacturing products that deliver the highest performance with unmatched quality and service. As part of their early success, Selkirk Sport was the very first Pickleball manufacturer to offer an unprecedented lifetime warranty on its high-performance products. And, to meet the demands of the game’s premier professionals, the Company developed low-profile edgeguards that are lightweight and extremely durable. In just three years, Selkirk Sport has become one of the industry’s fastest growing companies, and their paddles are used by many of the game’s premier players, such as Tyson McGuffin, Morgan Evans, Cammy MacGregor, Kaitlyn Christian and a host of others who are premier players, teachers and national/regional champions.
About Pickleball
Pickleball was invented by three dads in 1965 as a way to entertain their children during summer. The families resided on Bainbridge Island, Washington. Congressman Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum fashioned handmade equipment and based the simple rules on the existing sports of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Unlike Tennis, Racquetball and many other sports, Pickleball has a short learning curve; you don’t need months of lessons to participate in a fun game. It also is less running compared to Tennis. However, at the same time, it can be very competitive and addicting for all ages, as well as an excellent, fun family activity. Pickleball can be played as both a singles and doubles game, and can be played inside or outdoors, on a court that uses the dimension of a doubles badminton court, along with a modified tennis net. A Pickleball court is 20’ x 44’ for both singles and doubles. The net is hung at 36” at the ends and hangs 34” in the middle. A non-volley zone – called the Kitchen – extends 7’ back from the net on each side.
