Backyard Sport Court Design in Phoenix and Scottsdale

Quick answer: Licensed pool and landscape partners handle the pool and landscape work; Dink Pro Courts builds the court. Good backyard sport court design in Phoenix and Scottsdale starts with the court itself. We fix the size, spot and direction of the concrete pad, and your licensed landscape contractor then plans shade, planting and paths around a set rectangle. That beats fitting a court into whatever space is left over at the end.

Courts start at $29,000 for a 54 ft x 28 ft court, with a basic net and 4 paddles included. Financing is $598/mo for 60 months with excellent credit. See financing options.

Estimated rates and terms are not binding and are subject to change. Your actual APR depends on credit score, amount financed and credit history; only borrowers with excellent credit qualify for the lowest rates. All financing is subject to credit review and approval by lending partners.

Experienced Team / 20+ Years Experience. Every court we build sits on a concrete slab; we do not build any other court type.

Who does what: Dink Pro Courts has no pool or landscape license. Planting, irrigation, pools and landscape hardscape stay with licensed contractors you hire. Our scope is the concrete court and what belongs to it: surfacing, striping, nets, fencing, court lighting and any retaining walls the pad needs.

Why the court goes on the plan before anything else

Of everything in a typical yard, the court is the biggest flat, rigid piece. A pool or a planting bed can curve around a tree or a utility line. A court cannot. It needs a true rectangle, a controlled slope so water runs off, and open space past the lines so players can move safely.

When a yard gets landscaped ahead of the court, the only court-sized area often ends up holding new trees, drip lines or a patio, and tearing that out costs money twice. Drawing the court envelope early avoids it. Once the pad size, location and direction are settled, your landscape contractor can plan beds, walkways and hardscape that meet the court edge cleanly.

Step 1: Pick the court and size the pad

Start with the games your family wants to play. Typical backyard playing areas:

On a tight lot we will tell you plainly what fits and what you trade away, such as shorter run-out. For small yards, the Mini Court Game Center puts several games on one compact slab. For pickleball plus a hoop, see basketball and pickleball combo courts. Want to try colors and layouts? Open the Court Designer.

Step 2: Sun angle, direction and neighbors

Direction affects comfort and play. In a desert summer most backyard games happen early in the morning or after sunset, so we lay the court out to keep players from staring into a low sun at those hours. Direction also decides where stray balls and noise travel. Turning the long side of the court away from a neighbor’s patio, and planning fencing from day one, keeps balls in your yard and keeps the neighbors friendly.

Step 3: Monsoon runoff and Arizona heat

A monsoon cell can dump a lot of rain in minutes. The court surface has to shed that water evenly, and the water has to land somewhere that will not flood the patio, the pool or the house next door. We set the court slope and tie it to the surrounding grades early, so your landscape contractor can design swales, gravel areas or planted basins that take the runoff.

Heat and UV come next. We use acrylic court surfacing made for Arizona sun. Along the court edge, plant choice matters too: leaf litter dirties the surface, and roots and irrigation overspray work against a slab over the years. Your landscape contractor picks plants that handle reflected heat and keeps spray heads aimed away from the court.

Step 4: Zone the yard around play

Think of the yard as zones linked by paths:

1. Play zone: the court, its run-out and its fencing.
2. Watch zone: shaded seating along a sideline, so guests can follow the game without crossing the court.
3. Gathering zone: an outdoor kitchen, fire feature or covered patio, placed so foot traffic does not cut across the middle of play.
4. Planting zone: desert-adapted landscaping set back from the court edge, softening the fence line and adding shade where it helps.
5. Service zone: pool equipment, storage and utilities, kept away from play paths.

Edges matter where decomposed granite, pavers or turf meet the court. A clean transition keeps grit off the playing surface and makes the court read as part of the yard. Your landscape contractor chooses those materials; we leave the court edge ready for them. More ideas are in how to screen or landscape around a pickleball court.

Step 5: Containment, night play and grade changes

• Ball containment: court fencing 4 to 8 ft tall, at the height you choose.
• Court lighting: we use Dominator lighting products sized by court and sport, so you can play after dark when it cools off.
• On a sloped lot, the retaining walls that hold the court pad level, which Dink builds start to finish.
• Planting screens on the outside of the fence for privacy belong to your landscape contractor.

Step 6: HOA review

Many Phoenix and Scottsdale homes sit inside an HOA that reviews backyard changes. Bring your HOA guidelines to the initial call. For the court, Dink prepares the drawings and specs, and the homeowner files them with the HOA. Your landscape contractor supplies the plans for their own scope. Read more in who handles permits and HOA submittals for the court.

From the opening call to a painted court

1. Share your goals. Send photos, rough lot dimensions and any HOA guidelines.
2. Court concept. We propose the court type, pad size, location and direction.
3. Your landscape contractor. Already have one? We coordinate the court with their plan. Still looking? We point you to licensed landscape contractors, and you hire them directly.
4. Schedule. Grading, utilities, the court and the landscape finishes are ordered so no trade damages finished work. We’re usually pouring concrete within a week, then it cures 21 to 28 days depending on weather before we paint.
5. Court walk-through. We walk the court with you when it is painted and lined; your landscape contractor hands over their own work.

Landscape work is quoted separately by the licensed landscape contractor. Court budgets are covered in pickleball court cost in Arizona, and the full build order is in our court, pool, hardscape and planting sequence guide.

Related backyard court pages

• A pool in the plan too? See pool and pickleball court backyards and the pool and backyard project page.
• Working with a licensed landscape contractor on the whole yard? See backyard courts with landscape partners.
• Sizing, surfacing and multi-sport basics: backyard sport court guide and backyard pickleball courts.
• Landscape architects and contractors: Trade Partners.

Where we build

Our crews build backyard courts throughout Maricopa County, from Phoenix and Scottsdale to Paradise Valley and both ends of the Valley. City pages: pickleball court installation in Phoenix, pickleball court construction in Scottsdale, backyard court installation in Paradise Valley and pickleball court contractor in Chandler.

Plan your backyard court

Send photos, rough lot dimensions and any HOA guidelines, and we will propose where the court goes. Licensed pool and landscape partners handle the pool and landscape work; Dink Pro Courts builds the court. Call or text (480) 493-0031 to check your yard and book your build.