History-of-Pickleball.docx

**History of Pickleball** https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/history-of-the-game/ **1965** After playing golf one Saturday during the summer, Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State and Bill Bell, successful businessman, returned to Pritchard's home on Bainbridge Island, WA (n...

**History of Pickleball** https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/history-of-the-game/ **1965** After playing golf one Saturday during the summer, Joel Pritchard, congressman from Washington State and Bill Bell, successful businessman, returned to Pritchard's home on Bainbridge Island, WA (near Seattle) to find their families sitting around with nothing to do. The property had an old badminton court so Pritchard and Bell looked for some badminton equipment and could not find a full set of rackets. They improvised and started playing with ping-pong paddles and a perforated plastic ball. At first they placed the net at badminton height of 60 inches and volleyed the ball over the net.As the weekend progressed, the players found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt surface and soon the net was lowered to 36 inches. The following weekend, Barney McCallum was introduced to the game at Pritchard's home. Soon, the three men created rules, relying heavily on badminton. They kept in mind the original purpose, which was to provide a game that the whole family could play together. **1967** The first permanent pickleball court was constructed in the backyard of Joel Pritchard's friend and neighbor, Bob O'Brian. **1972** A corporation was formed to protect the creation of this new sport. **1975** The National Observer published an article about pickleball followed by a 1976 article in Tennis magazine about "America's newest racquet sport." **1976** During the spring of 1976, the first known pickleball tournament in the world was held at South Center Athletic Club in Tukwila, Washington. David Lester won Men's Singles and Steve Paranto placed second. Many of the participants were college tennis players who knew very little about pickleball. In fact, they practiced with large wood paddles and a softball sized plastic ball. **1978** The book, *The Other Raquet Sports*, was published and included information about pickleball. **1982** Pickleball pioneer, Sid Williams began playing and organizing tournaments in Washington state. **1984** The United States Amateur Pickleball Association (U.S.A.P.A.) was organized to perpetuate the growth and advancement of pickleball on a national level. The first rulebook was published in March 1984. The first Executive Director and President of U.S.A.P.A. was Sid Williams who served from 1984 to 1998. He was followed by Frank Candelario who kept things going until 2004. The first composite paddle was made by Arlen Paranto, a Boeing Industrial Engineer. He used the fiberglass/nomex honeycomb panels that commercial airlines use for their floors and part of the airplane's structural system. Arlen made about 1,000 paddles from fiberglass/honeycomb core and graphite/honeycomb core materials until he sold the company to Frank Candelario. **1990** Pickleball was being played in all 50 states. **1992** Pickle-Ball, Inc. manufactured pickleballs in-house with a custom drilling machine. **1997** Joel Pritchard passed away at age 72. Though he was Washington State's Lieutenant governor from 1988 to 1996, he is probably better known for his connection to the birth of pickleball. **1999** The first pickleball internet website, Pickleball Stuff, launched and provided players with information, equipment, and products. **2001** The game of pickleball was introduced for the first time in the Arizona Senior Olympics through the efforts of Earl Hill.  The tournament was played at Happy Trails RV Resort in Surprise, AZ and drew 100 players. It was the largest event ever played to that point. Over the next few years the event grew to nearly 300 players. **2003** There are 39 known places to play in North America listed on the Pickleball Stuff website. This represents 10 States, 3 Canadian Provinces and about 150 individual courts. Pickleball was included for the first time in the Huntsman World Senior Games, held each year in St. George, Utah during October. **2005** A new corporation for the sport was established as USA Pickleball Association (USAPA).  Mark Friedenberg was named the first president of the new USAPA and the first Board of Directors included: - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Steve Wong (former USAPA Webmaster) created the first USAPA website that went live in March. Website activity continued to increase as the popularity of pickleball grows and the features of the website increase. USAPA became a Non-Profit Corporation on July 1. USAPA cooperated with several web sites to have them discontinue their Places to Play links and consolidate all their entries into the USAPA database creating a single reliable source for players to find sites to play.  