Pickleball Fundamentals

What is pickleball?
Pickleball is a racquet sport played on a court with paddles and a plastic ball. It combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong, and is played on a badminton sized court. The net is slightly lower than a tennis net.

What is the origin of pickleball?
Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three fathers in Washington State who, as dads often do, decided to create some summertime fun for their kids.

Why is it called pickleball?

There are two theories on the origins of the name. The first is that it is a mix of different sports (tennis, badminton and ping pong) reminded one of the creators of Pickleball of a “pickle boat” in crew that is made up of leftover oarsmen from other boats. Or it could be that the game was named after the Pritchards’ dog “Pickles”, who would chase the ball around and interrupt the game.

What’s so great about pickleball?
Pickleball is a fun, low-impact sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It is easy to learn and has only a few rules, but also offers room for improvement and strategy. This enjoyable and social sport is great for players of all abilities. It is also a fantastic way to exercise while truly having fun.

How is pickleball different from tennis?
Pickleball is played on a smaller court than tennis and with a lower net. The ball used in pickleball is made of lightweight plastic and has holes punched through it, making it slower and easier to control than a tennis ball. Pickleball is also played with solid paddles instead of strung rackets. In pickleball, the ball is served underhand which is easier than the tennis serve.

What is the court size for pickleball?
The pickleball court is similar in size to a badminton court, measuring 20 feet by 44 feet for singles play. The net is positioned at a height of 36 inches at the edges and slopes to 34 inches at the centre.

What is the difference between outdoor pickleballs and indoor pickleballs?
Outdoor pickleball balls have 40 holes and indoor pickleball balls have 26 holes. Both balls look similar and can be any color for visibility or court conditions.

How many steps do you take playing pickleball per hour?

People have tested with a FitBit and racked up about 7,000 steps playing pickleball for about 90 minutes.  Regardless of the exact number of steps pickleball is definitely a good way to get moving and keep in shape!

Is pickleball in the Olympics?

Not yet, but watch this space!

Is pickleball the fastest growing sport?

While we pickleball players know how great the sport of pickleball is, for many it is just catching on. But we are not the only ones catching the pickleball bug. There are now nearly 11,000 venues offering pickleball in the USA with over 13 million players.

Is there a Pickleball Wales organisation?

Pickleball England currently includes Wales, however Pickleball Wales is coming soon!

How do you learn to play pickleball?
To learn how to play pickleball, you can take attend a taster induction lesson, take lessons from a coach or watch instructional videos on youtube.

How do I choose the right pickleball paddle?

There are many pickleball paddle options available so ask at a club night and try other paddles before you decide. Paddles vary in construction material and weight as well as grip width.

Pickleball Rules

How do you play pickleball?
To play pickleball, two or four players hit a perforated ball over a net using paddles. The ball is served diagonally across the court and players try to rally the ball back and forth over the net, similar to tennis. Points are scored by the serving team when a player on the opposing team is unable to return the ball or hits it out of bounds,or commit another fault.

Why is there a Non-Volley Zone in Pickleball?
The No-Volley Zone (“Kitchen” or NVZ) prevents players from smashing the ball midair at the net. Players can only volley behind the 7-foot area. The rule is designed to extend rallies.

What is the double bounce rule in pickleball?
After the ball is served, it must bounce once on the receiving side and one on the return. This is why it’s called the “double bounce rule,” as it must bounce twice. After the return, players may hit the ball out of the air before it bounces on their side, as long as they are not standing in the kitchen (also called the non-volley zone).

If the pickleball hits the line is it in or out?

If you are in a very serious game of pickleball, it may be best to ask someone to referee. Most of us are just enjoying the game and calling ins and outs as we see it. For those close calls though, remember that if the pickleball hits the line, it’s in! Respect your opponents’ right to make all calls on their end of the court.

How do you win at pickleball?
The goal of pickleball is to score points by hitting the ball over the net and within the boundaries of the court, and to prevent your opponent from doing the same. The first player or team to reach 11 points and have a lead of at least two points wins the game.

What is a fault?

The three most common faults are:

1. Hitting the ball out of bounds
2. Volleying the return of serve
3. Committing a no-volley zone (“Kitchen”) foot fault

Pickleball Terms

What Is An ATP (Around the Post)?

