Learn pickleball

Free guides written for players in the US who picked up a paddle in the last few months. No coaching certificate required.

7Guides
~6,000Words
0Jargon
Start here if you are brand new
01 Beginner essentials

How to play pickleball

The rules, the court, scoring basics and where to find a game on either side of the border. The place most people should begin.

02 Gear guide

Choose your first paddle

Weight, core thickness, shape, grip size and budget — with a checklist you can take to the store. Includes the paddle matcher tool.

Fix your game
03 Common pitfalls

10 beginner mistakes

The habits that quietly stall new players for weeks, and the fast fixes that actually move the needle on each one.

04 Strategy

Strategy basics

Why the net matters, when to move up, what the third-shot drop does, and how to build a point without fancy shots.

The details that confuse everyone
05 Rules explained

Scoring explained

The side-out system and the three-number doubles call, without the math anxiety. Win-by-2, server numbers, faults and all.

06 Equipment

Indoor vs outdoor balls

The outdoor ball has 40 small holes. The indoor ball has 26 larger ones. Here is why that matters and which to grab first.

07 Reference

Pickleball terms glossary

Dink, kitchen, side out, third-shot drop, poach, stacking and the rest of the words you will hear on court in plain English.

Reviews

Paddle reviews

Spec-based, independent reviews from budget starters under $100 to pro builds at $300+. Real test data, not marketing copy.

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