What Is Pickleball? How to Play & Everything You Need to Get Started

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Pickleball is having a major moment, with more and more people grabbing a paddle, throwing on their sneakers and hitting the courts. The sport has rapidly grown in popularity — especially throughout America, as an estimated 36.6 million people played the sport between August 2021 to August 2022, CNBC reported.

Even celebrities have been hopping on the healthy trend, with Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck being spotted playing Tuesday (July 4). In a tweet from @BenniferUpdates, you can see a video of the two sporting some casual athletic wear while hitting the ball across the court.

With more pickleball courts popping up, playing the sport has now become easier — but what exactly is it? If you’ve never heard of the game before or want a quick rundown on all the essential info, we’ve gathered all you need to know to get started on your pickleball journey.

Keep reading to learn what the sport is, how to play and what you need to get started.

What is Pickleball?

The sport may look like a supersized version of ping-pong, but there are a lot more elements that go into playing. The game combines elements of tennis, ping-pong and badminton, according to USA Pickleball. Since it only requires a paddle, a plastic ball with holes and a net, it’s versatile enough to be played indoors or outdoors, allowing for year-round play. A traditional court is usually the size of a badminton court and you can even play on a double or single team.

How to Play Pickleball

One of the reasons the game has become so well-loved is for how easy it is to learn. To start off, someone serves underhand diagonally (and the serve can’t go above your waist). Only one serve is allowed unless it hits the net and lands within the bounds. The serve must also bounce twice — meaning it bounces when it’s served to the other side and then must bounce again when it’s returned to the server.

Iit’s OK to volley with the team, which means you can hit it across the court without waiting for the ball to bounce. You’ll notice on the court a rectangle in front of the net, which is referred to as the “kitchen.” This area is strictly out of bounds unless you’re hitting the ball off a bounce — other than that, stay out of the kitchen!

If your team scores a point, then the server switches to the left square and serves diagonally from there. The switching and serving continues after every point until you lose possession of the ball. Games usually play until someone reaches 11 points and are typically won by two points.

If you need a visual, Pickleballerz USA has a step-by-step video you can follow below.

Best Pickleball Gear, According to Shoppers

Before you head to the nearest court, make sure you have the right pickleball sets to get you started. If you plan to play outdoors, be sure to pack some sunscreen in your backpack and pair it with some leggings for optimum movement. Whether you have a court nearby or want to set one up in your backyard, keep reading to stock up on all the essentials.

Tearplex’s Pickleball Set comes with four paddles in red and blue to differentiate teams if you play singles or double. The set is also labeled as an Amazon Choice for pickleball equipment with a rating of 4.6 stars — and we can see why. For those hot sweaty rounds, you can use cooling towels provided during your breaks in between rounds — or when you need to switch out balls with one of the four provided. Everything can also be carried and stored away in the handy bag provided.

Just need a paddle and spare? This popular paddle set has earned a 4.7 star rating on Amazon with almost 3,000 shoppers rating it five stars for how, affordable, lightweight and comfortable they are to use. Reviewers even label it a beginner-friendly design with one shopper saying they “strongly recommend it if you are looking for an intro set.”

Set up your own pickleball court in your backyard with the help of the Fostoy Pickleball Net Set. Not only does it come with a stainless steel net, but features four paddles, eight balls and a handy carrying case. It’s also an Amazon Choice product with a 4.6 star rating for its ease of setup and ability to seamlessly move from one spot to another (thanks to its built-in wheels).

For more product recommendations, check out our roundups of sunglasses deals, the best speakers and portable chargers.

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