Today this website is: places2play.org **2006** One of the originating founders of the sport, Bill Bell passes away at 83. **2008** The USAPA Rules Committee, headed by Dennis Duey, published the (1) *USA Pickleball Association Official Tournament Rulebook -- Revision: May 1, 2008*.** ** Pickleball was included for the first time at the National Senior Games Association (NSGA). There are now 420 places to play in North American as listed on the USAPA website. This represents 43 States and 4 Canadian Provinces and about 1500 individual courts. This does not account for those places that are adding courts at private homes. ABC's *Good Morning America* aired live, in-studio segment on pickleball that included a brief demonstration.  This was the first mass media exposure for the sport. **2009** The first USAPA National Tournament for players of all ages was held in Buckeye, Arizona, November 2-8, 2009. The tournament drew almost 400 players from 26 states and several Canadian provinces. USAPA establishes the Grant Program to assist players in creating new sites for new players. By the end of 2013 the program has accounted for over 1,400 new sites. **2010** To help foster the growth of the sport on an international level, USAPA established the International Federation of Pickleball (IFP) organization and corresponding website (ifpickleball.org). **2013** In January, Justin Maloof joined USAPA as its first full-time Executive Director. USAPA starts the year off with a record 4,071 members. USAPA re-brands with a new logo and red, white, and blue color scheme that is more consistent with other US national sports governing bodies. **2014** USAPA launched a new, more user-friendly website. Pickleball Channel launched making it the first professional media group for the sport **2015** USAPA surpasses 10,000 members for the first time. The first USAPA ambassador retreat was held in Tahoe City, CA. According to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association (SFIA), there are now just over 2 million pickleball players. USAPA and author Mary Littlewood collaborate with publisher, Human Kinetics to produce a new pickleball book for beginners titled (2) *Pickleball Fundamentals, Master the Basics and Compete with Confidence*. After 6 years in Buckeye, AZ, USAPA moves the USAPA National Championships to Casa Grande, AZ. Total number of courts per Places2Play continues to grow and breaks through 10,000 courts and finishes the year at 12,800 for both indoor and outdoor courts. **2016** USAPA reports it now has more than 17,000 members. USAPA creates a national certified referee certification program. *Pickleball Magazine* launched as the sports first full-color, professional print and digital publication.  USAPA members receive a free digital copy and a discount on a mailed subscription. The first US Open Pickleball Championships were held in Naples, FL and included the first nationally televised broadcast of pickleball on CBS Sports Network. More than 4,600 locations are now listed on Places2Play. USAPA selects St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital as it's national charitable partner. The Super Senior International Pickleball Association (SSIPA) was created and partners with USAPA and sanctions all their tournaments. **2017** The USAPA volunteer Ambassador group exceeds 1,500. Places2Play reflects nearly 5,900 locations. USAPA expands the number of USAPA regionals from 8 to 11. USAPA and the American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) partner to co-author the first official pickleball construction book for the sports industry. (3) *Pickleball Courts -- a Construction & Maintenance Manual *provides detailed technical information for properly building pickleball courts and facilities. USAPA and the International Pickleball Teaching Professional Association (IPTPA) launched a Pickleball Hall of Fame.  Inaugural inductees were Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, Sid Williams, Arlen Paranto, Mark Friedenberg, and Billy Jacobsen. With over 1,300 players, the USAPA National Championships sets a record for participants and for the first time, a 2-hour segment of the event airs to a nation-wide audience on CBS Sports Network. USAPA membership doubles in two years and is 22,000 by December. **2018** USAPA membership surpasses 30,000. Total number of courts per Places2Play locations is nearly 7,000 and there are nearly 21,000 known courts across the U.S. USAPA partners with Pickleballtournaments.com to produce and launch the sports first results-based tournament player ratings (UTPRs). USAPA partners with the newly formed Professional Pickleball Registry (PPR), a subsidiary of the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR).  During the first 6 months, PPR certifies over 1,000 new pickleball instructors. USAPA members Jennifer Lucore and Beverly Youngren co-author and publish the sport's first historical book, (4) *History of Pickleball, More Than 50 Year of Fun!