Pickleball Rules

1. Court and Equipment

• Court size: 20 ft wide × 44 ft long (same for singles and doubles).

• Net height: 36 inches at sidelines, 34 inches at center.

• Equipment: paddle and plastic perforated ball.

2. Starting the Game

• Games are usually played to 11 points, win by 2.

• Only the serving team can score points.

• Serve must be underhand and hit diagonally to the opposite service court.

3. Double Bounce Rule

• After the serve, each side must let the ball bounce once before volleying (hitting in the air).

4. Non-Volley Zone (“Kitchen”)

• The 7-foot area on each side near the net.

• You cannot volley the ball while standing in the kitchen.

• You can enter the kitchen to hit a ball after it bounces.

5. Scoring

• Only the serving team scores.

• Games are usually played to 11 points; in tournaments, games can be to 15 or 21.

• You must win by 2 points.

6. Serving Rotation

• In doubles, each partner gets a turn serving except at the start of the game.

• After a side loses the serve, the other team serves.

7. Faults

A fault occurs if:

• The ball lands out of bounds.

• The ball does not clear the net.

• The ball is volleyed from inside the kitchen.

• The ball bounces twice before being hit.

8. Legal Shots

• Groundstrokes (after the bounce) and volleys (without a bounce, outside the kitchen) are legal.

• Dinks: soft shots into the non-volley zone for strategic rallies.

9. Tips for Fair Play

• Always call your own lines in casual games.

• Communicate with your partner: “Yours,” “Mine,” or “Switch.”

• Play with sportsmanship—pickleball is social as well as competitive.