PORT ORANGE, FLORIDA — A dispute over a rule led to a brawl during a pickleball game at a central Florida country club, in which one player hit his opponent in the face with a bat and punched him to the ground before others intervened, authorities said.
A 63-year-old man was charged Sunday with two felony counts of battery on a person 65 or older, and his 51-year-old wife, who also joined the fight in Port Orange, was charged with one felony count of battery on a person 65 or older, according to an arrest affidavit.
The two were playing another couple when they began arguing about shooting in what is known as the kitchen, a designated area on either side of the net. According to the rule, players can only shoot into the penalty area once the ball has landed there; Otherwise they should avoid it.
The players exchanged insults, and at the end of the match, the man insulted his opponent’s wife. The two men exchanged words, and the 63-year-old attacked his opponent, according to an affidavit.
Matt Thompson, the man’s attorney, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.
As many as 20 players were involved in the brawl, the affidavit said.