The best way to understand how to play pickleball is if you think of it as a mixture of tennis, ping pong, and badminton. Pickleball is definitely easier to play than tennis and is also less physically demanding as there is less movement involved. Yet, there are some ground rules you need to master if you want to get good at the game.
1. Get equipped:
Before learning the rules for pickleball, we recommend you first start by getting the right equipment: paddles, a pickleball court, a pickleball, and the right partners who will make the game even more enjoyable. When it comes to finding a court for pickleball, the nearest badminton court will work, since it has the same measurements as a pickleball court. As for pickleball partners, you have the option to play in singles or doubles. Whichever you choose, the same rules apply.
2. Learn the rules:
Before serving the pickleball and starting the game, there are some ground rules you need to remember that will greatly help you win at pickleball:
- Keep the ball inbounds: When playing pickleball, the main thing to focus on is keeping the ball within the white lines, or else you will have to give the serve to your opponent.
- Do not let the ball bounce more than once: This one is what makes pickleball a unique game compared to tennis or ping pong. When the ball bounces more than once, you automatically lose it and you have to give it to the other team, which puts you at a disadvantage and may negatively impact your score.
- Serve at the baseline and avoid hitting the no-volley zone: Flip a coin to see who gets the pickleball first, and whoever gets to serve has to do it at the baseline with one foot behind the other, and prevent the ball from bouncing in the no-volley area.
- Know how to calculate the score: When it comes to scoring, pickleball and tennis have more a lot in common. In both games, the scoring is conventionally limited to 11 or 15 points, with an obligation of a difference of 2 points between the two teams for the one ahead to win.
3. Know when the game ends:
When first playing pickleball, you may notice how fast-paced the game is. Therefore, it is recommended to play 3 rounds, and the team that wins 2 games out of 3 is the winner. For the longer version of the game, you may take the round number up to 5.