What is Pickleball? Rules, Court, and How to Start

What Is Pickleball? Rules, Court, and How to Start

Pickleball is a fast, social racket sport played on a badminton-sized court with a perforated plastic ball and solid paddles. You serve underhand, can’t volley inside the non-volley zone (“kitchen”), and only the serving side scores. Most games go to 11, win by 2—quick to learn, addictive to play.

Why everyone’s playing pickleball

Small court, big rallies. Pickleball rewards placement and touch more than raw power, so newcomers rally sooner and stay in points longer. Games are short, the rules are simple, and the kitchen adds smart tactics at the net—perfect for friends, families, and social leagues.

The court (and the “kitchen”)

A pickleball court is about 13.4m × 6.1m for doubles (singles uses a narrower width ~5.5m). There’s a central net and a 2.13m (7-ft) non-volley zone on each side called the kitchen. You can step into the kitchen after a bounce, but you can’t volley while any part of you is on or over the NVZ line.

Quick facts

• Size: ~13.4m × 6.1m (doubles)
• Non-volley zone: 2.13m (7 ft) each side of the net
• Surface: indoor/outdoor hard courts with clear lines
• Net: slightly lower in the middle

The gear

• Paddle: solid composite (no strings); rectangular head.
• Ball: perforated plastic ball (indoor and outdoor types).
• Shoes: court shoes with lateral support and grip.

No gear yet? Hire paddles and balls from the vending machines on site, 24/7, or pop by the Pro-Shop.

Basic rules (fast primer)

• Serve underhand, below waist, behind the baseline, cross-court.
• Double-bounce principle: the serve and the return must bounce before either team may volley.
• Kitchen: no volleying while on/over the non-volley zone line.
• Scoring: only the serving side scores; games commonly to 11, win by 2.
• Format: singles or doubles (doubles is most popular).

Pickleball vs Padel vs Tennis (at a glance)

Court
Pickleball — open badminton-sized court
Padel — 20m × 10m enclosed with glass
Tennis — large open court (23.77m × 8.23m singles)

Walls
Pickleball — none
Padel — in after the bounce
Tennis — none

Ball
Pickleball — perforated plastic ball
Padel — low-pressure tennis ball
Tennis — pressurised tennis ball

Serve
Pickleball — underhand
Padel — underhand
Tennis — usually overhand

Format
Pickleball — singles or doubles
Padel — doubles-first
Tennis — singles or doubles

How to start (at Padel Park)

1. ‍Book a court — grab a 60 or 90-minute slot on our indoor red courts. → Book a pickleball court in Hamilton

1. Join an Intro Course — learn rules, scoring, and kitchen tactics fast. → Pickleball lessons for beginners
2. Find players — post an Open Match in the app and we’ll surface partners at your level. → Open Matches
3. Gear sorted — hire from the vending machines on site 24/7, or visit the Pro-Shop during staffed hours.

FAQs

Is pickleball easy to learn?
Yes—underhand serve, small court, and simple scoring mean you’ll rally quickly, even on day one.

How big is a pickleball court?
Doubles is about 13.4m × 6.1m; singles uses a narrower width (~5.5m).

What’s the “kitchen”?
A 2.13m/7-ft non-volley zone by the net. You can step in after a bounce; you can’t volley while in it.

How do you score?
Only the serving side scores. Most games go to 11, win by 2 (event formats may vary).

What gear do I need?
A paddle, a perforated ball, and court shoes—we can supply hire gear on site.

Where can I play in Hamilton?
At Padel Park (82 Duke Street, Frankton). We have 3 indoor pickleball and 3 indoor padel courts, 24/7 access, coaching, and leagues.

Ready to play?

Book a court, jump into an Intro Course, or list an Open Match—your crew is a tap away.