Pickleball is played with solid paddles and a light plastic ball with holes, on a court the size of a badminton court. It can be singles or doubles, and doubles is by far the most common in UK clubs and leisure centres.
The court
The court is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long, with a net 34 inches high in the middle. The 7-foot zone either side of the net is the non-volley zone, known as "the kitchen".
Serving
- Serve underarm, hitting the ball below your waist, from behind the baseline.
- Serve diagonally into the opposite service court. The serve must clear the kitchen, so landing on the kitchen line is a fault.
The two-bounce rule
The receiving team must let the serve bounce before returning it, and the serving team must let that return bounce too. After those two bounces, players can volley (hit the ball before it bounces) or play it off the bounce.
The kitchen
You can't volley while standing in the kitchen or touching its line. You can step in to play a ball that has bounced there.
Scoring
In the traditional format, only the serving side scores. Games go to 11 points and you must win by two. In doubles both partners serve before service passes to the other side, except at the start of a game. Some sessions use rally scoring instead, where every rally scores a point; the organiser will say which.
Want to play? Find pickleball near you — most leisure centre sessions are beginner-friendly and hire paddles.
Questions
What is the kitchen in pickleball?
The 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net. You can't volley the ball while standing in it.
Do I need my own paddle?
Not to start. Most clubs and leisure centre sessions lend or hire paddles to beginners.
What score do you play to in pickleball?
Usually 11 points, and you must win by two.