A Guide to Pickleball: How to Play & Rules for Beginners

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23 Apr 2024
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Discover the rules of pickleball with Edwards Sports' beginner's guide. Learn how to play, the different areas of the court, and how the scoring system works.

Discover how to play pickleball with our handy beginner's guide! Learn the rules, techniques, different areas of the court, and how the scoring system works before your first match.

A Brief Summary of Pickleball: How to Play & Rules for Beginners

Pickleball combines tennis, badminton, and table tennis, played on a 20 ft x 44 ft court with paddles and a perforated plastic ball.
Serve underarm and diagonally, keeping the paddle below waist height — only the serving team can score points.
Let the ball bounce once on each side after the serve before volleying, known as the double-bounce rule.
Avoid the Non-Volley Zone (the “kitchen”) when hitting volleys; stepping in counts as a fault.
Games are played to 11 points, and you must win by at least 2.

Cluing yourself up on the pickleball rules before you get stuck into your first game is a wise move.

It's a sport that combines tennis, table tennis, and badminton, and it has greatly surged in popularity among sports fanatics, no matter their age or skill level.

If you're new to pickleball and ready to get stuck in, you've come to the right place.

Our guide covers the essential rules and tips to get you started, ensuring you enjoy this fast-growing sport with confidence. Let's get straight into it.

The Basic Pickleball Rules

Pickleball can be played with two or four players, making it versatile for singles or doubles play.

While pickleball may look a bit like other sports, it certainly has its own identity, so before we get into the details, here's a basic overview of the rules for beginners:

Equipment: Players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials and a plastic ball with holes.
Serving: Serve underarm, aiming for the diagonally opposite court.
Scoring: Games are decided by 11 points, with a 2-point win margin. Only the serving side scores.
The Double-Bounce Rule: Each side must let the ball bounce once before volleying. This means the ball needs to bounce once after the serve and the return before being volleyed.
The Non-Volley Zone: Known as “the kitchen”, this 7-foot zone by the pickleball net doesn't allow volleys.
Faults: Faults include the ball going out, not crossing the net, stepping into the kitchen to volley, or volleying before the ball bounces once on both sides. Violating the double-bounce rule (i.e. volleying before each side has bounced) is treated as a fault — the rally ends, and the point or serve is lost by the offending side.
Service Rotation: In doubles, both players on the serving team will serve (in turn) until they commit a fault; after that, the serve passes to the other team. In singles, service switches immediately to the opponent after a fault.

pickleball players doubles net — **Image:** by LPETTET (from Getty Images Signature) via Canva.com

Learn More: Where Did Pickleball Originate?

How to Play Pickleball Doubles

Pickleball doubles is the most popular way to play the game, so we've explained, in detail, how you would play it with four people on the court.

Don't worry, though, if you want to play a singles match, the core rules remain the same, bar a few changes around scoring and court positioning (we'll explain all in the singles section, so it doesn't get confusing).

Equipment Needed for Pickleball

Below is a list of the equipment you'll need for a game of pickleball:

Pickleball paddles
Pickleball balls
A pickleball net and net post (if your facility doesn't have a permanent one)
Additional: You'll need some suitable shoes, perhaps some protective eyewear if you think it's necessary, and, of course, a designated pickleball bag to put it all in.

Pickleball Posts | Pickleball Nets

The Set Up of the Pickleball Court

A pickleball court is a rectangle that measures 20 feet in width and 44 feet in length for both singles and doubles matches.

If you're going to play a game in a sports facility already with an established pickleball court, it's unlikely you'll have to set up yourself. The most likely thing you'll have to do is assemble and put the net in the correct spot.

For those curious, below is a visual guide to the dimensions of a pickleball court and where a net would go if you needed to set one up.

How to Serve in Pickleball

To serve in pickleball, players must follow certain rules and techniques. After playing a few times, serving becomes easy.

The player serves from behind the baseline on one side of the court, using an underarm motion so the paddle hits the ball below waist height.

The server must remain behind the baseline and not step on or over it.

The goal is to serve the ball diagonally across the court, aiming for it to land in the opposite diagonal service box.

If a serve fails (i.e. doesn’t land properly), there is no second chance — the server loses the serve — except in the case of a ‘let’ (when the ball touches the net but still lands in the correct service box), in which case the serve is replayed.

What about the Pickleball Serving Sequence?

