The PPA Tour announced on Tuesday the Pickleball Central Vintage Wooden Paddle Open, which will be held from September 16-21 in Sacramento, CA at Life Time Arden.

To mark pickleball’s 60th anniversary, the tournament will be an all-wooden paddle event, meaning all players – including pros and amateurs – will use traditional wooden paddles, just as the founders of the game used six decades ago.

Upon check-in, all players will receive a custom-branded wooden pickleball paddle to play with, similar to the type featured in the development of the very first pickleball game.

The pros will also be competing with wooden paddles in singles, doubles and mixed doubles, bringing a great equalizer to the field to see who would have been the best in the world when the sport was born. The competition is not an exhibition – valuable tour ranking points and prize money are on the line.

“As the sport of pickleball is currently enjoying a period of enormous success and popularity, it’s important to look back on where we came from and honor the traditions, equipment and style of gameplay that led us to where we are today,” said Connor Pardoe, Founder and CEO of the Carvana PPA Tour. “The Pickleball Central Vintage Wooden Paddle Open tournament will transport avid pickleball fans and enthusiasts back to 1965, when pickleball first began, but deliver all the community and excitement that the sport brings to players today.”

Life Time Arden is the perfect location to honor pickleball’s past, while delivering a superb modern experience. Arden has been keeping Sacramento healthy since 1953 and that legacy is only getting stronger with the opening of Life Time’s newest athletic country and racquet club. With up to 34 pickleball courts and spanning 78,000 square feet across two levels and nestled amongst tree-filled hills, Life Time Arden will provide players with an unmatched venue experience.

Click here to register for the Pickleball Central Vintage Wooden Paddle Open.

Click here to purchase tickets for the Pickleball Central Vintage Wooden Paddle Open.