Pickleball guide
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a fast, social paddle sport that combines compact-court movement, simple serving and long, tactical rallies. It is usually played as doubles, but the same court works for singles too.
A game built for rallies
Players use solid paddles to hit a perforated plastic ball over a low net. The ball moves more slowly than a tennis ball, the court is compact, and the serve is designed to start the rally rather than win it outright.
The distinctive rule is the non-volley zone—the seven-foot area on either side of the net. You cannot volley while standing in it, so good points become a mix of patient dinks, quick reactions and well-timed attacks.
The court at a glance
A standard Pickleball court is 20 feet wide by 44 feet long for both singles and doubles. The net is 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches at the centre.
- Baseline The back line you serve from and defend behind.
- Service courts The two diagonal boxes beyond the non-volley zone where a legal serve must land.
- Non-volley zone the kitchen The seven-foot zone beside the net where you may not hit a volley.
- Sidelines and centreline They define the playing area and the two service boxes.
Court surfaces and local markings vary. Check the lines and any club-specific rules before you start a competitive match.
How a point unfolds
- Serve diagonally into the opposite service court.
- The receiving side lets the serve bounce before returning it.
- The serving side also lets that return bounce before playing it back.
- After those two bounces, either side may volley or play the ball after a bounce, while respecting the non-volley zone.
That two-bounce sequence stops players from rushing the net directly off the serve. It gives each rally a little time to develop before the faster exchange at the kitchen line begins.
Your first few games
- Keep the serve simple Aim deep, get it in and be ready for the return. Consistency matters more than pace.
- Return deep A deep return makes it harder for the serving side to reach the kitchen line comfortably.
- Move with your partner In doubles, travel forward and back together so you do not leave an inviting gap between you.
- Be patient at the kitchen A low, controlled dink often creates a better opening than a hurried hard shot.
Common questions
Is Pickleball played as singles or doubles?
Both are common, but doubles is the usual social format. The court dimensions are the same for each.
Why is it called the kitchen?
It is the informal name for the non-volley zone. You can enter it to play a ball that has bounced, but you cannot volley from it.
Is Pickleball easy to start?
Most people can enjoy a rally on their first session. The finer points—dinking, positioning and shot selection—give the game plenty of depth as you improve.