So you want to pickleball eh? Join the party. Pickleball is America’s fastest growing sport — from retirees to teenagers, it’s winning hearts all across America. I’ve been playing for 5 years and think everybody should give it a try. But before you do, it’s worth learning the official pickleball rules so you show up to the court with confidence.

Whether you’re brand new to the game or an experienced player looking to clarify a rule or settle an article, this guide will have all the rules you need to get picklin’.

Official pickleball rules

All of the official pickleball rules can be overwhelming, but there a few key one’s to know to get started playing.

1. You can only score on your serve.
2. The ball must bounce once on each side of the court before a player can volley
3. You can’t volley a ball while in the kitchen.
4. Balls that land on the line are in play.

These are the basics, but the nuance of the game is more complex. But have no fear! We’ll walk you thorugh everything you need to know.

What is Pickleball?

Let’s start with the basics, for all you brand new newbies out there. What is pickleball? Spoiler alert, it does not involve ay real pickles.

Pickleball is a paddle sport that can played both indoors and outdoors. It’s played on a special pickleball court that is a cross between a badminton and tennis court. The game is played with two or four players, using light-weight wooden or fiberglass paddles and a super special pickleball ball (second spoiler it’s basically a wiffle ball). The object of the game is to hit the ball over the net and onto the opposing side of the court without your opponent returning it.

Pickleball is so popular because of its accessibility for all ages and skill levels. It is easy, fast-paced, and low impact on the body. While it’s a fun recreational hobby, the world of professional pickleball is also exploding with new leagues popping up courtesy of new investors.

Pickleball Court Dimensions

A pickleball court should measures 20 feet wide by 44 feet long. The court dimensions are marked by lines that are two inches wide and designate the out-of-bounds areas as well as the service boxes and receiving boxes. On either side of the net is a seven foot no volley zone. This area commonly know as the kitchen has rules that go along with it. We’ll get into those later.

The net height in pickleball should be 36 inches high at the sides and 34 inches high in the center. As with most sports, it goes in the middle of the court.

The court should also be marked with a 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net. This zone is also known as the “kitchen” and players are not allowed to volley the ball while standing in this area. The court should also be marked with a baseline line that is located 22 feet from the net. This line is the back boundary of the court that determines whether a serve is in or out.

Pickleball Scoring Rules

Official pickleball rules for scoring are pretty straightforward. After a serve, there are a series of volleys between the players until one team fails to return the ball. The golden rule of pickleball scoring is that you can only score on you or your team’s serve. If you win the rally that your opponent served, they lose their turn, but you do not receive a point.

Most of the time a game go’s until one team reaches 11 points. But in order to win you must win by 2, so the final score can vary if the game is tight.

The rules around returning the ball are easy… probably the easiest part of pickleball. If the ball comes to you and

1. It bounces twice before you hit it
2. You hit it out of bounds

Then it’s no point. You must do these two things for a hit to be legal.

Official rules of Pickleball Serving

Pickleball serving rules are important to get right. After all if you can’t get the first hit right, your game won’t get very far. The good news is that the basics are simple.

1. In doubles, the player on the right serves first. In singles, you start by serving on the right side.
2. For starters, the server must stand behind the baseline and within the designated service box when serving. No toes on the line!
3. The ball must be hit underhanded with an open paddle and must land within the diagonally opposite service box without first bouncing on the server’s side of the net.
4. The ball may not hit the net on the way over.
5. If the serve is successful, the server goes to the opposite side of the court (so if you were on the right you go to the left) and continues until they or their team does not successfully return a ball.
6. In singles, once their turn is over the ball goes to their opponent. In doubles, both players on a team have a chance to serve.

After the serve: Pickleball Rally Rules

OK now that the ball is in play the real fun begins. This stage of the game is called rallying. The first two hits after the serve have a special rule: the ball must bounce before being returned. That means that whichever player returns the serve must let it bounce first, and then the serving team must let it bounce before hitting it. On the third hit after the serve, you can start hitting the ball without letting a bounce (volleying).

Player’s may volley from anywhere on the court except from the (you guessed it) no-volley zone or kitchen. The kitchen has a set of rules that are worth looking at, but here are the main ones:

1. Players may not volley the ball while in the kitchen.
2. If a ball bounces in the kitchen, a player may step in to return the ball.

Simply put, don’t step in the kitchen unless the ball has bounced there.

Pickleball doubles strategy

If you’re playing with a partner, there are some special pickleball double strategies you can use. Remember that teamwork is key. Partner should have an understanding of where they are positioned on the court and align with their partner in order to maximize their coverage and defensive capabilities. Also communicate! Talking is key to playing effectively together.

Pickleball singles strategy

In singles play, stay focused on your own game rather than trying to keep up with your opponent’s shots. You should develop a strategy for how you want to approach each rally and stick to it throughout the point. If you find yourself struggling focus on footwork! It will help you move around the court quickly in order to return shots.

Pickleball Etiquette (unspoken rules)

Nobody like a sour pickler. Pickleball should be fun and enjoyable! Keep things light by respecting your opponent, keeping the sailor mouth to a minimum, and calling your own faults.

Pickleball Tips for Beginners

If you’re just starting out in pickleball, try to focus on having fun rather than worrying about winning or losing. When in doubt, focus on basics. Practice strokes such as serves and volleys until you feel comfortable with them. Also feet, feet, feet! Footwork will win or lose a game, so work on that.

Advanced Techniques for Experienced Players

Once you’ve become comfortable with the basic strokes, it’s time to start learning some more advanced techniques. This includes learning how to perform spin serves, dink shots, drop shots as well as how to place shots strategically around your opponents in order to gain an advantage. Additionally, experienced players should practice playing against different types of opponents in order to develop their skills further.

Wrap up

So there you have it! Official pickleball rules aren’t that complicated once you start playing even though they can seem intimidating at times. The pickle community is generally very warm and welcoming, so when in doubt just ask! Someone will be more than happy to help you out. Now go forth, and pickle!