All the answers to your commonly asked questions about pickleball

What is so great about the PaddleQ®?

We think there are a ton of things that make the PaddleQ® great! It is a one of a kind solution to your pickleball paddle storage and staging needs. We make the PaddleQ® our factory in the United States of the highest quality materials. We oversee every step of the manufacturing process and offer a lifetime warranty. Not to mention, you never have to worry about replacing batteries, finding an outlet, or maintaining a motor. The PaddleQ® is 100% powered by gravity.

What are the pickleball rules?

The rules of pickleball are relatively straightforward, but there are quite a few, so it can be confusing to remember. Here are a few important pickleball rules to know. You can only score off a serve. You must serve underhanded, diagonally across the court. The ball must bounce on each side of the net before you can hit it out of the air. The kitchen is a non-volley zone, meaning you can only be in the kitchen after the ball bounces in it. If you want a more in-depth review of the rules of pickleball, check out our blog.

How do I find pickleball tournaments near me?

If you’re ready to take your rec play to the next level, finding a local tournament is a great place to start. You can find some tournaments on Pickleball Brakets or through Pickleball Global. Check out Pickleball Tournaments for more advanced tournaments.

What do I wear to play pickleball?

When you think about pickleball attire, your mind might jump to tennis, and you wouldn’t be far off. For recreational or casual play, any sort of athletic wear works great.

How is pickleball different from tennis?

At first glance pickleball and tennis look very similar; however, there are some big differences. Each sport uses its own equipment, unique rules, and different sized courts.

How long do pickleball games last?

Pickleball games are played until one team or player reaches 11 points, and must be won by two points. Typically a game will last anywhere from 15 – 30 minutes.

How do you score in pickleball?

In pickleball, you can only score when you serve. That’s not to say that you have to serve aces each time. If your opponent returns your serve, you can still score as long as you win the volley, or don’t cause a fault.

What is the double bounce rule in pickleball?

The double bounce rule is very important in pickleball. It just means that the ball must bounce on each side of the net before you can hit it out of the air.

Can you hit from the kitchen in pickleball?

You don’t always have to stay out of the kitchen in pickleball. If the ball bounces in the kitchen, you can step into it. Otherwise, you are not allowed to be in the kitchen, even if it’s an accident!

What is a fault in pickleball?

Faults in pickleball are anything that causes a dead ball and results in a stop in play. Some examples are an illegal serve, stepping in the kitchen, letting the ball bounce more than once, hitting the ball out of bounds, and hitting the ball into the net. For a more complete review of faults, take a look at our post about the rules of pickleball.

What type of pickleball paddle is the best?

Picking the best pickleball paddle can be hard! The most important things to consider when you pick your pickleball paddle are the way you play, your skill level, paddle shape, and what the paddle is made of. We go more in depth about how to pick the best pickleball paddle in this post.

Does pickleball have rally scoring?

In short, no. Pickleball does not have rally scoring. Pickleball uses “side out scoring” which means you must have served to be able to score.

Can the ball land on the line in pickleball?

Yes! If the pickleball lands on any line of the court, it is considered in.

How did pickleball get started?

In 1965 two Washington natives, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell, were looking for a way to entertain their families. They had an unused badminton court, some ping pong paddles, and a plastic ball, and the first game of pickleball was born. USA Pickleball has a full history if you’re looking for an interesting read.

Why is it called pickleball?

The name pickleball comes from the term for the boat with the crew of random people thrown together for a boat race, “pickle boat.” It references how the game was made up with the random leftovers from other sports. There’s another story which says the sport was named after the family dog, Pickles; however, the Pritchard family says that is not how the game was named.

What is a dink in pickleball?

A dink is a shot hit off a bounce out of your kitchen to your opponent’s kitchen, either directly or diagonally across the court.

Who can play pickleball?

Pickleball is a game for anyone! Just like any sport, you can start as a novice and build your skills to compete at higher levels. From the enthusiast to the expert competitor, you can play pickleball!

What is the difference between a pickleball and a wiffle ball?

Surprisingly, there is a lot of difference between a pickleball and a wiffle ball. Pickleballs are larger with 26-40 evenly-spaced, circular holes. Wiffle Balls are smaller and have 8 elongated holes on half of the ball.

How often should you replace your pickleball paddle?

How frequently you need to get a new pickleball paddle depends a lot on how much you use it. Typically a paddle should last around 1 – 3 years.

Is it a pickleball paddle or a pickleball racquet?

Paddle! The confusion is understandable since two of pickleball’s closest relatives, tennis and badminton, use racquets. But like ping pong, pickleball uses paddles.

What type of swings are there in pickleball?

There are three primary swings, or strokes, in pickleball: groundstroke, volley, and dink. A groundstroke is anything hit off a bounce. A volley is a stroke that is hit before the ball bounces. And a dink is a groundstroke that you hit from your kitchen to your opponent’s.

Can you play pickleball on a tennis court?

You can play pickleball on a tennis court, but there are a few tweaks to the court to meet USA Pickleball standards. A pickleball court is smaller and has a different net height than a tennis court. Check out our blog on how to play pickleball for more specifics.

What is the difference between playing with singles and doubles in pickleball?

Aside from having two people on each side of the net, there are a few other differences between singles and doubles. Doubles use the 3-number scoring model and have a lower physical demand on players. This blog post has a more in depth look at the rules of pickleball.

How do you serve in pickleball?

Serves have to be underhanded and connect with the ball below the waist. You must serve the ball diagonally across the court. You can either drop the ball to serve or hit it off a bounce, but you cannot throw the ball to serve. Players need to stand behind the line for their serves.

Is there a difference between indoor and outdoor pickleball gear?

There are different balls for indoor and outdoor pickleball. Indoor balls have 26 holes with a wider diameter, outdoor balls have 40 holes with a smaller diameter. Outdoor balls are also usually heavier, harder, and more durable than indoor balls.