* The USA Pickleball partners with Desert Champions, LLC with a multi-year deal and moves the National Championships to the world-renowned Indian Wells Tennis Garden in Indian Wells, CA. Registration for the newly branded Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships explodes to over 2,200 participants.  The event featured over 17 hours of live-streamed content to a nation-wide audience on ESPN3 and a 1-hour segment aired nationally on ESPNEWS.  The event also provides the highest cash purse (\$75,000) in the history of the sport. USAPA Facebook team carried several live matches of the National Championships on Facebook and had a total reach of over 1.5Million viewers. Pickleball Hall of Fame inductees were Earl Hill, Fran Myer and Robert Lanius. **2019** USA Pickleball Association as part of the growth agenda adds several new staff including Hope Tolley, Managing Director, Recreation Programs, George Bauernfeind, as first Chief Marketing Officer, and Karen Parrish, Head of Competition and Officiating. The Sports Fitness Industry Association 2019 report indicates pickleball continues as one of the fastest growing sports in the U.S. as participants reaches 3.3 million. The last of the three originating founders of the sport, Barney McCallum passed away at 93. The Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships places a greater emphasis on spectators and the spectator experience. A VIP lounge and live video screens were placed just outside the stadium court where fans could enjoy the action from the food and beverage areas. The event drew nearly 28,000 fans. Pickleball Hall of Fame inductees were Dan Gabanek, Jennifer Lucore, Enrique Ruiz and Steve Paranto. USAPA reaches almost 40,000 members by the end of the year, a 1,000% growth rate since beginning of 2013. **2020** USAPA rebranded as USA Pickleball, aligning more consistently it with other US sports governing bodies and our USA Pickleball National Championships. The brand re-launch also includes a new, modern logo and an updated website. The new name, logo and website are designed to strengthen USA Pickleball's worldwide image as the official pickleball organization in the U.S. Stu Upson joins USA Pickleball in December as first full-time CEO. **2021** USA Pickleball Membership reached the 50,000 milestone and ended the year with just over 53,000 members, a 43% increase from the previous year and the largest single growth year to date for the organization. With over 2,300 registered players, the 2021 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships presented by Pickleball Central was the largest tournament in the world to date. USAP continued to reinvest in staff infrastructure and ended the year with nearly 20 staff members. Media exposure also continued to drive awareness with several national segments on NBC's The Today Show, CNBC, BBC News, Live with Kelly and Ryan, and stories published within top-rated publications including, The New York Times, Vanity Fair, Forbes, Allure, The Boston Globe, The Economist, USA Today, Sports Illustrated, Parade, and Axios. **2022** The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America for the second consecutive year in its annual 2022 Topline Participation Report. The 2022 Margaritaville USA Pickleball National Championships drew nearly 2,300 registered players with the professional players competing for \$150,000 in prize money. The Indian Wells Tennis Garden hosted 5,522 fans at the peak of Championship Sunday, the largest-ever pickleball attendance in history. In 2022, "pickleball" was one of the hottest trends in the U.S., receiving an unprecedented level of media coverage by major domestic and international outlets. More information about the growth of pickleball in 2022 can be found in USA Pickleball\'s Annual Growth Report [[here]](https://usapickleball.org/about-us/organizational-docs/pickleball-annual-growth-report/). **2023** USA Pickleball membership numbers reached the 70,000 mark in February of 2023, after a nearly 30 percent increase in membership growth in 2022. In its 2023 Topline Participation Report, the Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) named pickleball the fastest-growing sport in America for the third year in a row. According to the report, pickleball is now up to a total of 8.9 million players in the United States over the age of six years old, an increase from 4.8 million in 2022. In March, USA Pickleball and the Professional Pickleball Association announced that the 2023 USA Pickleball National Championships, presented by the PPA Tour, will be held in Dallas this November. Guides **How to play pickleball - 9 simple rules for beginners** picture of Brandon Mackie [[Brandon Mackie]](https://www.pickleheads.com/author/brandon-mackie) Updated on: Jul 19, 2024  *This article was written in collaboration with [[USA Pickleball]](https://usapickleball.org/news/usa-pickleball-announces-partnership-with-pickleheads-as-its-official-court-and-game-finder/).