Pickleball Basics.
Everything you need to know before you step on a court for the first time.
The Basics
Pickleball is played on a court about the size of a badminton court with a net set at 34 inches in the center. Two players (singles) or four players (doubles) use solid paddles to hit a plastic ball with holes back and forth. Most recreational play is doubles.
The goal is simple: keep the ball in play, make your opponent miss, and score points. Only the serving team can score. Games are typically played to 11 points, and you must win by 2.
Scoring
Points are called out in three numbers: server score, receiver score, and server number (1 or 2 in doubles). For example: 4-2-1 means the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 2, and it's the first server's turn.
When the serving team wins a rally, they score a point and keep serving. When the receiving team wins, they take over the serve. No point is scored on a side-out.
The Kitchen
The kitchen is the non-volley zone — a 7-foot area on each side of the net. You cannot hit the ball while standing in the kitchen unless the ball has bounced first. This one rule changes everything about how the game is played. Most strategy in pickleball comes down to controlling the kitchen line.
The Two-Bounce Rule
When a point starts, the ball must bounce once on each side before either team can start volleying. The serving team hits it over, the receiving team lets it bounce and returns it, and then the serving team must let it bounce before volleying. After those two bounces the ball can be hit out of the air.
Basic Gear
You need three things: a paddle, a ball, and court shoes with lateral support. Running shoes work in a pinch but court shoes make a real difference once you're moving side to side.
Paddles range from $30 to $300. For a beginner, anything in the $50-100 range from Selkirk, JOOLA, or Paddletek is more than enough. Do not overthink the paddle until you have played for a few months.
Common Beginner Mistakes
Standing in the kitchen. The most common fault is volleying from inside the non-volley zone. Stay behind the kitchen line until the ball has bounced, or you will lose the point.
Running to the net too fast. Beginners often sprint forward after serving and get caught with a ball at their feet. Move up gradually and be ready for a return that lands short.
Hitting every shot hard. Power feels good but sends the ball out or into the net. Soft dinks and controlled shots win more points than slams at the kitchen line.
Forgetting the two-bounce rule. After the serve, the return must bounce before you volley it, and your next shot must bounce too. Jumping in to smash the return before it bounces is a fault.
Not calling the score. In doubles, you must call all three numbers before every serve. Calling the score clearly keeps everyone on the same page and avoids disputes.
Quick Glossary
Kitchen: The seven-foot zone on each side of the net where volleying is not allowed.
Dink: A soft shot that lands just over the net in the opponent's kitchen, used to draw them forward.
Volley: Hitting the ball out of the air before it bounces.
Side-out: When the receiving team wins a rally and takes over the serve without scoring a point.
Third shot drop: A soft shot hit on the third stroke of a rally, designed to land in the kitchen and set up the point.
Fault: Any rule violation that ends the rally, such as hitting into the net or stepping into the kitchen.
Rally: The back-and-forth exchange of shots during a single point.
Open play: A drop-in format where players rotate in by placing their paddle in a queue.
Court Types
Not all courts work the same way. Here is what to expect from each type:
Public parks are free and open to everyone. Most run on open play with a paddle queue rotation. No reservation, no sign-in, just show up. These are the easiest places to start.
Paid facilities are privately run courts that charge a drop-in fee or require a membership. They usually have staff, nicer courts, and structured open play sessions. Sandy Springs Racquet Center is a good example.
Private clubs and fitness centers like Life Time or country clubs require a membership to access. Courts are usually excellent quality and less crowded, but you need to be a member or guest.
Open Play and Paddle Queues
Open play is the most common way recreational pickleball runs. You show up, put your paddle in a rack or queue, and wait for the next available game. When it is your turn, you play. When the game ends, all four players rotate off and the next group steps on.
Most locations run a 4-on 4-off rotation. When players are waiting, games are usually played to 11 points, win by 2. If nobody is waiting, you can keep playing.
At busier parks, courts are split by skill level. Beginner courts and advanced courts are separate so the experience is good for everyone.
The Solo Player Rule
One rule worth knowing before you show up alone: solo players generally have the right of way over incomplete groups. If you are by yourself and a group of three is waiting to fill a fourth spot, you can step in ahead of another group still forming. This is the standard at most North Fulton parks. Hammond Park in Sandy Springs officially uses this rule.
Reservations
Some courts require a reservation even for open play sessions. Others are completely first-come first-served. The courts page will always tell you which is which before you go. If a court requires a booking, the app or portal you need is listed right on the card.
Net Types
You will run into three different net setups:
Permanent pickleball net — Posts anchored permanently at the correct pickleball width, net at 34 inches in the center. The best setup. Play starts the moment you walk on.
Temporary rolling net — A standalone net on wheels that gets set up and taken down for each session. Standard pickleball dimensions. Common at rec centers and gyms. Players usually help move them.
Tennis net with a center strap — A tennis net is 36 inches at the center and 42 inches at the posts, both too high for pickleball. Many parks add a center strap to pull the middle down to 34 inches. The sideline height is still slightly off but it works fine for recreational play.
Cost
Public parks in North Fulton are almost entirely free. Most paid facilities charge $4-12 per session. Memberships at fitness centers and country clubs vary widely. The courts page shows the cost right on every card so there are no surprises when you arrive.
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Browse the full North Fulton court directory and find your nearest court with open play, free access, or the right skill level for where you are.
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