The Sport
Everything you need to step onto the court with confidence.
The Game
A Game Worth Knowing
Pickleball plays like a mix of tennis, ping-pong, and badminton. You use a solid paddle and a plastic ball with holes in it, and you play on a court about the size of a doubles badminton court. Most people can learn the basics in 15 minutes and be playing real games within their first hour. It is easy to pick up, works for all ages and fitness levels, and gets competitive fast once you start to improve.
What You Need
Four essentials. Bring your own gear and come ready to play.
Paddle
A solid or composite paddle, sized between a ping-pong paddle and a tennis racquet. Most sporting goods stores carry a solid selection.
Ball
A perforated polymer ball, similar to a wiffle ball but purpose-built for pickleball. Indoor and outdoor versions differ slightly.
Court Shoes
Non-marking indoor court shoes with lateral support. Running shoes won't cut it. You need grip and stability for quick pivots.
Comfortable Attire
Athletic clothing that allows a full range of motion. No dress code required. Just come ready to move.
The Court
Compact, fast, and designed for strategy.
A pickleball court is about a third the size of a tennis court. Small enough that you do not need to be a great athlete to cover it, but big enough that placement and footwork still matter. The most important area is the kitchen, the 7-foot zone on each side of the net. You can stand in the kitchen, but you cannot hit the ball out of the air from there. That one rule forces players to use soft, controlled shots near the net, which is what makes pickleball so different from other racquet sports.
20 × 44
Court Size (ft)
34"
Net Height (center)
36"
Net Height (sides)
7 ft
Non-Volley Zone depth
How to Play
The five rules you need to know.
The Serve
Every point starts with an underhand serve hit diagonally to the opponent across from you.
- Must be hit underhand with an upward swing
- Ball must land past the kitchen and inside the correct service box
- Landing on the kitchen line is a fault
- You only get one attempt per serve
- If the ball clips the net but lands in the right area, play continues
The Two-Bounce Rule
This is the rule that trips people up. After the serve, each side must let the ball bounce once before hitting it.
- The receiving team lets the serve bounce before returning it
- The serving team lets that return bounce before hitting it back
- After those two bounces, anyone can hit the ball out of the air
- Think of it as: bounce, bounce, then anything goes
The Kitchen
The "kitchen" is the 7-foot zone on each side of the net. It is the most important area on the court.
- You cannot volley (hit the ball out of the air) while standing in the kitchen
- The kitchen line counts as part of the kitchen
- You can step into the kitchen to hit a ball that has already bounced
- If your momentum carries you into the kitchen after a volley, it is a fault even if the ball is dead
Scoring
Games go to 11 and you must win by 2. Only the serving team can score.
- If the receiving team wins a rally, they get the serve but no point
- In doubles, both players on a team serve before the other team gets the ball
- Exception: at the start of the game, only one player on the first team serves
- Every time you score, you and your partner switch sides of the court
Faults
A fault ends the rally and costs you the serve or the point. These are the most common ones.
- Hitting the ball into the net
- Hitting the ball out of bounds
- Volleying from inside the kitchen or on the kitchen line
- Forgetting the two-bounce rule
- In doubles, a fault on the first server passes the serve to your partner
- A fault on the second server gives the ball to the other team (side out)
Singles vs Doubles
Two ways to play. One great game.
4 Players
Doubles
The standard way to play. Two players per side, full court coverage, and the strategic interplay that makes pickleball so social and addictive.
- Most popular format worldwide
- Communication and teamwork
- Stacking and switching strategies
- Accessible for all fitness levels
2 Players
Singles
Same court, same rules, twice the ground to cover. Singles is a serious workout that rewards shot placement, fitness, and mental toughness.
- Full-court coverage required
- Exceptional cardio workout
- Simplified scoring (no server number)
- Tests shot-making and endurance
Key Terms
The language of the court.
Dink
A soft, controlled shot that arcs over the net and lands in the opponent's kitchen. The foundation of high-level play.
Third Shot Drop
A soft shot hit after the return of serve, designed to land in the kitchen and allow the serving team to approach the net.
Erne
An advanced volley hit from outside the court, beside the kitchen. Named after Erne Perry, who popularized the move.
ATP
Around The Post. A legal shot hit around the outside of the net post rather than over the net. One of the game's most exciting plays.
Stacking
A doubles positioning strategy where partners line up on the same side before the serve, then shift to preferred court positions.
Rally
A continuous exchange of shots between teams. Rallies end when a fault occurs or the ball goes out of play.
Volley
Hitting the ball out of the air before it bounces. Legal everywhere on the court except inside the Non-Volley Zone.
Groundstroke
Any shot hit after the ball bounces. Forehands and backhands from the baseline are common examples.
Side Out
When the serving team loses the serve and it passes to the opposing team. In doubles, this happens after both partners have served.
Let
A serve that clips the net but still lands in the correct service court. In pickleball, lets are playable. No re-serve required.
Dead Ball
A ball declared out of play, typically after a fault. Play stops immediately and the point is decided.
Kitchen
Informal name for the Non-Volley Zone. The 7-foot area on each side of the net where volleys are prohibited.
Lob
A high, arcing shot hit over your opponent's head, forcing them to retreat from the net. Effective when opponents crowd the kitchen line.
Bangers
Players who favor hard, driven shots over soft dinking. A style that's effective early on but can be neutralized by skilled soft-game players.
Skill Levels
Find where you fit, and where you're headed.
Rating 1.0 – 2.5
Beginner
New to the game or still building fundamentals. Focused on keeping the ball in play, learning the rules, and finding your footing on the court.
- Learning basic serve and return
- Developing court positioning
- Understanding the kitchen rule
- Building rally consistency
Rating 3.0 – 3.5
Intermediate
Comfortable with the rules and developing shot variety. Starting to think strategically about placement and when to speed up or slow down play.
- Consistent serve and return
- Developing the dink game
- Using third shot drops
- Reading opponent patterns
Rating 4.0+
Advanced
Strong command of all shots, strategic depth, and the ability to adapt mid-rally. Tournament-ready players who can control pace, placement, and spin.
- Mastery of soft game and power game
- Advanced stacking and positioning
- Consistent third shot drops under pressure
- High-level point construction
Ready to Hit the Court?
Book your court today. No membership required. Just pick your time and show up.