Playing pickleball across the Causeway in Johor Bahru (JB) has become a staple weekend activity for Singaporeans. Courts in JB average RM 20–RM 75/hour (~S$6–S$23/hr), roughly 3x to 5x cheaper than indoor court rentals in Singapore. Besides the cost, courts in Johor are also well-equipped, featuring multi-court indoor complexes and proper tournament surfaces. To combat the heat, several venues offer fully air-conditioned playing areas.
Here are three pickleball courts in Singapore that are relatively close to Woodlands that you should definitely cross the border for.
A Brief Overview of the Best Courts in Johor
Venue | Courts | From | Open daily | Book via |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Play! at Dewani | 18 indoor | RM50/hr | 9am to midnight | PlaySportsTogether |
ATP Club, Masai | 12 indoor | RM40/hr | 8am to 1am | Courtsite |
Kicks, The Pickle Exchange | 8 indoor | RM45/hr | 9am to 1am | PlaySportsTogether |
All three are indoor, and all three sit within roughly 10 km of Woodlands Checkpoint in a straight line. What decides your travel time is the queue at the checkpoint, not the distance on the far side.
1. Play! at Dewani, Johor Bahru
Dewani is the one to book when you have numbers. Eighteen PPA-surfaced pickleball courts, split into 6 tournament courts and 12 standard courts, inside a converted industrial lot in Kawasan Perindustrian Dewani. It is a multi-sport site: 19 badminton courts and two basketball courts share the address. The tournament courts have barriers between them. The standard courts have fewer, so expect the occasional stray ball from the next court over.
The pickleball hall is high-roofed and open-sided, which means sheltered from rain and naturally ventilated rather than air-conditioned. There is a retail shop selling paddles and accessories, a cafe counter by the entrance, showers, a lounge and a changing room.
- Rates: standard courts are RM50 an hour on weekdays between 9am and 5pm, and RM60 on weeknights from 5pm plus all day at weekends and on public holidays. The tournament courts are RM60 and RM70. Minimum booking is one hour. Paddle rental is RM5 and a ball is RM5.
- Booking: through PlaySportsTogether, the AFA platform, at playsportstogether.com, or call 019-916 0031. Worth knowing: bookings made in the AFA app can be cancelled, website bookings cannot. Rated 4.6 from 39 Google reviews. Full listing: Play! at Dewani on ThePickleBase.
2. ATP Club, Masai
ATP is the best-rated of the three at 4.9 from 59 Google reviews, and the only one with a proper show court. Twelve fully enclosed indoor courts: ten premium courts at 30 by 60 feet with shared fencing, one tournament court at 34 by 64 feet with its own fencing, and the Apex show court at 36 by 64 feet. Facilities are the most complete of the three, including a surau, hot showers, a pro shop, free parking, and an AED on site.
- Rates: off-peak means weekdays 8 am to 7 pm, at RM40 an hour for a premium court, RM50 for the tournament court, and RM60 for Apex. Peak covers weekday evenings from 7 pm, plus all day on weekends and on public holidays, at RM60, RM70, and RM80.
- The one to know about: weekend happy hour drops premium courts to RM28 an hour, from 8am to 11 am and again from 3 pm to 6 pm. That is the cheapest court time of the three venues, and it lands on the days most Singapore players actually drive up.
- Booking: through Courtsite. Note the address is Masai rather than JB proper, so it is the longest drive of the three once you are through the checkpoint. Full listing: ATP Club on ThePickleBase.
3. Kicks, The Pickle Exchange, Taman Gembira
Kicks is the one built around staying after the game. Eight air-conditioned indoor courts, six VIP and two tournament-grade, with bar stools and high tables set right against the court fencing. The front of house is a cafe and bakery counter rather than a vending machine, and there are lockers, a changing room, a lounge, and a pro shop.
- Rates: VIP courts are RM45 an hour on weekdays from 9 am to 5 pm, and RM60 after 5 pm and at weekends. Tournament courts are RM50 and RM70. Paddle rental is RM5 for the Signature Fibreglass and RM8 for the T700 Carbon Pro.
- Booking: through PlaySportsTogether, or by phone on 011-6869 6888. Book ahead at peak; the venue asks for several days notice. Rated 4.5 from 60 Google reviews. Full listing: Kicks on ThePickleBase.
Is it Worth Crossing Johor for a Game?
