In a pickle: couple charged with felony battery after pickleball brawl at Florida country club | Florida

A disagreement over a rule led to a fight during a pickleball match at a central Florida golf club, with one player hitting an opponent in the face with a shovel and punching him to the ground before others intervened, authorities said.

A 63-year-old man was charged Sunday with two felony counts of a person 65 or older, and his 51-year-old wife, who attended the fight in Port Orange, was charged with a single felony count of a person 65 or older, according to an arrest affidavit.

The two were playing another married couple when they began arguing about shooting in what was known as the kitchen, a marked area on either side of the net. As a rule, players can only shoot into this area when the ball lands there; otherwise they should avoid it.

While the players were insulting each other, at the end of the match the man insulted his male opponent’s wife. According to the statement, the men exchanged words and the 63-year-old man attacked his rival.

The man’s attorney, Matt Thompson, did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment.

The statement stated that around 20 players were involved in the fight.