Your First Time Playing Pickleball

What to bring

• Shoes: you need lateral support, so tennis shoes, badminton shoes or indoor court shoes all work; running shoes don’t support side-to-side movement well and make it easier to roll an ankle.
• A paddle: for your first time, ask whether the courts or club lend paddles; if you want to buy one, a beginner paddle is plenty.
• Balls: usually the courts or other players bring them; outdoor balls have smaller holes and are harder, indoor balls have bigger holes and are softer.
• Water and a towel, plus a hat and sunscreen if you’re playing outdoors.

Where to play

• Community centers, park courts, or badminton courts with pickleball lines.
• Look up local pickleball clubs, Facebook groups, or a court finder app like Places2Play; they usually post weekly open play times and beginner sessions.
• Some courts and coaches run beginner clinics where someone plays with you; it’s the fastest way to get started.
• Before you go, check the hours, the fees, whether you need to book ahead, and whether you can borrow a paddle.

How open play works

The usual setup is a paddle rack (or whiteboard) by the court for the line: put your paddle up in order, and when it’s your turn, you and the next three players go on court together for a game of doubles. When the game is over (usually to 11, though some courts use a time limit), you come off and put your paddle at the back of the line. On your first visit, just tell people you’re new; most players are happy to show you how to call the score and where to stand.

Court etiquette every beginner should know

• Call the score out loud before you serve, and check before the game which scoring you’re playing: in side-out scoring doubles it’s three numbers (like 5-3-1); in rally scoring it’s just two (like 5-3). If you’re not sure, ask the other players to help, or take the scoring quiz in the game first.
• Make generous line calls: you call the lines on your side; if you can’t tell whether the ball was in or out, it’s in for your opponents.
• If your ball rolls onto the next court, call out “Ball!” and wait until they finish the point before getting it, or ask them to toss it back.
• Don’t walk across someone else’s court during a point; wait until it ends, then cross quickly.
• Tap paddles after the game with your opponents and partner, or just say thanks, then put your paddle at the back of the line.

Tips for your first game

• Serve for consistency: just get it into the diagonal service court, no need to serve hard.
• Remember the two-bounce rule: let both the return and the third shot bounce first.
• When you get the chance, move up behind the kitchen line and return the ball with soft dinks; that wins more points than banging from the baseline.
• In doubles, call “Mine!” or “Yours!” on balls down the middle, so you don’t both leave them.