Pickleball looks complicated from the sidelines, but you only need three rules to play a real game today. Everything else you'll pick up after a few rallies.
1. Serve underhand, diagonally
Stand behind the baseline and hit the ball below your waist with an upward swing. Aim diagonally into the opposite service box, past the kitchen line. You get one try (no second serve), so keep it simple: placement beats power.
2. Let it bounce twice
This is the rule that makes pickleball so beginner-friendly. The serve must bounce once, and the return of serve must bounce once too. After those two bounces, anyone can volley (hit the ball out of the air). It stops the serving team from rushing the net and keeps rallies long.
3. Stay out of the kitchen
The kitchen (officially the non-volley zone) is the 7 ft area on each side of the net. You can step in it any time, but you can't volley while standing in it or touching the line. Let the ball bounce first, then hit it. That's why soft, low shots called dinks are such a big part of the game.
How scoring works
- Games go to 11, and you must win by 2.
- Only the serving team scores a point.
- In doubles, call three numbers before you serve: your score, their score, and which partner is serving (1 or 2).
Can't remember the score mid-rally? You're not alone. A flip scoreboard ends the debate.
What you need to start
Two paddles, a few balls and a net. If there's no court nearby, the Backyard Court Kit turns a driveway into a regulation court. For practice on your own, try the Home Training Bundle.
That's it. Grab a partner, play to 11, and you'll be hooked by the second game.