* Ready to learn **how to play pickleball**? You\'re not alone. Pickleball is now the fastest-growing sport in America, and it\'s tons of fun. Whether you\'re an absolute beginner or a seasoned player looking to refresh your grip on the game, I\'ve got you covered with this quick guide. Follow these 7 simple rules and you\'ll be out playing in no time. To get started, all you need is a quality [[beginner pickleball paddle]](https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/beginner-pickleball-paddles), [[pickleball balls]](https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/pickleball-balls) to play with, and a [[pickleball court near you]](https://www.pickleheads.com/search). The best way to learn the basics is with a private lesson or beginner\'s clinic. They often provide equipment if you\'re not ready to invest in gear yet. Take a beginner lesson Take a beginner lesson Book a private or group lesson to learn the basics. See what\'s available in your area! [[Find a pickleball coach near you]](https://www.pickleheads.com/search?mode=lessons) **How to play pickleball** Pickleball is played on a badminton-sized court (20\' x 44\') with a net height of 36\" at the sidelines and 34\" at the center. Each side has a 7' area called the non-volley zone (or \'kitchen\') where players aren't allowed to hit volleys (a shot hit out of the air). The sport is most often played in \"doubles\" (two on each team) where players stand to the right and left of the centerline. I\'ll mostly be covering the rules for doubles, so check out my guide on [[how to play singles pickleball]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-singles) if you want to learn more. Let\'s get into the 7 main rules for pickleball. These are just a brief overview, so check below for a deep dive into each rule. **Rule \#1: each rally begins with a serve** The pickleball game (and each rally) starts with a serve. The player on the right side of the court, facing their opponents, always starts the serve. You serve diagonally to your opponent in the opposite service area:  The person serving can either hit the ball off the bounce or out of the air and must clear the kitchen (including the line) for it to count. The serve must be hit with an underhand forehand or backhand stroke with contact below the waist. Your arm must also move in an upward arc when you strike the ball. Learn more about how to serve in pickleball: **Rule \#2: the ball must bounce on both sides before either team can volley** Before any player can hit a shot out of the air (called a volley), the ball must bounce once on each side (known as the two-bounce rule\'). So, if your partner is serving and you start up at the kitchen, you're in a dangerous position. Why? This is because the returning team can hit a shot right at you, and if you react with a volley, it's considered a fault and you'll lose the point. This rule exists to keep the serving team back on the baseline to start. Without it, the serving team can easily rush the net and gain an unfair advantage every time. **Rule \#3: each point continues until a fault** After the serve, gameplay continues until a "fault" is committed. A fault ends the rally. In pickleball, there are four basic types of faults: - The serve does not clear the kitchen (including the line). - The ball lands out of bounds (behind the baseline or outside the sideline). - The ball hits the net. - The ball bounces twice on one side before the player can return it. Graphic showing the three main fault types in pickleball **Rule \#4: you can\'t volley in the kitchen** The 7' zone on each side of the net marks the non-volley zone, or \'kitchen\'. As the name suggests, you can never hit a volley while any part of your body is in the kitchen (or even on the kitchen line). You can't let your momentum carry you into the kitchen after a volley either.  That said, you *can* hit the ball off the bounce in the kitchen---just not out of the air. If your opponent hits a short shot landing in the kitchen, you can enter and hit from the kitchen. [[Learn more about pickleball kitchen rules]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-kitchen-rules) **Rule \#5: you only win points on your serve** In traditional pickleball scoring, you only win points on your serve and you continue serving until you lose a rally. After winning each point on your serve, you switch sides (left and right) with your partner and serve to the other opponent. When your team loses a point, your other teammate begins serving following the sequence described above until another point is lost by your team (the serving team). Once that happens, the serve "sides out" (switches) to the other team. **Rule \#6: the correct score must be called before serving** In pickleball scoring, you'll hear players announce three numbers, like \"0-0-2\". Here's what each number means: First Number score of the serving team Second Number score of the receiving team Third Number which player of the team is serving, first server (1) or second server (2) Let's