What is Pickleball and Why is it So Fun?

If you haven't already, it won't be too long before you hear about pickleball. This friendly, fun, and social game has garnered millions of players of all ages. What is pickleball, you might be asking? Use this guide to find out how to play pickleball and where to get your very own pickleball set.

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball is an enjoyable racquet game that has begun overtaking tennis in popularity, thanks to its simple rules and inclusive nature. No matter what your fitness level may be, you can still enjoy pickleball. The game of pickleball combines various elements from other racquet games such as tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Whether you are playing for fun or competitively, pickleball accommodates all players, no matter what age or skill level.

Where Did Pickleball Originate?

The history of pickleball is a quick but amusing one. The invention of this game is attributed to three dads who lived on Bainbridge Island in 1965. They grew tired of the existing outdoor games and opted instead to pick elements they liked from other racquet sports, creating the now popular game of pickleball. There are two potential origins of this game's quirky name. The first alludes to how the amalgamation of games and rules that make up pickleball are reminiscent of the term "pickle boat," which comes from rowing and refers to a leftover collection of rowers. The second origin story is that it was named after a family dog named Pickles who loved chasing the ball. No matter how it got its unusual name, pickleball is a fast-growing sport, with around 3.3 million players in the USA.

Pickleball Court Dimensions

A pickleball court size is 44 ft. long and 20 ft. wide. It is about a third of the size of a tennis court and the same size as a doubles badminton court. Due to the popularity of pickleball, many tennis courts are actually being converted into pickleball courts.

You can play either indoors or outdoors, as long as the pickleball court dimensions are suitable. The court stripes are similar to a tennis court as they both include a right and left service court, however the pickleball court specifically has a 7-ft. non-volley zone in front of the net called the "kitchen". Finally, pickleball uses a modified tennis net that stands at 36" tall on the side lines and 34" tall in the middle.

Pickleball Equipment

Pickleball equipment is limited but specific. You play with a paddle looks like an oversized ping-pong paddle. Pickleball typically uses paddles with wood, aluminum, graphite, or fiberglass cores and frames. The ball is made of plastic and contains between 26 and 40 holes – similar to a Wiffle ball. There are different pickleball balls for playing indoors and outside. The outdoor balls are a little heavier, tougher, and have smaller holes to allow it to travel quicker.

How to Play Pickleball

Pickleball can be played in doubles or singles format using the same pickleball court —though it is most often played in doubles. A coin flip usually determines which team will play first.

1. Beginning Serve:To begin serving in pickleball, the ball is hit diagonally across the net into the service court of the opponent, using an underhanded motion. The player on the right serving quadrant starts the play, and must hit the ball over the non-volley zone (also called "the kitchen"). Only the starting serves are performed by one member from each team, from then on, all subsequent serves are performed by both team members, switching turns back and forth.

2. Returning Serve:The receiving teammate must let the ball bounce once before returning the serve, and the serving team must also let the ball bounce once on their side before hitting it – this is called the "two-bounce rule". Once the pickleball has bounced a single time on each team's side of the court, it is possible to hit volleys or groundstrokes (where the ball doesn't bounce) anywhere on the court that is beyond the non-volley zone.

3. Playing: All pickleballs must be hit from behind the "kitchen" line unless the ball enters that area, at which point you can too but only to hit that ball. The pickleball is hit back and forth across the net until the ball is not returned. If the ball hits the net and lands in-bounds, it is live; if it lands out-of-bounds – the serve is lost.

4. Scoring Points: Only the team serving is able to score points. The serving player continues to do so until their team makes a fault. The serve then goes to the server's partner. Once a second fault has occurred, the ball goes to the opposing team – this is called a "side-out," and it is how the receiving team becomes the serving team. If a point is won, then the serving partners rotate spots with one another so the server is serving to a different player on the other team each time.

5. Calling Points: The score is called out loud at the start of each round as three numbers in doubles matches and as two numbers for singles matches. First the serving team's score, second the receiving team's score, and for doubles — the server number (one or two). For example, if the serving team has 10 points, the receiving team as 6 points, and the server is number 2, the score would read as 10 - 6 - 2.

6. Win: Pickleball is played until 11 points ( just like badminton) – but a win must be made by two points. So if you are 10 and 10, the winning team will need to get to 12 points in order to win.

7. Faults:A fault is when any of the below occurs.

• The pickleball is hit out of bounds.
• The pickleball is hit into the net.
• The pickleball bounces more than once.
• A player hits a volley while in the "kitchen" area.
• A player enters the "kitchen" line after hitting a volley.

8. Singles:Playing single's pickleball is easier, as there is no second server. In this game, the serve always comes from the right side of the court when the server's score is an even number, and from the left side of the court when it is odd. When the receiving player wins the rally, they get to serve. This winning the serve is called a "side-out".

Now that you know how to play pickleball, why not invest in your own pickleball set and find a court near you so that you too can join in on the fun?