Pickleball questions, answered

A paddle sport that mixes parts of tennis, badminton and table tennis. You play with a solid paddle and a light plastic ball with holes, on a small court with a low net. It is easy to learn, social, and popular with all ages.

You serve underhand and diagonally, and the ball must bounce once on each side before anyone may hit it in the air (the two-bounce rule). You may not volley while standing in the non-volley zone next to the net, called the kitchen. In standard rules, games go to 11 points, you must win by 2, and only the serving side scores.

20 by 44 feet (about 6.1 by 13.4 meters), the same for singles and doubles. The net is 36 inches high at the sides and 34 inches in the middle. The kitchen is the 7-foot zone on both sides of the net.

Padel is played with a stringless racket and a tennis-like ball on a bigger court closed in by glass walls that are part of the game. Pickleball uses a solid paddle and a plastic ball with holes on a smaller, open court without walls.

Tap Pickleball courts near me on our home page to see the closest courts with the distance and whether they are open right now. You can also search your town.

Yes. Many public parks and recreation areas have free courts, first come, first served. Indoor centers and private clubs usually charge per session or ask for a membership.

At indoor pickleball centers, recreation and community centers, gyms and sports complexes. Indoor courts are handy in winter, in summer heat and in the evening.

Open play, or drop-in, means you show up and join games with other players, often rotating partners. Parks, rec centers and clubs run it at set times, so check the venue's schedule.

We show the opening hours from the venue's public map listing with a live Open now badge. Park courts are often open from dawn to dusk, and open play times change per season, so check the venue's website or call ahead.

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