SPF Chicago

First off: Shoutout to Vince for getting me a last minute slot in Intermediate Open Play— so kind, so professional, as well as the rest of the staff. Thanks, Vince! The facility is large, clean, and the courts for the most part are perfect. The facilities lighting is more than good for the majority of the courts and I had no issue tracking the ball. Only problem I had was playing on the side that faces the windows, as the natural light filtering through the windows makes it pretty difficult to see when a ball is sped up, but that’s why players should switch at six! Open play was well organized and for the most part, everybody was of equal skill level for both intermediate and advanced. They even have on court cameras that will clip highlighted points (which you highlight by hitting a button to the side of the court) which was MIND BLOWING for someone like me who is mainly a park player. Out of all the courts I visited in Chicago, SPF was by far my favorite! Can’t wait to be back!

SPF fit a lot of pickleball courts in this downtown building. They also fit corn hole boards, bocce ball, basketball games, a soccer game, and a bar. It was a nice facility to play in. The room that has a pickleball court with couches was pretty cool too.

is absolutely fantastic! The facility is extremely clean, very modern, and well maintained. The staff is incredibly friendly, welcoming, and always ready to help, which makes the whole experience even better. The courts are in excellent condition and perfect for both beginners and advanced players. I will definitely be coming back!

We had a very successful teaming building event at SPF. The staff was so organized and helpful. The food was excellent. The facility is clean, the staff knowledgeable and very hands on for our event. I couldn't be happier nor could my team! They had the best time!

Nonexistent programming for actual advanced players. SPF is obviously doing well financially...their programming is always fully booked and they've opened up 2 new locations, so they're doing something right. But as THE ONLY dedicated indoor facility in the heart of Chicago (Pickleball Clubhouse isn't really an option for people without cars), it's so disappointing to see how much programming they offer to beginners compared to advanced players. See the image I attached for reference. That screenshot was taken a few days ago and is for their Lincoln Park location. Out of 283 events, only 8 are for actual advanced players. As someone that has attended 20+ 4.0 open plays, I (and so many others I've talked to) cannot even consider SPF's 4.0 open play "advanced" as the majority of players are "playing up" and are actually 3.5 players. It is very rare that there are more 4.0+ players in those open plays than 3.5 players. So they essentially have 3.5 open plays and 3.75 open plays, with very little/nonexistent events for 4.0+ players. I know that they have 2 new locations and will have more "advanced player" programming at those new locations, but so many Chicagoans don't have cars and rely on CTA for work/hobbies, and those 2 new locations are not as accessible as this location. A single 2 star review isn't going to change how they do their business because their events are constantly booked and they're expanding. I just have to express my disappointment in how little programming they've offered the past 2 years for upper level players.