Make pickleball repeatable.Before selling a prepaid package, a pickleball club should answer three questions: when the credits expire, what happens when a player cannot use them, and whether peak hours can take every prepaid player. Write the answers on one page and show them at the moment of sale. Players who learn the rules after paying feel cheated, even when the rules are fair.
This article covers each question with a way to work out your own answer, then gives a one-page rules sheet you can copy. It is part of the guide How to run prepaid credits and promos at a pickleball club.
When should a prepaid package expire?
Set an expiry period that a typical buyer can use up comfortably, then state it at the moment of sale. A period that is too short makes players rush or lose credits, which hurts trust. A period with no end leaves the club owing games indefinitely.
A simple way to size it:
- Take the number of games in the package.
- Divide by how many games per week a typical buyer plays at your club.
- Add a buffer for holidays, illness and bad weather.
| Example package | Typical buyer plays | Weeks needed | Expiry with a buffer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 games | Once a week | 10 weeks | About 3 months |
| 10 games | Twice a week | 5 weeks | About 2 months |
| 20 games | Twice a week | 10 weeks | About 3 months |
These numbers are examples. Use your own check-in records to see how often your buyers actually play.
Some countries regulate expiry dates and refunds on prepaid packages, so check the rules where your club operates before you set a period.
What happens if a player can't use their credits?
Decide in advance what happens in each common situation, so staff never have to improvise. The table lists the situations clubs meet most often and the choices to make for each.
| Situation | Choices to decide | Write down |
|---|---|---|
| Player asks for a refund | Full, partial or none. Time limit for asking | Your refund rule and who approves it |
| Player wants to give credits to a friend | Allowed, allowed once, or not allowed | Whether credits belong to a person or an account |
| Club cancels a session (rain, maintenance, event) | Credit returned, expiry extended, or both | What staff do the same day |
| Player is injured or away for a long time | Pause, extend, or no change | What proof, if any, you ask for |
| Credits expire unused | Lost, or a short grace period | Whether you remind players before expiry |
Keep paid credit and bonus credit as separate lines in each player's record. Many clubs refund only the paid part and treat the bonus as a perk that is not refunded. Whatever you choose, say it before the sale.
Can your peak hours handle every prepaid player?
Check that your busiest session has enough playing spots for the prepaid players who will want it. If most buyers want the same evening, they will struggle to use what they paid for, and the package will feel like a bad deal.
A quick capacity check:
- Count the playing spots in your busiest session: courts × 4 players × games per court in that session.
- Estimate how many prepaid players will want that session each week.
- Compare the two, leaving room for players who pay per visit.
| Example check | Number |
|---|---|
| Courts on Thursday evening | 3 |
| Games per court in the session | 6 |
| Playing spots (3 × 4 × 6) | 72 |
| Prepaid players who usually play Thursday | 40 |
| Spots left for pay-per-visit players | 32 |
If the numbers are tight, steer some buyers to other times before you sell more packs. An off-peak bonus, such as an extra credit for quiet hours, is one way to do that.
Why isn't prepaid cash profit yet?
Cash from a prepaid package arrives today, but the games go out later. Until a player uses their credit, the club still owes them those games. Spending the cash as if it were earned can leave the club short when players come to play.
Keep a running total of credit still owed across all players, and update it whenever credit is sold or used. Many accountants record unused prepaid credit as money owed rather than income. Ask yours how to record it where you operate.
The one-page rules sheet
Copy this sheet, fill it in, and show it to players before they pay. Give staff the same page.
- Package: what the player pays and what they get, including any bonus
- Expiry: the date or period, and whether you send a reminder before it
- Refunds: what can be refunded, how much, and until when
- Sharing: whether credits can be used by someone else
- Cancelled sessions: what happens to credits when the club cancels
- Peak hours: any limits on when credits can be used
- Questions: who players ask about their balance
When staff explain a balance, they should use the same record and the same three-part answer every time. See how front desk staff should explain credit balances. And test whether players understand the offer itself: could a player explain your offer in one sentence?
How can repickleball help?
repickleball keeps paid credit, bonus credit and points as separate records for each player, and shows the club the credit still owed. Staff verify each payment before credit is added. Take the 2-minute fit check.
Frequently asked questions
Should bonus credit follow the same rules as paid credit?
Not necessarily. Many clubs refund only paid credit and treat bonus credit as a perk. Choose a rule and state it at the moment of sale.
Can players share prepaid credits with friends?
That is the club's choice. Decide whether credits belong to one person or one account, write it on the rules sheet, and apply it the same way every time.
Do I need written rules for a small club?
Yes. One page is enough. Written rules protect players and staff, and they save the club from deciding each case on the spot.