What is pickleball? Rules, court and what you need to start
Pickleball is a paddle sport played on a small court: you hit a perforated plastic ball with a short, smooth paddle over a net 86 centimetres high. It blends tennis, badminton and table tennis, takes a quarter of an hour to learn, and is played by children, parents and grandparents at the same time. This page explains what it is, how it differs from padel, the key rules, how big the court is and what you need to start playing this afternoon.
How pickleball works
Two or four players face each other on a court of 6.10 by 13.41 metres (20 by 44 feet), exactly a badminton court. The ball is a hollow plastic ball with holes, so it bounces low and never travels fast. The paddle is shorter than a tennis racket, has no strings, and is about the size of a large table-tennis bat. You serve underarm and diagonally, and the ball must bounce once on each side before anyone may volley. Right by the net is the "kitchen", a zone of 2.13 metres (7 feet) where you may not hit the ball out of the air. That makes the game about placement rather than power, and that is why it is so accessible.
The sport was invented in 1965 on an island near Seattle by three fathers who wanted to keep their children busy with whatever was in the shed. In the United States it is now the fastest-growing sport; in the UK clubs and courts have been added every year since 2020, often at tennis clubs and leisure centres.
Pickleball vs padel: what is the difference?
They are often mentioned in the same breath, but they are two very different games. Padel is a cage sport with a pressurised ball; pickleball is played on an open court with a plastic ball. Here is the difference in one table.
| Pickleball | Padel | |
|---|---|---|
| Court | 6.10 × 13.41 m (20 × 44 ft), open, no walls | 10 × 20 m, glass cage, walls in play |
| Paddle | Smooth, short, no strings or holes | Perforated bat, thicker |
| Ball | Hollow plastic ball with holes, low bounce | Pressurised, similar to a tennis ball |
| Net | 86 cm (34 in) at the centre | 88 cm at the centre |
| Serve | Underarm, diagonal | Underarm, after one bounce |
| Where | Sports hall, tennis court, garden, driveway | Only on a padel court |
| To start | Two paddles, balls, a net or a line | Court hire, bats, pressurised balls |
In short: padel is faster and more physical, pickleball is easier to learn and needs no booked court. People who play both find that pickleball's net game feels a lot like the volley exchanges in padel.
The rules in six points
- Underarm serve. From behind the baseline, diagonally into the opposite service box, contacting the ball below the waist.
- Two bounces. The receiver lets the serve bounce, the server lets the return bounce. After that you may volley.
- The kitchen. In the 7-foot zone either side of the net you may not hit the ball out of the air.
- Only the serving side scores. Lose the rally as receiver and the serve changes hands; lose it as server and you only lose the serve.
- To 11, win by 2. A game goes to 11 points; at 10-10 you play on until someone leads by two.
- Lines are in. Except the kitchen line on a serve: a serve landing on it is a fault.
The full rules, doubles scoring and the faults everyone makes at first are on pickleball rules.
How big is a pickleball court?
The court is 6.10 metres wide and 13.41 metres long (20 by 44 feet), for both singles and doubles. The net is 91 centimetres (36 inches) at the posts and drops to 86 centimetres (34 inches) in the middle. Either side of the net is the 7-foot kitchen; behind it two service boxes of 10 by 15 feet. To play at home, allow roughly 9 by 18 metres (30 by 60 feet) including run-off. Measurements, drawing and tips for marking one out in the garden: pickleball court dimensions.
How to start
You need two paddles, a few balls and a net; on a tennis or badminton court the net is already there. Our set contains two paddles and four balls, ready to play this afternoon.
Frequently asked questions about pickleball
What is pickleball in the UK?
The same game as everywhere else: a paddle sport on a badminton-sized court with a perforated plastic ball. Pickleball England is the governing body and follows the international rulebook. Most councils, leisure centres and tennis clubs now offer sessions, and the number of courts has grown every year since 2020.
Is pickleball hard to learn?
No. The ball is light and bounces low, the paddle is short and the court is small, so most people are rallying within fifteen minutes. What takes time is the tactics at the net, not the technique.
What is the difference between pickleball and padel?
Padel is played in a glass-walled cage with a pressurised ball and a perforated bat; pickleball on an open badminton-sized court with a plastic wiffle-style ball and a smooth paddle. Padel is faster and more physical; pickleball is easier to pick up and can be played on any flat surface, including a driveway.
What do you need to start playing?
Two paddles, a few balls and a net or a line at about 90 centimetres. On an existing tennis or badminton court you can play straight away; in the garden or on the street, mark out a 6 by 13 metre court with tape or chalk.
Is pickleball for 2 or 4 people?
Both. Doubles is the most common format and the court is the same size for singles and doubles. A set of two paddles is enough for one-on-one; for doubles you need four paddles.
Can you play pickleball indoors?
Yes. In a sports hall you use an indoor ball with 26 larger holes; outdoors an outdoor ball with 40 smaller holes that copes better with wind. A badminton court has exactly the dimensions of a pickleball court.
Rather throw than hit? Pickleball is our second outdoor game; the first is cornhole, the boards Wicked Wood started with.
