How To Play Pickleball

Pickleball has been the fastest growing sport in the United States since 2021. Participation has grown 51.8% in that time, and it’s quickly picking up fans all over the world. 

The reason? It’s simple to play and suits all ages and skill levels. In addition, its smaller court size helps when space is limited. Here’s a simple guide on how to play pickleball which tells you everything you need to know.

What is Pickleball?

Pickleball looks a bit like tennis, but it’s played on a smaller court, 44 feet (13.4 metres) long by 20 feet (6.01 metres) wide. It usually has a portable net that is hung between 34 and 36 inches (91.4cm) from the ground on each side. The game is quick and skilful but, instead of relying on raw power, depends on precision and good placement.  

Basic Equipment Needed

If you’re wondering how to start playing pickleball, you’ll need a special perforated ball, lightweight paddles, and a net. 

Paddle and Ball

A pickleball is lightweight, made of plastic, and perforated with holes. It’s designed for minimal wind resistance and controlled flight. Pickleball paddles are solid and flat with no strings, and they come in various materials like wood, composite, or graphite.

The Court

The Court has 4 service/receiver boxes that sit behind a ‘Non-Volley Zone’ 7 feet (2.1 metres) from the net on each side.

Players cannot stand in the Non-Volley Zone (or ‘Kitchen’) when volleying the ball. In other words: they must be standing outside the Non-Volley Zone if they are returning the ball without letting it bounce on their side of the court.

Fundamental Rules of Pickleball

Here’s a few tips on how to play pickleball for beginners. Pickleball rallies are played until one side commits a ‘fault’. This includes failing to clear the net with the ball, hitting the ball out of bounds, or letting the ball bounce more than once before returning it. 

Teams are only awarded points when serving, and games are usually played up to 11 points.

Serving Rules

When serving, you must stand behind the baseline and your foot cannot touch or pass the baseline during your serve.

The first server is the player on the right hand side, and they serve diagonally into the opposition’s receiving box, beyond the Non-Volley Zone. Servers must use an underhand forehand or backhand stroke, and the ball must be below waist height when struck with an upward motion of the paddle.

Note: Drop serves (a bounce before hitting) are now permitted.

The Two-Bounce Rule

The receiving player must wait for the ball to bounce once inside the receiver box before they return the ball anywhere onto the other side of the court. Once returned, the ball must bounce once on the other side before the first team returns it again. Volleys are thereafter permitted (when standing outside the Non-Volley Zone) on both sides until the conclusion of the rally.

The Non-Volley Zone

Whilst players can reach over the Non-Volley Zone to volley a ball, they must ensure no part of their body is standing in the zone or on the line around it. 

The main purpose of the zone is to prevent players from executing powerful smashes close to the net. It promotes longer rallies and ensures fairer, more strategic gameplay​.

Scoring and Winning the Game

A big difference between Pickleball and most other games is that points are only scored by the serving team. You have to win service before you play again to win points.

With the exception of the very first rally, both players in a doubles match must commit faults before service ‘switches out’ to the opposition team. 

The first server (on the right hand side) swaps sides with their partner after winning a point in order to make the next serve. They continue to swap sides for service until they lose a rally. Then, the second server (i.e. the team member who started on the left hand side) takes over serving duties. The team continues in this way until they commit another fault and lose service to the opposition.

When learning how to play pickleball singles, remember that service immediately ‘switches out’ to the opposition player after a fault. And, when the server wins the point, they serve from the opposite side for the next one. The singles player keeps swapping sides like this until they commit a fault, 

Scoring System

The server calls out the score before each serve, and indicate which player is serving. They do this by announcing their own team’s score, their opponents score, and then the number 1 or 2 to indicate whether they are the first or second server on their team.

Let’s say the game is tied at 3-3. The first player in that team’s rotation would announce “3-3-1”. Then, if they lose the rally, service would go to their second server who announces “3-3-2” before serving.

Note: the first player to serve at the start of a new game calls out "0-0-2". This is because the first team to serve in a doubles match only gets one chance to commit a fault. The advantage of being able to score points from the beginning of the match means that service switches out to the opposition team as soon as they lose a rally. After that, there are two chances at serving for each team. 

Winning Conditions

Pickleball games are usually played until one team reaches 11 points. However, they must be two points clear of the opposition. If, for example, the opposition was on 10 points, play would continue until one team earned a two point break (e.g., 12-10). Matches can go on like this for some time until a break is made. Scores like 15-13, or 16-18 are quite common.

Common Faults and Violations

Practicing the rules around rallies helps when learning how to start playing pickleball. A rally ends when a team commits a fault or violation. These include the following primary faults:

• Double bounce: Allowing the ball to bounce more than once on your side of the court.
• Out of Bounds: Hitting the ball out of bounds.
• Incorrect Return: Failing to clear the net when returning a shot.
• Net Violation: Touching the net with the body or paddle during play.
• Double Hit: Hitting the ball twice before it crosses the net.

Foot Faults

A foot fault is placing a foot in the wrong zone. The main foot faults are:

• Non-Volley Zone Violation: Volleying the ball from within or stepping into the Non-Volley Zone when volleying. That includes any part of the line that bounds the Non-Volley Zone.
• Service Foot Fault: When serving, the server's feet must remain behind the baseline and between the sideline and centerline of the court. 
• Receiving Foot Fault: When accepting serve, the receiving player must have both feet behind the baseline until the ball is struck by the server. Moving forward too early constitutes a foot fault​.

Note: Players can step into the Non-Volley Zone during general play if they are not volleying the ball (ie letting it bounce once before returning).

Service Faults

Other common faults that occur during serving are:

Service Fault: Serving the ball into the net, out of bounds, or into the Non-Volley Zone.

Incorrect Service: Failing to hit the ball in an upward motion whilst it is still below waist-height.

Incorrect Server/Receiver: A team serving or receiving out of turn.

Advanced Tips and Strategies

Unlike tennis, fast and powerful shots are not always the best strategy when learning how to play pickleball. Soft, controlled shots known as ‘dinks’ keep the ball low and force opponents into making mistakes. This requires patience and precision. ​

Effective Positioning

Mastering court positioning is essential in Pickleball. Staying near the Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen) allows for better control of the game, but players must be ready to move quickly and cover the whole court. Quick volleys and angled shots put pressure on opponents and reduce their reaction time. 

Communication in Doubles

Pickleball involves a delicate balance between the ‘soft game’ (dinks and drop hits) and the hard game (powerful shots). Knowing when to employ each strategy is key to keeping opponents on their toes. Good understanding and communication between team partners is therefore essential.

Ready to Play? Build Your Own Pickleball Court!

If you’re wondering how to play pickleball at home you can quickly create a functional court by picking up some paddles and balls and building a makeshift court on any flat surface.

You can use a large driveway or patio, or even an existing tennis court, when learning how to play pickleball.

1. Measure and mark out a 20’ x 44’ foot rectangle (about 6 x 13.4 metres) using chalk, painter’s tape or removable spray paint.
2. Mark a 7 foot (2.1 metre section) on each side from the middle line on the rectangle to create the Non-Volley Zone.
3. Beyond that, draw a line longways along the middle of the rest of the area on both sides to create the server/receiver boxes.
4. Then, use a portable net system, or even a 20’ (6 metre) length of rope and suspend it across the middle so it hangs 36 inches at the sides and 34 inches in the centre of the court. Or, if you’re converting a tennis court, just lower your existing net to 34’ (86.4cm) in the centre.

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