The Real Blueprint Behind a Fully Booked Open Play

Why Some Sessions Quietly Scale and Others Quietly Disappear

In Malaysia’s growing pickleball scene, launching an open play has never been easier. Securing a venue, setting up a booking link, posting on social media, the barrier to entry is low.

But sustainability? That’s where most hosts struggle.

Wesley of Pickle Before Sundown didn’t just grow from one court to five because of demand. He grew because he understood something many hosts overlook: open play is less about paddles and more about people.

This isn’t about marketing hacks. It’s about architecture; cultural, psychological, and operational.

Culture Before Courts

Most new hosts start with logistics: court rates, time slots, player caps.

Wesley started with identity.

He asked himself a foundational question: what kind of energy should define this session?

In Malaysia today, pickleball players typically fall into distinct motivations. Some want purely social recreation. Others are chasing rating progression, tournaments, and structured improvement. When these two groups mix without clear expectations, tension builds quickly.

Instead of trying to serve everyone, Wesley chose positioning. His sessions prioritise inclusivity and social integration. Competitive players are welcome, but not at the expense of group harmony.

That clarity prevents conflict before it happens. It also attracts the right audience organically.

Growth becomes smoother when friction is designed out from the start.

Psychological Safety Is a Growth Strategy

Open play environments are fragile ecosystems. One visible display of frustration. One dismissive gesture. One player quietly removing their paddle to avoid a lower-level partner.

That’s all it takes for someone new to decide they don’t belong.

Wesley enforces rotation and stacking rules consistently. Not aggressively but firmly. Everyone plays with everyone. No exceptions based on perceived skill level.

When an incident occurred where someone tried to avoid certain matchups, he addressed it immediately. Because once the group senses hierarchy forming, inclusivity dissolves.

Psychological safety isn’t a “nice-to-have.” It’s retention strategy. Players return to spaces where they feel respected, not evaluated.

First Impressions Determine Retention

Attendance numbers can be misleading. A full session means little if half the participants never return.

Wesley pays attention to newcomers the moment they walk in. He doesn’t allow them to blend anonymously into rotation. He introduces them to regulars. He ensures they understand stacking. He reads body language.

Open play can be intimidating, especially for beginners or players unsure of their level. The social barrier is often higher than the skill barrier.

By intentionally shortening the time it takes for someone to feel included, he increases the likelihood they return the following week.

Belonging is engineered, not accidental.

The Real Asset Is the Community Channel

Courts are rented. Time slots can change. Venues shift.

But the communication channel is permanent.

Before opening sessions publicly, Wesley built relationships at other open plays. He identified players aligned with his values and created a WhatsApp group. That group became the backbone of his growth.

Today, he releases booking links internally first. Regulars secure their spots before the session opens to the broader public.

This does two things simultaneously: it guarantees baseline attendance and rewards loyalty.

Momentum feels organic from the outside. But internally, it’s structured.

Community precedes scale. Always.

Pricing Reflects Philosophy

Open play pricing in Malaysia varies significantly depending on venue and positioning. But pricing isn’t just about covering court costs.

It signals values.

Wesley is deliberate about maintaining perceived fairness. He evaluates how many players are on each court, how much playtime each participant actually receives, and whether the experience feels generous or transactional.

When players feel financially squeezed, they start calculating value minute by minute. When pricing feels fair, that mental accounting disappears.

Fairness builds trust. Trust builds consistency.

Consistency builds scale.

The Off-Court Ritual Matters More Than You Think

After most sessions, the group heads out for drinks or a casual meal. This isn’t an afterthought. It’s an extension of the experience.

On-court interaction bonds people through activity. Off-court interaction bonds them through conversation.

This is where players discuss tournaments, careers, life transitions. It’s where acquaintances become friends.

Once pickleball becomes part of someone’s social fabric, not just weekly exercise but attendance becomes habitual.

The session stops being a booking. It becomes a gathering.

Adapting as the Scene Evolves

When Wesley first started, most participants were beginners exploring the sport. Today, the Malaysian pickleball ecosystem is more sophisticated. Players talk about DUPR ratings, tournament entries, and progression pathways.

A host who refuses to evolve loses relevance.

While maintaining his social-first culture, Wesley experiments with formats ladder nights, themed sessions, structured challenges to keep energy fresh and accommodate players who want mild competitive elements without sacrificing inclusivity.

Evolution doesn’t mean abandoning identity. It means responding to your audience without diluting your values.

Collaboration Without Dependency

Brand collaborations, like his partnership with MyBurgerLab, emerged organically from relationships within the community.

But he remains careful not to let sponsorship define the session.

If perks become the primary attraction, loyalty shifts from community to incentive. And incentives are fragile.

Community must stand independently. Partnerships should enhance the experience — not sustain it.

That distinction keeps growth stable.

Hosting Is Leadership, Not Logistics

From the outside, open play hosting looks simple.

In reality, it is constant emotional labour.

You observe group dynamics. You manage tone. You mediate subtle conflicts. You energise the room when it dips. You protect culture quietly and consistently.

If you only enjoy the playing aspect, hosting becomes exhausting. If you embrace stewardship, it becomes fulfilling.

Wesley’s growth wasn’t accidental. It wasn’t algorithmic.

It was cultural.

He didn’t scale because he had more courts.

He scaled because people trusted the environment he created and chose to return to it.

In a landscape where new open plays emerge weekly, that difference is everything.


This article is based on our conversation with our Coach and Open-Play Host Wesley Amen.