Pickleball in Johor Bahru has quietly become a reason to cross the Causeway. Three of the venues sitting closest to Woodlands are also three of the best equipped in the state, and every one of them takes a booking from a phone in Singapore. Here is what each costs, how many courts it actually has, and what to sort out before you drive over.
Is it worth crossing for a game
Depends what you are comparing against. An ActiveSG sports hall in Singapore runs roughly S$3.50 to S$9.40 an hour and nothing in JB beats that on price. Against Singapore's private indoor clubs, which sit closer to S$16 to S$60 an hour, the maths shifts: rates at these three start at RM40 and top out at RM80 for a show court. Our Singapore court pricing guide has the side by side.
The stronger argument is supply. Public halls in Singapore get booked out weeks ahead. Play! at Dewani alone has 18 pickleball courts, and Kicks has eight. If you are trying to get twelve people on court on a Saturday, that gap matters more than a few dollars an hour.
The three courts at a glance
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, 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. Trees are planted inside along the walkway, and the benches between courts are the sort of place a group actually sits between games.
There is a retail shop selling paddles and accessories, a cafe counter by the entrance, showers, a lounge and a changing room. Paddle rental is RM5 and a ball is RM5.
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 8am to 7pm, at RM40 an hour for a premium court, RM50 for the tournament court and RM60 for Apex. Peak covers weekday evenings from 7pm plus all day at 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 11am and again from 3pm to 6pm. 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, laid out either side of a central aisle with numbered walls so you can find your court without asking. Spectator bars with stools sit right against the fencing, so whoever is sitting out is still in the room rather than parked in a corridor.
From the road it is an unremarkable shoplot with a bright green sign. Inside is the most finished venue of the three: a red service counter, a pro shop called The Pickle Parlour, lockers, a changing room and a lounge.
The front of house is a cafe and bakery rather than a vending machine. TPX Juice and Coffee Bar runs a proper menu, and there is a window bar overlooking the courts if you want to eat while you watch.
Rates: VIP courts are RM45 an hour on weekdays from 9am to 5pm, and RM60 from 5pm and at weekends. The two tournament courts are RM50 and RM70. Paddle rental is RM5 for the KICKS Signature Fibreglass and RM8 for the T700 Carbon Pro Series.
The one to know about: Kicks is the only one of the three with a ball machine, bookable on its own at RM35 an hour, daily from 9am to midnight. If you are driving up to drill rather than to play a social game, that is the reason to pick this one.
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.
What to sort out before you drive
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 5pm or 7pm 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 4pm start on a weekday is materially cheaper than a 6pm one.
- Play a weekend morning at ATP. RM28 an hour between 8am and 11am is roughly half what the same court costs at 8pm, 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.
- Drilling? Only Kicks has a ball machine. RM35 an hour, bookable on its own, daily 9am to midnight. Neither of the other two lists one.
- Paddle rental exists at two of the three. Kicks from RM5, Dewani RM5. ATP sells paddles in its pro shop but publishes no 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 and at Play! at Dewani, yes. Kicks charges RM5 for the KICKS Signature Fibreglass and RM8 for the T700 Carbon Pro Series; Dewani rents a paddle for RM5 and a ball for RM5. ATP Club has a pro shop selling paddles but does 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.