What is pickleball?

Pickleball is a racquet sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis. It's played on a court roughly a quarter the size of a tennis court, with a slightly lowered net, solid-face paddles, and a perforated plastic ball. Games are typically played as doubles (two vs two), though singles is also common.

The sport was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three friends — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — who wanted to entertain their families on a slow summer afternoon. Six decades later, it's become the fastest-growing sport in the United States and has exploded across Australia since 2020.

The court

A pickleball court is 13.4m long and 6.1m wide — the same as a badminton court. The net is 91cm high at the posts and 86cm in the middle. Each side has a 2.1m zone directly in front of the net called the "non-volley zone" or more commonly, "the kitchen."

You can play indoors or outdoors. Outdoor balls have harder plastic and larger holes; indoor balls are lighter and have smaller holes. If you're unsure which to buy, most Sydney venues provide appropriate balls.

The equipment

You need three things to play:

When you're ready to buy a paddle, Australia's leading specialist retailer is Pickleball HQ — they stock all major brands, offer paddle trade-ins, and ship nationwide.

How to score

Pickleball scoring is unusual: only the serving team can score points. Games are typically played to 11 points, winning by 2. Tournament games often go to 15 or 21.

When serving in doubles, the score is called with three numbers: your team's score, the opponent's score, and the server number (1 or 2). So "5-3-2" means your team has 5, opponents have 3, and you're the second server.

If you lose a rally on your serve, the serve passes — first to your partner, then to the opposing team.

The kitchen rule

The most distinctive pickleball rule is the non-volley zone, universally called "the kitchen." You cannot volley the ball (hit it before it bounces) while standing in this 2.1m zone next to the net. You can stand in the kitchen if the ball has bounced, but you cannot volley from there.

The rule prevents smash-heavy play at the net and encourages strategy, placement, and the distinctive "dink" — a soft shot that drops into the opponent's kitchen.

The double-bounce rule

Another rule that shapes pickleball's character: after the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before either team can start volleying. This prevents aggressive serve-and-volley tactics that dominate tennis, and forces longer rallies with more strategy.

Skill ratings

Players are rated on a scale from 1.0 (complete beginner) to 7.0 (top pros). Most recreational players fall between 2.5 and 4.0. The internationally recognised rating system is DUPR (Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating) — matches played at sanctioned venues count toward your DUPR score.

If you want an honest starting estimate of your level, the Pickleball Skill Rating tool gives you a quick self-assessment that matches you to appropriate social sessions and beginner programs.

How long does a game take?

A single pickleball game typically lasts 10-20 minutes. Most social sessions run multi-game rotations across 90 minutes to 2 hours, with players switching partners between games. A good evening can easily include 6-10 games across different partners.

Why people get hooked

Pickleball's appeal is specific: it's quick to learn (you can rally from your first session), physically approachable (low impact on knees and joints), intensely social (doubles is standard, partners rotate), and strategically deep (experienced players describe it as "chess at speed").

For a closer look at why Sydney players keep coming back, read Why Play Pickleball. Or if you're ready to start, we've mapped the best venues across Sydney and a step-by-step guide to your first session.