About the Owners

Miles Pelky

Miles’ journey into Pickleball began by chance during a visit to a longtime friend who had relocated from San Diego to Florida. After more than a decade without seeing each other, Miles and his wife, Uta, finally made the trip to reconnect. When asked what the plan was for the day, his friend replied, “We’re going to play Pickleball.” Borrowing shoes and a paddle, Miles stepped onto the court, and within the first ten minutes, he was completely hooked.

Back home in San Diego, he began joining drop-in games on weekends around North County. His passion quickly grew, leading him to play regularly at his local country club, where he also assisted the coach whenever possible.

During Covid, Miles and Uta purchased a small getaway in the Coachella Valley. Their community had four pickleball courts, and it was there that his love for the game deepened. He completed an online certification course to teach beginner and intermediate players and began offering lessons in their Indio community.

Not long after, Miles started coaching at an indoor pickleball facility in Palm Desert. There, he learned about a set of old, unused tennis courts behind the Embassy Suites hotel. Curious, he and Uta went to see them—and that visit sparked a new idea. Together, they partnered with the hotel to renovate the space, transforming it into a welcoming pickleball destination that now attracts players from near and far to experience the desert’s vibrant pickleball community.

Check out a fun song Miles created for those snowbirds!

Uta Hamblen

Uta discovered her love for Pickleball a few years ago in North County San Diego, where she began playing several times a week with Miles and a close-knit group of friends at their local country club. What started as a casual hobby quickly grew into one of her favorite ways to stay active, connect with others, and share plenty of laughs on the court.

When Uta and Miles began spending more time at their winter home in Indio, she continued to play at the community courts and became an active part of the Coachella Valley’s growing pickleball scene. Known for her friendly energy and welcoming spirit, Uta has a natural ability to make new players feel comfortable and at home on the court.

As Miles stepped into coaching at an indoor pickleball facility in Palm Desert, Uta was right there beside him—greeting guests, helping to organize events, and always ready to jump in for a game when a fourth was needed. Her presence and involvement extended beyond the court when she and Miles discovered the unused tennis courts behind the Embassy Suites hotel. Together, they worked with the hotel to renovate the space and transform it into a vibrant Pickleball destination—creating a welcoming haven where players from all over can experience the unique spirit of the desert’s Pickleball community.