The county seat, the busiest public courts in Sonoma County, and where most of the teaching week happens.
Santa Rosa is where most of the coaching week happens. It is the largest city in Sonoma County, it has the most public pickleball in the county, and it is the point every distance on this site is measured from.
It is also, right now, a city in the middle of rebuilding its courts. Two of the three council venues have been construction sites for much of 2026, which has pushed everybody onto the third. That is worth knowing before you drive anywhere: the honest picture today is that Finley is the dependable free public option, and the evening picture is thinner than it looks because Finley has no floodlights and closes at sunset.
For a lesson none of that is a problem - the court is arranged for you, and if a venue is shut or full the lesson moves rather than being cancelled. But it does shape what to expect when you go back to play on your own, which is the point of the lesson in the first place.
Pick whichever suits you - or say "whichever is nearest" and Michael will choose. Court booking and any reservation fee are handled for you.
Finley Community Park has four dedicated pickleball courts plus eight more lined onto the tennis courts with portable nets. The city keeps all its courts non-reservable between 9am and noon every day, which is when the informal drop-in happens. There are no lights, so play finishes at sunset - in midwinter that is not long after four o'clock.
Howarth Memorial Park has been closed since March 2026 and the city anticipated reopening in early September with six dedicated pickleball courts under lights. Galvin Community Park started a $4.9 million rebuild in May and is due back at the end of October with twelve dedicated pickleball courts. Both dates have moved before, so check the city's page before you travel. When they land, Santa Rosa goes from one usable public venue to three, and the evening problem largely disappears.
Drop-in play at the city courts is free. Reserving one is not: the city charges by the hour and the rate depends on whether you live in Santa Rosa. The city also requires a permit for instructional play on its courts, which is the department's business rather than yours - but it is the reason a coach who tells you "just meet me at Finley at nine" may be cutting a corner.
Times and programmes above are run by other organisations and can change. Check the linked page before you travel.
Every format below runs at any of the venues above. No membership, no joining fee.
One hour, one player, everything aimed at your game.
$75The long session, for when one hour is never quite enough.
$110Bring your regular doubles partner and fix the team, not just the strokes.
$100Three to five players, one theme, ninety minutes.
$35 / playerNever played? Two hours and you will be playing real games.
$50 / playerSee what you actually do, not what you think you do.
$85Santa Rosa is the centre of the service area, so there is no travel charge anywhere in the city and times are easiest to find here. If you are in Oakmont or another community with its own resident-only courts, lessons still have to happen at a public venue unless you can sign a guest in.
Finley Community Park, in almost every case, because it is the venue that is reliably open and has enough courts to be sure of one. As Howarth and Galvin come back from their rebuilds that will widen. If you have a preference, say so when you book and it will be accommodated where possible.
Until the rebuilt courts reopen, not easily - Finley has no floodlights, so the last realistic start moves with the season and is early in winter. If evenings are the only thing that works for you, Rohnert Park is the better answer for now; it is about fifteen minutes down the 101 and its courts are lit.
No. Arranging the court is part of the lesson, including any reservation fee if one applies. You turn up and play.
Yes, and it is the easiest place in the county to keep it going afterwards. The morning drop-in at Finley is welcoming to beginners and free, so a lesson gives you the basics and the drop-in gives you the mileage. That combination is cheaper and works better than lessons alone.
Something not covered? The full FAQ goes further, or just send a message.
Michael teaches across 10 towns in the North Bay.
Pick a day and a time that suits you and Michael will confirm it, usually within a few hours. Nothing is charged when you book.
