What is pickleball and how do you play pickleball?
You may have heard people talking about Pickleball - The fastest growing sport that very few people seem to know about!
Pickleball is a rapidly growing sport that combines elements of tennis, badminton, and ping pong. It's a fun and accessible game for people of all ages and skill levels. If you're new to pickleball and curious about how to play, you've come to the right place! In this blog post, we'll explore the basics of pickleball and provide you with a step-by-step guide to get started.
The Pickleball Court
Pickleball is typically played on a court that is 20 feet wide and 44 feet long. The court is divided into left and right halves by a net, similar to a tennis court. Each half is further divided into two sections: the non-volley zone (known as the kitchen) and the backcourt.
Pickleball Equipment
To play pickleball, you'll need a few essential pieces of equipment. This includes a pickleball paddle, which is similar to a larger version of a ping pong paddle, and a pickleball, which resembles a wiffle ball but slightly smaller. Wear comfortable athletic shoes and clothing similar to tennis attire.
To rapidly improve your game, Spinshot have developed a Pickleball machine to allow you to practice pickleball drills whenever you want without the need for a training partner or coach.
Shop the Spinshot Pickleball machine
Watch the full Spinshot Pickleball machine overview video
Pickleball Serving
To start a pickleball game, the serving player stands behind the baseline and serves diagonally to the opponent's service court. The serve must clear the non-volley zone and land within the confines of the opponent's court. After the first serve, both players will take turns serving, with each side serving until they commit a fault.
Pickleball Gameplay
Once the ball is in play, players hit the ball back and forth, aiming to keep it within the boundaries of the court. The ball must bounce once on each side before players can volley it (hit it in the air) from the non-volley zone. The objective is to strategically place shots, forcing your opponent into difficult positions and ultimately scoring points.
Pickleball Scoring
Pickleball games are typically played to 11 or 15 points, and you must win by a margin of two points. Points are only scored by the serving team, and the serving team rotates sides after each point is scored. The non-volley zone (kitchen) has specific rules that prevent players from volleying the ball while standing inside it, except under certain circumstances.
Pickleball Drills
The Spinshot pickleball machine comes with 12 drills pre programmed. You can use these drills as they are, or you can customize them to suit you.
Here is the list of Spinshot pickleball machine pre programmed drills:
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Deep Serve to Backhand
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Deep Serve to Forehand
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Backspin Return to Backhand
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Backspin Return to Forehand
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Deep Forehand
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Deep Backhand
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2 line wide
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2 line narrow
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Overhead
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Random Dinking Slow
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Random Dinking Medium
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Kitchen Dinks (set up at kitchen line)
For drill numbers 1-11 you set the machine up on the baseline in the center of the court. For drill 12 you set the machine up at the kitchen line.
For additional pickleball drills - check out these 5 drills made for the Spinshot Pickleball machine
Are you ready to give pickleball a go?
Pickleball is a fast-paced and exciting sport that offers a unique blend of athleticism and strategy. By understanding the basics of the game, including court setup, equipment, serving, gameplay, and scoring, you're well on your way to enjoying this fantastic sport. So grab a paddle, find a court near you, and start playing pickleball today. Get ready for hours of fun and friendly competition!
