FAQ

Pickleball was invented in 1965 by three fathers in Washington State who were looking for a new backyard game to play with their families on a summer day on Bainbridge Island.

Pickleball is a fun, low-impact sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and skill levels. It is easy to learn and has only a few rules, but also offers room for improvement and strategy. This enjoyable and social sport is great for players of all abilities. It is also a fantastic way to exercise while truly having fun.

Pickleball is played on a smaller court than tennis and with a lower net. The ball used in pickleball is made of lightweight plastic and has holes punched through it, making it slower and easier to control than a tennis ball. Pickleball is also played with solid paddles instead of strung rackets. In pickleball, the ball is served underhand, whereas tennis requires an overhand serve.

To play pickleball, two or four players hit a perforated ball over a net using paddles. The ball is served diagonally across the court and players try to rally the ball back and forth over the net, similar to tennis. Points are scored by the serving team when a player on the opposing team is unable to return the ball or hits it out of bounds, or commit another fault (like hitting it out of the air in the kitchen).

After the ball is served, it must bounce once on the receiving side and one on the return. This is why it’s called the “double bounce rule,” as it must bounce twice. After the return, players may hit the ball out of the air before it bounces on their side, as long as they are not standing in the kitchen (also called the non-volley zone).

The pickleball court is similar in size to a badminton court, measuring 20 feet by 44 feet for singles play. The net is positioned at a height of 36 inches at the edges and slopes to 34 inches at the center.