An ATP is a shot that is hit Around The Post of the net. Typically this shot brings a player outside of the sideline and the player hits the pickleball around the post of the net into the opponent’s side of the court. This is cause for celebration and you will see many laughs and smiles if this is done correctly!

What Is A Banger?

A banger is a player who is constantly hitting balls hard and has a tough time slowing the game down with finesse and precision. While it is good to hit the ball hard, great players can bring both power and control to their style of play.

What Is A Dink?

A soft shot hit on a bounce from the non-volley zone intended to arc over the net and land within the opposing non-volley, either straight across or diagonally crosscourt. An effective dink arcs downward as it crosses the net, creating a more difficult shot to return than a power shot. To become an excellent pickleball player, you must master the dink!

What is a player rating?

Internationally recognised ratings are 1 to 5 in 0.5 increments. It is not intended to indicate a player has mastered all the skills listed for any skill level. It is useful to know, what you should be striving to achieve. Each player’s level of success will vary widely within any skill level

What is a pickleball ladder league?

A pickleball ladder league is a structured format for playing competitive matches within a group of similar-ranked players. The ranking is based on skill level and then performance once the league begins.

How does a ladder competition work?

The basic premise is simple – players climb up the ladder by winning games against the person directly above them. Conversely, players drop down the ladder by losing games. Players’ names are drawn and placed at random on the rungs of the ladder. This ladder is then placed on view to all players.

Playing pickleball

Top tips to improve your game

• In the UK we are overhitting the balls compared to the US. Think softer shots. Don’t be afraid of dinking, even from the back of the court. Think about using the half of the court near the net instead of the back of the court
• Don’t try and win at every shot, only from that easy winning shot opportunity. Instead aim to not make an error such as hitting out or hitting the net. Think about how you can keep the rally going until that perfect shot opportunity arises. This might mean avoiding hitting near the tram lines and hitting a bit higher so it will go over the net
• The purpose of your serve is to keep your opponents towards the back of the court, so the shot doesn’t need to be fast as depth is more important. Try a pendulum motion with your paddle (rather than a tennis C shape)
• The purpose of the return of serve is to keep your opponent at the back so you can advance to the kitchen. So again this needs to be deep
• The purpose of the 3^rd shot in a match is to give you time to move to the kitchen. Don’t be afraid to dink from the back of the court as you don’t need to land in the kitchen, even the pro’s land just after the kitchen line
• Think pendulum swing for dinks, like you would have done with a bat and ball as a child
• If your opponents are at the back of the court, keep playing shots there to keep them back. Only start dinking when your opponents are at the kitchen

How does it work on a Club night?

Members choose games with other members each time a court becomes free. Courts are vacated after a match so that members waiting can be mixed in, or courts mixed with the other courts.

If there is a mix of abilities on a court, then work together so that the pairs are fairly equally matched. This will make the score more level and therefore the game will be more enjoyable. If you are new and would like to be introduced to other new players, just ask the Club Leader.

The number of members is limited to 24 across 4 courts, allowing plenty of opportunity to mix up partners for each game. Waiting time is kept to a minimum, by only playing to 7 instead of 11 if there are more than 3 people waiting. It is often helpful to have a pause between games for a breather, to have some water, chat to others and watch some games.

At all times members will abide by the Code of Conduct for the club. If you have any concerns, please chat to the Club Leader.

How to Play Pickleball with 3 people (cut throat pickleball)

Serving side/single player side:

The single person is always the server. The serving player may have one or two faults depending on what is decided by all players. The player only has to cover the half of the court that they are serving from. Any hits to the non-serving side during that point is out of bounds.

If the solo player wins the rally, they swap to the empty side of their court and serve the other way diagonally across the court. When the receiving side wins, the players rotate clockwise and the newly serving player attempts to score points. You can only score when you are serving. Keep track of your own points while you are serving. The first person to 11 points wins.

Receiving side/2 players:

The single player is allowed to hit the ball anywhere within the normal boundaries on the receiving side. As was explained above, the two players have to keep the ball within the half that the single player served from. You cannot serve from the receiving side, nor can you score. You try to get back round as soon as possible. If you win the rally, you all rotate clockwise on the court.