What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a fast-growing racket sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. Played on a smaller court with a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball, it offers a fun, low-impact game for players of all ages and skill levels. Popular in the United States and rapidly expanding in the UK and Ireland, pickleball is praised for its accessibility and social nature.
How do you play Pickleball?
Pickleball can be played in singles or doubles format. The game begins with an underhand serve that must land diagonally in the opponent’s service area. After the initial rally, players alternate hits with the goal of scoring by forcing an error or landing the ball within the opponent’s court. The game emphasizes quick reactions, positioning, and precision over power.
Pickleball rules
- Scoring: Only the serving side can score points. Games are usually played to 11 points, and a team must win by at least 2 points.
- Double bounce rule: The ball must bounce once on each side after the serve before volleys are allowed.
- Non-Volley Zone ("Kitchen"): Players cannot volley the ball while standing in the non-volley zone near the net.
- Faults: Common faults include hitting the ball out of bounds, failing to clear the net, or volleying from the kitchen.
Pickleball Court
A standard pickleball court is 13.4 metres (44 feet) long and 6.1 metres (20 feet) wide, the same size for singles and doubles. The court includes a 2.13-metre (7-foot) non-volley zone on each side of the net. Pickleball courts can be built as standalone facilities or overlaid on existing tennis or badminton courts.
Which equipment you need to play Pickleball?
To play pickleball, you’ll need:
- Pickleball paddle: A solid, lightweight paddle made of composite or graphite materials. At Quicksand, our paddles are certified and approved by USA Pickleball, the world’s leading governing body for the sport.
- Pickleball balls: Hard plastic balls with holes, designed for indoor or outdoor play.
- Court shoes: Supportive, non-marking shoes suitable for quick lateral movements.
Difference between Pickleball vs Padel
While both are popular racket sports, pickleball and padel differ in several key ways:
- Court: Padel is played on a walled court with synthetic turf, while pickleball is played on an open, smaller hard court.
- Rackets: Padel uses thicker, perforated rackets; pickleball uses solid, lighter paddles.
- Ball: Padel uses felt-covered rubber balls, whereas pickleball uses perforated plastic balls.
- Gameplay: Padel involves wall bounces and longer rallies, while pickleball emphasizes volleying and kitchen play.
Difference between Pickleball vs Beach Tennis
Pickleball and Beach Tennis are also distinct in nature:
- Surface: Pickleball is played on hard surfaces, beach tennis on sand.
- Equipment: Pickleball paddles are solid and lightweight; beach tennis rackets are usually made from carbon or fiberglass, with no strings.
- Ball: Pickleball uses a plastic ball with holes; beach tennis uses depressurized tennis balls.
- Style of play: Beach tennis is fast-paced with continuous volleys. Pickleball offers a mix of rallies and tactical play, particularly around the kitchen zone.
