When news broke in October that SGAG had been acquired, many wondered what co-founder Adrian Ang would do next. The answer arrived barely a month later and it’s not more comedy skits.
It’s pickleball.
On 22 November, the 38-year-old father of two opened Pickle & Bones, a street-style pickleball court perched on the rooftop of Trifecta’s main building at Somerset. What used to be an underutilised viewing deck is now a vibrant, fully sheltered, tournament-standard space built out of pure passion and completed in just four weeks from concept to execution.
“I really like pickleball and I wanna play it till I die,” Ang said with a laugh. “Thus skeleton… thus bones.” And with that, Pickle & Bones – and mascot Mr Bones – were born.
A Court Built for Fun, Community and Serious Play
From the start, Ang didn’t want a typical court. He wanted personality, something that matched the sport’s social, unserious nature.
“As you can see, we created a very chill kind of vibe,” he explained as he walked around the space. “Pickleball in Singapore is sometimes a little bit serious. I wanted an experience that’s more fun.”
But don’t mistake “chill” for “casual.” The court itself is tournament standard, with generous baselines and sidelines for ATP attempts, and a ceiling high enough for any ambitious lobs.
And the shelter? Non-negotiable.
“I’ve played at 2pm at an unshaded court, wah cannot lah,” he said. “I nearly kenna heat stroke and I nearly died.”
There’s also a cheeky mini-court at the back, soon to be a dinking court, because, as Ang puts it, “Dinking, which is a soft game in pickleball, is extremely important.” Hence the tagline emblazoned across the wall: KEEP DINKING OR DIE TRYING.
Falling Into Pickleball Hard
Ang’s pickleball journey started the way many do: at a random event, trying the sport for the first time and immediately going, “OMG it’s so easy to pick up.”
His background in racket sports helped, but it was the sport’s energy that hooked him. “It’s incredibly social. People play with strangers and that’s what I love about it. I made so many new friends through pickleball.”
That sense of connection planted the seed. “I thought it would be so nice if I can start a community of my own. People who want a serious game, but also to chill, have fun.”
A New Passion, A New Community
With Pickle & Bones, Ang hopes to build something beyond a rental court.
“I want to bring together like-minded individuals who want to hang out, chill out, and have fun playing pickleball and also be exposed to top-level play,” he said. “Get top pros coming in, get top coaches, have demo tryouts of new paddles… I think that’s what I hope to be able to do with this community.”
For now, he’s genuinely happy with what he’s built.
“This feels like a court I would actually want to play in. That’s the most important part. People would judge me if I opened a court that’s half-a**ed,” he jokes.
The only complaint he’s heard so far? “Why only one court? Hahaha!” Still, he hints that if the right opportunity comes along, expansion isn’t off the table.
Four Weeks, One Court, Endless Potential
The response since opening has been “great,” Ang shared. And you get the sense that this project – coming so soon after the SGAG acquisition – represents a reset of sorts. A new chapter powered not by algorithms or punchlines, but genuine joy.
“If you have the chance, please come and try,” Ang said. “Let me know what you think of this court that we have.”
One thing’s clear: for Adrian Ang, Pickle & Bones isn’t a side project. It’s a passion and maybe even the start of something bigger.
Pickle & Bones
Address: Upper Deck, Trifecta Singapore, 10A Exeter Road, Singapore 239958
Email: [email protected]
Booking method: Court use is by advance booking only via the Trifecta website (with a Trifecta membership)
Opening Hours: Daily from 8.00am to 11.00pm
Rates: S$59.95/hour (off-peak), S$70.85/hour (peak)