say the game is tied at 3-3. If you start the serve, you'll announce "3-3-1", so everyone knows you are the first player in rotation serving. If you lose the rally, the ball doesn't go to your opponents. It goes to your teammate who will announce \"3-3-2\". If your partner loses their serve, a \"side out\" occurs. This means that they\'ve used up their two serves and it\'s now their opponent\'s turn to serve. Their opponents then call out \"3-3-1\" before starting their serve. Graphic showing an example score in pickleball doubles There is one exception to this rule: the first player to serve at the beginning of a new game calls out \"0-0-2\". This is so the starting team only gets one serve since they have the advantage of being able to score points first to start the match. **Rule \#7: first team to 11 points wins---but you must win by 2** Following all the rules above, the game continues until one team gets 11 points. However, they must win by 2. So, if a game is tied 10-10, the next score doesn't end the game as usual. Play continues past 11-10 until one team can win by 2 points. As a result, some games can continue for a very long time. You might see final scores of 12-10, 15-13, or even 21-19. These are often the most fun games. **What you need to play pickleball** Before you start, you\'ll need: - **Pickleball gear**: paddles, balls, and maybe even a [[pickleball net]](https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/pickleball-net) (if your local courts don\'t have permanent nets). - **Pickleball clothing**: whether it\'s a pair of the [[best pickleball shoes]](https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/pickleball-shoes) or some brand-new socks, investing in pickleball-specific clothing can help you play better. - **A local pickleball court** - Brush up on the latest [[pickleball rule changes]](https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/pickleball-rule-changes), though this will be more important once you start playing competitively. Tip: there are so many bad paddles out there and trust me, I\'ve tested a lot of them. Why not take my 30-second [[paddle fitting quiz]](https://www.pickleheads.com/paddle-quiz) to see which paddle suits your play style and budget best?  Find the best paddle for you I've personally tested over 80 paddles. Take the quiz to see which ones are right for you. [[Take Paddle Fitting Quiz]](https://www.pickleheads.com/paddle-quiz) **How to set up a pickleball court** If a court already has lines drawn, you'll rarely have to set up. Just show up and play. Other times, you might have a court with permanent lines, but no net. You\'ll need a portable net for these. Once assembled, place it in the center of the court like you would in tennis. Let\'s take a closer look at the [[dimensions of a pickleball court]](https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/dimensions-of-a-pickleball-court): Graphic showing the dimensions of a pickleball court **Types of shots in pickleball** Let\'s go over some of the shots you can make in pickleball: Drives These powerful shots are hit off the bounce, often from the baseline. They are played using a forehand or backhand swing. Drop Shots Played at the back of the court, these shots aim to land in the opponent's kitchen to keep them from attacking. Dinks Like a drop shot but played closer to the net, these touch shots are hit into your opponent's kitchen and help keep the other team from attacking. Volleys These shots are hit out of the air before the ball bounces. They can only be played outside the kitchen. Lobs These shots are hit high into the air to move opponents away from the kitchen. Overheads Shots hit above the head with a tennis serving motion, used to attack lobs before they bounce. **How to serve in pickleball** Every rally in pickleball begins with the serve. Unlike in tennis, the purpose of the pickleball serve is to put the ball in play. It is *not *an offensive weapon. According to [[USA Pickleball Official Rules]](https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/how-to-play-old/basics/serving/): - The serve must be hit with an underhand stroke so that contact with the ball is made below the waist. - The arm must be moving in an upward arc and the highest point of the paddle head must be below the wrist when it strikes the ball. - The highest point of the paddle head cannot be above any part of the line formed where the wrist joint bends. In other words, the pickleball serve is an underhand forehand or backhand stroke that finishes with an upward motion:  While the pickleball serve is typically hit out of the air, USA Pickleball updated the rules in 2021 to allow for a \"drop serve\". This lets you drop the ball and hit your serve off the bounce. **Where to serve in pickleball** In pickleball doubles, you always serve to the diagonally opposite service court. Your serve must completely clear the kitchen line, and land between the sideline and baseline to count. The serve can land \"on the line\" for