Your Guide to Pickleball Rules

Dreaming of the perfect backyard upgrade that combines fun, fitness, and social connection? Pickleball is the answer! 

This fast-growing sport is taking the nation by storm, offering an accessible and engaging activity for all ages and skill levels. 

But before you grab your paddle and start playing on your very own home court, it’s essential to understand the game’s fundamental rules.

This comprehensive guide will provide you with all the essential pickleball rules you need to know to enjoy the game to the fullest, right in your backyard. 

We’ll cover everything from the court layout to serving regulations, scoring systems, and gameplay dynamics.

Understanding these rules is the first step towards designing and building the ideal court for your home.

Why Pickleball is the Perfect Sport

Pickleball’s surge in popularity isn’t a coincidence. It offers a unique blend of benefits, making it an ideal sport for a home court. Here’s why:

Convenience and Flexibility

A home court provides unparalleled convenience. 

Play whenever you want, on your schedule, without the hassle of booking courts or waiting for your turn.

Whether it’s a quick morning game or an evening match under the lights, your court is always ready.

Family Fun and Social Gatherings

Pickleball is a fantastic way to bring family and friends together. 

Its social nature encourages interaction and friendly competition.

Host backyard tournaments and casual games, or enjoy quality time with loved ones.

Exercise and a Healthy Lifestyle

Pickleball provides a great cardiovascular workout with less stress on the joints compared to high-impact sports like tennis.

It improves agility, reflexes, and hand-eye coordination, contributing to a healthier lifestyle.

Increased Home Value

While not guaranteed, a well-maintained pickleball court can potentially increase your property’s value and appeal, especially in areas with a strong pickleball community.

The Essential Pickleball Rules: A Beginner’s Breakdown

Pickleball rules might seem a bit different at first, especially if you’re coming from tennis. But don’t worry! They’re relatively easy to learn. Here’s a breakdown of the key elements:

The Court

Dimensions

The pickleball court is rectangular, measuring 20 feet wide and 44 feet long for both singles and doubles play. This is the same size as a doubles badminton court.  

Net

The net is suspended across the middle of the court. It’s 36 inches high at the sidelines and 34 inches high in the center.  

Non-Volley Zone (The Kitchen)

This is a 7-foot area on both sides of the net. Players cannot volley (hit the ball in the air) while standing within the kitchen, with some exceptions we’ll cover later.

Serving Rules

Serving in pickleball has some unique characteristics:

Underhand Serve: The serve must be underhand. The ball must be struck below the wrist.  

Diagonal Serve: The serve must be hit diagonally across the net and land within the service box of the opposite court.  

Behind the Baseline: The server must be behind the baseline when serving.  

One Foot Behind the Baseline: At least one foot must remain behind the baseline until after striking the ball.

Below the Waist Serve: The serve must be hit below the server’s waist.

Serving Sequence (Doubles):

• At the beginning of each game, the first serving team is allowed only one fault.
• After that, each player on a team gets to serve until their team commits a fault.
• When the first server faults, their partner serves from their correct side. When they fault, the serve goes to the other team.
• Players switch sides only after their team wins a point and continues serving.
• The player who starts serving on the right side continues to serve from the right side when their team wins a point.

Faults: A fault occurs when

• The serve does not land within the correct service box.
• The serve is not underhand.
• The ball is hit out of bounds.
• A player volleys the ball in the non-volley zone before the ball has bounced once on each side of the court.

Scoring

Points Only by Serving Side

Points can only be scored by the side that is serving. If the receiving side wins the rally, they win the serve, but no points.  

Scoring Sequence

In doubles, the score is called with three numbers: the serving team’s score, the receiving team’s score, and the server number (1 or 2). In singles, the server’s number is always one.  

Game End

The first side to reach 11 points and lead by at least 2 points wins the game.  

Gameplay

The Two-Bounce Rule

After the serve, the ball must bounce once in the server’s court and once in the receiver’s court before volleying is allowed. This is also known as the “double-bounce rule.”

Volleying

Volleying is hitting the ball in the air without letting it bounce. As mentioned earlier, volleying is not allowed within the non-volley zone (kitchen) unless the ball has already bounced once on each side.

Faults

In addition to serving faults, other faults include:

• Hitting the ball out of bounds.
• Hitting the net.
• Volleying in the kitchen before the two-bounce rule has been satisfied.
• Touching the net during play.

Doubles vs. Singles Rules

• The rules are largely the same for doubles and singles.
• The main difference is in the serving sequence in doubles, as described above.

FAQs: Addressing Common Pickleball Rule Questions

What are the five serving rules in pickleball?

While there are more than five nuances to serving, here are five of the most important:

1. The serve must be underhand.
2. The serve must be diagonal.
3. The serve must be below the waist.
4. The server must be behind the baseline.
5. The serve must clear the non-volley zone.

What are the 10 rules of pickleball?

It’s tricky to boil it down to exactly 10, as rules have sub-clauses, but here are 10 key rule concepts:

1. Court dimensions.
2. Net height.
3. Underhand serve.
4. Diagonal serve.
5. Two-bounce rule.
6. Non-volley zone rules.
7. Scoring system.
8. Faults.
9. Doubles serving sequence.
10. Game ending at 11 points (win by 2).

Are the rules of pickleball different than tennis?

Yes, there are several key differences:

• Serving is underhand in pickleball, overhand in tennis.
• The pickleball court is smaller than a tennis court.
• Pickleball has a non-volley zone (kitchen).
• Pickleball uses a perforated plastic ball, while tennis uses a felt-covered ball.
• Pickleball scoring is different, especially in doubles.