It depends on where you place your value: whether it's cost, availability, venue infrastructure, or time.
Cost Breakdown
Perhaps one of the things that makes crossing the border worth it is the cost. In Singapore, Private indoor or sheltered pickleball courts in Singapore range from S$20 to S$48 per hour, with prime peak-hour slots (evenings and weekends) averaging S$35–S$48/hr. While ActiveSG halls are cheaper (S$3.50–S$9.50/hr), securing a booking requires intense speed and luck. On the other hand, prime indoor courts in JB range from RM 30 to RM 75 per hour (~S$9 to S$23/hr).
If a 4-player group books a 3-hour session, the cost would be:
- Singapore Private Court: ~S$105 – S$144 total.
- JB Court: ~S$27 – S$69 total.
That's a S$40 to S$80+ per session on court fees alone. Round-trip petrol/tolls or a shared Grab from CIQ adds ~S$15–S$25 per group. However, these savings have diminishing returns the less time you play.
If you only play for 1 hour, the savings get swallowed by transport and travel time. But if you play a 3 to 4-hour marathon session or bring a group of 4+ players, the financial math heavily favors JB.
Infrastructure & Court Quality
Beyond raw cost, JB offers dedicated pickleball infrastructure that is difficult to find consistently in Singapore. Many Singapore locations utilize multi-use badminton or tennis halls where lines overlap. On the other hand, JB's converted warehouse spaces feature high ceilings, permanent tournament-grade surfaces, and dedicated perimeter fencing between courts. Facilities in JB host 9 to 18 courts under one roof, making it much easier to coordinate multi-court group sessions or mini-tournaments.
What to Prepare Before Driving Out
A few things that catch Singapore players out on a first trip:
- Book before you leave. None of the three take walk-ins reliably at peak, and peak in JB means weeknights from 5 pm or 7 pm and all day at weekends.
- Watch the peak boundary. At all three, the rate jumps by RM15 to RM20 an hour once evening pricing starts. A 4 pm start on a weekday is materially cheaper than a 6 pm one.
- Play a weekend morning at ATP. RM28 an hour between 8 am and 11 am is roughly half what the same court costs at 8 pm, and the checkpoint is usually kinder that early.
- Carry ringgit or a card that works locally. Court fees are quoted in RM, and the pro shops and cafes are separate transactions.
- Paddles are not guaranteed. Kicks rents them from RM5. ATP and Dewani sell them rather than list a rental rate, so bring your own or call ahead. If you are buying, see our Malaysia paddle guide.
- Indoor does not always mean air-conditioned. ATP and Kicks are enclosed and cooled. Dewani's pickleball hall is roofed and open-sided. Our guide to indoor versus outdoor courts covers what that changes in play.
Common questions
Where can I play pickleball in Johor Bahru?
Play! at Dewani, ATP Club in Masai and Kicks, The Pickle Exchange are the three closest to the Singapore checkpoints, and all three take online bookings. For the wider list, including venues out in Skudai and Permas Jaya, see our guide to the 5 best pickleball courts in Johor Bahru.
How much does a pickleball court cost in Johor Bahru?
Budget RM40 to RM60 an hour for a standard indoor court, and RM70 to RM80 for a tournament or show court at peak. Peak pricing starts at 5pm or 7pm on weekdays and runs all day at weekends and on public holidays. The cheapest slot of the three is ATP's weekend happy hour at RM28 an hour.
Do I need to book in advance?
Yes for evenings and weekends. Kicks and Play! at Dewani both book through PlaySportsTogether (AFA); ATP Club uses Courtsite. A day or two ahead is usually enough outside public holidays, though Kicks asks for more notice at peak.
How far are these courts from the Causeway?
All three sit within roughly 10 km of Woodlands Checkpoint in a straight line. Kicks and Dewani are the closest, both a little under 10 km, and are near each other. ATP Club is out in Masai, so it is the longer drive of the three. The checkpoint queue, not the distance, is what decides how long the trip takes.
Can I rent a paddle there?
At Kicks, yes: RM5 for the Signature Fibreglass and RM8 for the T700 Carbon Pro. ATP Club and Play! at Dewani both have pro shops selling paddles but do not publish a rental rate, so call ahead if you are travelling without one.
Cover photo of the Johor Bahru waterfront by Alix Lee on Pexels.