the baseline and sideline, but *not* on the kitchen line. Graphic showing where to serve in a game of pickleball **Where to stand when serving** You must stand behind the baseline when serving in pickleball. Your foot cannot touch or pass the line during your serve. You should remain behind the baseline as the serving team until after a third shot is hit. If you were to run up to the kitchen after serving, you would risk violating the two-bounce rule. Hint: the returning team can stand in a \"one-up, one-back\" formation since the serve will bounce on their side first. This allows them to immediately start to volley after their return is made. **Serving strategies** While the goal of the pickleball serve is to place the ball in play, you *can* use it to your advantage. Here are three strategies for improving your pickleball serve: - **Serve deep**. Short serves cause your opponent to run forward to the kitchen line. You want to keep them back as long as possible, so a deep serve is best. - **Hit to a weakness**. Serving to your opponent\'s weaker side will result in more errors or weaker returns by them. - **Add spin (advanced)**. By changing the angle of your wrist on your serve follow-through, you can introduce spin. An unexpected spin can throw your opponents off guard, and cause unforced errors on the return. [[Learn more about pickleball serving rules]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-serving-rules) **What is an illegal serve in pickleball?** An illegal serve in pickleball is any serve that violates any of the serving rules. Just remember: - A serve must land into the opposite (diagonally) service area. - A serve must be hit underhand with an upward motion. - The server must strike the ball at a height lower than their waist. - The server\'s feet must be behind the baseline when serving. - It must be your turn to serve, so follow the rotation and make sure to serve in the correct order. **Types of serving mistakes** Here are some additional serving mistakes in pickleball that will also result in a fault: Foot Faults A server steps on or over the baseline or sideline as they serve. Missed Serve A player tosses the ball up to serve but either fails to make contact or catches it without hitting it. A Pre Spun Serve The server uses their tossing hand to spin the ball before hitting it. Hitting The Net The ball hits the net and doesn\'t make it over or falls into the kitchen. If it hits the net but still lands in the correct service area, then the serve counts. Missing The Serve The server hits the serve into the opposite kitchen (including the kitchen line), outside of the baseline, or outside of the opponent's sideline. Since the [[\"pre-spun\" serve was banned in 2023]](https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/pickleball-spin-serve-ban), only the paddle can put spin on the ball during a serve. Zane Navratil made this type of serve famous with his deadly \"chainsaw\" serve. Watch Zane demonstrate his technique here: **How to start a game & keep score** The pickleball game always begins with a serve. So, who serves first? According to the [[USA Pickleball rulebook]](https://usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/official-rules/rules-summary/#:~:text=Serving%20Sequence&text=The%20first%20serve%20of%20each,from%20the%20left%2Fodd%20court.), \"any fair method shall be used to determine which player or team has the first choice of serve\". You can flip a coin. I\'ve seen some local courts dictate the north side always serves first. So, either ask a local or come up with your own method.  Once the serving side is chosen, the player on the right side of the court goes first. They announce the starting score, which is always \"0-0-2\". Each team starts with 0 points, while the \"2\" indicates the starting team serves at position 2 (see Rule \#6). This means that when a fault occurs, there will be a \"side out\" and the serve will go to their opponents to prevent unfair advantage. After the first side out, each team gets two chances to lose the serve (first server then second server) before it sides out to the other team. Remember: a \"side out\" happens when the serving team uses up their two serves. At this point, the opposing team gets their chance to serve. There\'s a lot to take in here, so let\'s recap how to start a pickleball game: - Decide the starting team based on local rules or a coin toss. - The player on the right side of the court serves first. - The first server announces \"0-0-2\" as the starting score. - Players serve (out of the air or off the bounce) to the diagonal side - If the service is \"good\", play continues. - After the point is over, if won by the serving team, the serve is hit from the left side of the server\'s court. Points then alternate from left to right until the serve \"sides out\". [[Learn more about how pickleball scoring works]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-scoring) **What is the two-bounce rule in pickleball?