What is Pickleball? A Complete Beginner’s Guide

Pickleball is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, blending elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis into a fun and accessible game. First created in 1965 in Washington State, USA, pickleball has grown from a backyard pastime into a competitive international sport played by millions.

The game is played on a badminton-sized court (6.09m x 13.41m) with a lightweight perforated plastic ball (similar to a wiffle ball) and solid paddles. The net is set slightly lower than a tennis net: 91.5cm at the posts and 86.4cm in the centre. A distinctive feature of pickleball is “the Kitchen”—the non-volley zone that stretches 2.13m from the net on each side.

How to Play Pickleball

  • Players – Pickleball can be played in singles (two players) or doubles (four players).
  • Serving – The ball must be served underhand and diagonally across the court. The player serving continues until they fault. Only the serving side can win points.
  • Double Bounce Rule – On the serve and the return of serve, the ball must bounce once before it can be hit. After these two bounces, volleys are permitted.
  • Non-Volley Zone (Kitchen) – Players may not volley (hit the ball before it bounces) while standing inside the Kitchen.
  • Scoring – Games are typically played to 11 points, with a team needing to win by at least 2 points.

This balance of simple rules and strategic depth makes pickleball easy to learn for beginners but highly engaging for advanced players.

Pickleball Court Layout

  • Baseline – The back boundary line, 6.7m from the net.
  • Sidelines – The outer edges of the court, defining in/out of bounds.
  • Centerline – Divides the service boxes.
  • Service Courts – The right and left service areas between the Kitchen and baseline.
  • Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone) – The 2.13m space from the net where volleys are prohibited.

Key Pickleball Terminology

Learning pickleball terms helps new players feel confident on court.

  • Dink – A soft, controlled shot that just clears the net and lands in the Kitchen.
  • Fault – Any rule violation that ends a rally.
  • Foot Fault – Stepping into the Kitchen while volleying, or failing to stay behind the baseline while serving.
  • Half Volley – A scoop-like shot played immediately after the ball bounces.
  • Let Serve – A serve that clips the net but still lands in the correct service box.
  • Poach – In doubles, when a player crosses into their partner’s side to intercept a shot.
  • Rally – A sequence of shots after the serve until a fault occurs.
  • Side Out – When the serving team loses the serve to the opponents.
  • Lob – A high, arching shot aimed to push opponents back.
  • Volley – Hitting the ball before it bounces.

Why is Pickleball So Popular?

Pickleball has surged in popularity across the USA, Australia, and globally because:

  • Easy to learn – Yet still offers tactical depth for advanced players.
  • Smaller court size – Makes it less physically demanding than tennis, appealing to all ages.
  • Social and inclusive – Doubles is the most common format, making it community-driven.
  • Rapid growth – Communities are rapidly building dedicated pickleball clubs and courts worldwide.

Getting Started with Pickleball

If you’re new to the sport, you’ll need just three things:

  1. Paddle – Lighter and smaller than a tennis racquet.
  2. Pickleball ball – A plastic ball with holes (indoor and outdoor variants exist).
  3. Pickleball net – Many tennis or badminton courts can be adapted for pickleball with a portable net.

Many sports centres and community clubs now offer beginner pickleball sessions, making it simple to give the sport a try.