Pickleball Rules

RULES

Pickleball is a sport in which two, three, or four players use solid paddles made of wood or composite materials to hit a perforated polymer ball over a net. The sport shares features of other racquet sports, the dimensions and layout of a badminton court, and a net and rules similar to tennis, with a few modifications.

SCORING

One game typically takes 25 minutes to play. Game is played to 11, win by 2. Each team member gets to serve until they lose the point, with one exception, the team that serves first only gets 1 serve. The score is a series of 3 number; serving team score, receiving team score, server #1 or #2. Ex. 7-3-2 means serving team has 7 points, opposing team has 3 points and it is the second server about to serve.

SERVING

Must serve underhand from behind the baseline, cross-court, into the service area past the kitchen. Only the serving team can score points.

QUIRKY RULES

After the serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce, then the serving team must let that return bounce before hitting. After that the ball may be volleyed (hit in the air) or off the bounce. A player cannot step in the kitchen unless the ball bounces in the kitchen first.