** The \"two-bounce rule\" means that the ball must bounce once on each side after a serve before any player can volley the ball out of the air. This rule was created to prevent the serving team from gaining an unfair advantage. Let\'s use doubles as an example. When a player serves the ball and it lands in their opponent\'s court, that counts as the first bounce. After the opponent returns the ball, the serving team must wait for the ball to bounce again before hitting it. This means players can only \"volley\" the ball once the two-bounce rule has been fulfilled. If a player is standing close to the net before fulfilling this rule, they cannot legally hit it out of the air. Graphic showing the double bounce rule in pickleball So, it wouldn\'t make any sense for the serving team to start at the kitchen. You should only start at the kitchen if you\'re on the receiving team but not currently receiving the serve. This is because the ball will always have bounced twice before ever being hit to you. Once the two-bounce rule is fulfilled, all players are free to move to the kitchen area and begin volleying. This is the most strategic place to be in pickleball. **How to play pickleball doubles** Pickleball doubles involves two players on each team and is by far the most popular way to play pickleball. Here\'s a quick guide on where to stand:  Since doubles is the most common variation, all the rules I\'ve discussed so far apply here unless otherwise mentioned. This goes for things like serving, scoring, volleying, and the two-bounce rule. [[Learn even more about pickleball doubles rules]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-doubles-rules) **How to play pickleball singles** Doubles might be the most popular way to play pickleball, but you can also play singles. This version works just like doubles, except that you only have one player on each side instead of two. One major difference is in which side the player serves from after a side out (based on their score). Brandon Mackie playing a game of pickleball singles Another difference is in the scoring. Unlike in doubles, the server calls out only two numbers: their score (first), and the opponent\'s score (second). Here are the five main scoring rules in pickleball singles: - The first serve for each side starts on the right side. - If the *server* wins the rally, they move to the left side of the court. - If the *receiver* wins the rally, neither player switches sides. - The server continues serving (switching sides from right to left) until they lose a rally. - There\'s only one serve per rotation. If the server loses a rally, the serve goes to the receiver.  There\'s no second server in this version. So, if you lose the rally on your serve, a side out occurs and the serve goes to your opponent. How do you know which side of the court to serve from in pickleball singles? In singles, the serve is always taken from the right side of the court when the server has an even number of points (0, 2, 4, etc). When the server has an odd number of points (1, 3, 5, etc), the s erve is taken from the left side. Note: apart from these small changes, all other pickleball rules for serving, faults, line calls, and the non-volley zone are exactly the same as in doubles. [[Learn more about how to play pickleball singles]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-singles) **Can you play pickleball by yourself?** If you can\'t find a partner to play with, why not get in some solo drills? These can help boost your fitness and improve your skills, ready for your next game. There are plenty of [[great pickleball drills]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/pickleball-drills) to choose from. For beginner players, I recommend the \"paddle up\" and \"selfie ball bounce\" drills to help your coordination and reflexes. Here are some ways to maximize your practice sessions: - A practice wall: any flat, vertical surface will do, like a garage door or wall. Bouncing the ball against a wall repeatedly is a great way to work on your accuracy, shot finesse, and reflexes. - Some players set up a portable net or line to make sure their shots are at the correct height. You can also mark out targets on the surface, or buy a \"dink pad\" to hang on your wall. - A rebound net: these are great for solo practice as they bounce the ball back at you to mimic an opponent. The nets can be set up in a driveway, yard, or basement and can be tilted at different angles to produce different return shots. They\'re much quieter than using a wall, which should help keep the neighbors happy. - A pickleball machine: if you\'re serious about drilling solo, a pickleball machine is the best way to improve your skills quickly. These can feed you every possible combination of speed, angle, spin, and direction. This allows you to practice real-game scenarios. The Erne is easily the [[best pickleball machine]](https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/pickleball-machine) in 2024. It holds over 150 balls and can be controlled