In pickleball, the serving sequence is critical to gameplay and follows a fixed order to ensure fairness and continuity.

The game begins with the player on the right-hand side of the court (when facing the net) serving the ball.

In doubles matches, both players on a team serve and switch sides until a fault is committed. The serve is then passed to the opposing team.

If the server's score is even, they'll serve from the right-hand side. If it's odd, they'll serve from the left-hand side.

How to Start a Game & Keep Score

So you can understand the full picture, we've created a step-by-step guide on how you would start a game of pickleball:

Step 1)

Toss a coin or play a rally to decide who serves first.
The winning team chooses to serve or receive.

Step 2)

The serve must be underarm, with the paddle contacting the ball below waist height.
The server must stand behind the baseline and hit diagonally across the court into the opponent’s service box.
The ball must clear the non-volley zone (the “kitchen”) and land in the diagonal service box.

Step 4)

Hitting the ball out of bounds
Not getting the ball over the net
Breaking the double-bounce rule
Making a service error

How to Play Pickleball Singles

While most beginners start with doubles, singles pickleball follows the same basic rules, with a few key differences:

The court size remains the same, 20 ft by 44 ft, but you must cover the entire area yourself.
Only one player serves per side, so when you lose a rally, the serve immediately passes to your opponent.
Scoring uses just two numbers instead of three (e.g. “4 – 2”).

Essential Pickleball Information

What are the Different Faults in Pickleball?

Ball out of bounds: The ball lands outside the boundary lines.
Not clearing the net: The ball fails to cross the net.
Volleying in the non-volley zone: Hitting the ball before it bounces while standing in the kitchen.
Double-bounce rule: The ball must bounce once on both sides before volleying.
The wrong way to serve: Serving incorrectly or from the wrong position.
Foot faults: Foot touches the non-volley zone while volleying.
Double hits or carrying the ball: The ball must be struck cleanly once.

What Type of Shots Can You Make in a Game of Pickleball?

Serves: Underarm into the opponent's service box.
Return of serve: Hit back after one bounce.
Drop shots: Land softly in the opponent's kitchen.
Dink: Short, controlled shot into the kitchen.
Volley: Hit before the ball bounces.
Drive: Firm, flat shot from the baseline.
Lob: High defensive shot.
Overheads: Attacking shot against lobs.

pickleball paddle — **Image:** by Bill Oxford (from Getty Images Signature) via Canva.com

Conclusion: Learning the Basics of Pickleball

As you can see, pickleball involves a lot of new terms and shots to learn, but once you've played it once, you're guaranteed to become a regular player!

It's just like riding a bike — once you've got it, you've got it.

Learning the basics will only enhance your playing experience while introducing you to the game's strategic aspects. You'll be playing in friendly tournaments in no time!

If you want to learn more about this rising star in racket sport, check out the rest of our blog posts!

And, if you're looking to introduce pickleball at your facility, we have the equipment you need. Check out our range below!

FAQs

Why is it Called Pickleball?

According to the LTA, pickleball got its name from two well-known stories. One states the wife of the co-inventor of pickleball said the mix of different sports in the game reminded her of 'pickle boat' in rowing, a crew made up of leftover oarsmen.

Another is that the game was named after the family dog, Pickles. But the family later said the dog was named after the game, not the other way around.

You can learn more about the history of pickleball here!

Can You Play Pickleball on a Tennis Court?

Yes! Lots of players use tennis courts for their pickleball matches.

However, a pickleball court is much smaller than a tennis court, so you'd need to adapt it by marking out the dimensions using pickleball lines or tape.

What Are Illegal Serves in Pickleball?

Illegal serves in pickleball include:

Serving before the opponent is ready.
Stepping on or over the baseline during the serve.
Not hitting the ball underarm when serving.
Making contact above waist level.

Any serve violating these conditions is faulted, resulting in a loss of serve.

Can You Ever Step in the Kitchen in Pickleball?

Yes, in pickleball, players can enter the kitchen or Non-Volley Zone, but only if the ball has bounced first.

Hitting the ball before it bounces while in this zone counts as a fault. This rule promotes strategic play and encourages volleying from behind the zone.

How Many Points is Pickleball Played To?

Pickleball games are typically played to 11 points, with players or teams needing to win by at least 2 points.

In some recreational or special events, other lengths (e.g. 15 or 21) may be used if agreed beforehand, but these are less common.

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