and programmed via an app on your phone to deliver complex drill routines. [[Read my full Erne pickleball machine review]](https://www.pickleheads.com/pickleball-gear/erne-pickleball-machine-review) **Tips for pickleball beginners** Here are my favorite beginner tips to help you win more games: - Transition up to the kitchen after you hit your serve return to take charge of the court. I see so many beginners struggling to win points only playing from the baseline. - Keep your paddle in front of you in the ready position (above your chest). Pickleball is a game of fast reactions, so holding your paddle at your waist will slow you down. - Use a loose grip on touch shots. Aim for a 3/10 in how tightly you hold the grip. The tighter you hold, the more likely you are to pop up your dinks and drop shots. - Don\'t flick your wrist on your touch shots---especially dinks. Try moving your arm as one from your shoulder. Dinks require precision, and using your wrist can make your shots unpredictable. - Bend your knees and get low. Whether you\'re hitting a drive or a touch shot, your power and accuracy will improve by getting low and hitting from a stable base. - Skip the lob. While catching your opponent off guard with a lob feels good, it\'s a low-percentage shot. After all, pickleball courts are small. Go for dinks instead and play a higher-percentage game. - Be patient. You might want to hit every ball hard, but you\'ll win more games if you save the power for when you have the advantage (like on a pop-up). - Learn how to drop. The drop shot is by far the hardest shot in pickleball. It separates the beginners from everyone else. Get a drilling partner or pickleball machine and start hitting drop after drop. - Serve and return deep. The deeper you can hit, the harder your opponents will have to work up to the kitchen. - Practice as often as you play. In a drilling session, you can repeatedly practice a shot that you might only get a couple of chances at in a real match. If you\'re serious about improving your skills, [[book lessons with a pickleball coach]](https://www.pickleheads.com/search?mode=lessons). - Buy a decent paddle. You\'d be amazed how much a quality paddle can improve your game. [[Take our paddle quiz]](https://www.pickleheads.com/paddle-quiz) to find the right one for you. [[Learn even more mistakes to avoid as a beginner]](https://www.pickleheads.com/guides/beginner-pickleball-mistakes) **Find pickleball courts near you** The best way to learn how to play pickleball is to go out and play! Pickleball has become America\'s fastest-growing sport for a reason---it\'s really easy to pick up. Plus, there are plenty of [[places to play pickleball]](https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/can-you-play-pickleball-on-grass). Here are three great ways to find courts near you so you can practice everything you\'ve learned in this article. **Use our pickleball court finder** Our court finder tool is the easiest way to find a court near you. By setting your location, you can search on a map of over 17,000 places to play pickleball. See which courts have lines, if you need to bring a net, hours of operation, amenities, and more. Remember: our court finder is not a reservation system, so always check with your local court\'s rules. You may need to pay a small fee or wait to play if the courts are busy. [[Find pickleball courts near you]](https://www.pickleheads.com/search) **Check your local parks** Parks and recreation centers manage pickleball courts all over the country, and new ones are being added all the time. While these courts are often free to play, you should always check whether you need to make a reservation or pay a fee. **Visit tennis centers** Many tennis centers are adding pickleball, either by building new courts or outfitting existing [[tennis courts with lines for pickleball]](https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/can-you-play-pickleball-on-a-tennis-court). Check to see if they have open play sessions dedicated to pickleball. Just check if you need to bring your own net. Photo of a tennis net and court on a sunny day **Bottom line** Pickleball is an easy and fun game to learn how to play. Let\'s have another look at the 7 main rules: 1. Every rally starts with an underhand serve (forehand or backhand). 2. The ball must bounce once on each side before you volley. 3. Each point continues until a fault. 4. Stay out of the kitchen (unless you let the ball bounce first). 5. You only win points on your serve. 6. The correct score must be called before serving. 7. You win at 11 points (and by 2). Now get out there and play! **Recent updates** **July 2024** After partnering with USA Pickleball, we worked together to improve this article, keeping all the information up to date and adding new helpful sections. I also revised the rules so that they\'re easier to understand, especially for beginners. Learn more about [[our partnership with USA Pickleball]](https://www.pickleheads.com/blog/usa-pickleball).