Pickleball for Beginners – A Complete Guide to Getting Started
Do you want to start playing pickleball? Then you've come to the right place. Pickleball is an accessible racket sport that is quick to learn, while also offering plenty of techniques and tactics to develop as you improve.
In this guide, as a beginner, you'll get an introduction to everything you need to get started – how pickleball is played, the most important rules, scoring, equipment, basic technique, and how to find a court or club in Sweden.
Are you completely new? Start from the top and follow the guide step by step.
What is pickleball?
Pickleball is a racket sport that combines characteristics from tennis, badminton, and table tennis, among others. The game is played on a relatively small court with a paddle and a light plastic ball with holes.
You can play both singles and doubles, but doubles play is very common.
A large part of pickleball's popularity comes from the combination of a low barrier to entry for beginners and great tactical depth for those who want to develop.
This means you can have fun from the very first time you play – while there's also a wealth of technique, positioning, and strategy to learn.
→ What is pickleball? Read our introduction to the sport
1. Learn how pickleball is played
Pickleball is played over a net on a court that is 6.10 meters wide and 13.41 meters long. The game begins with a serve hit diagonally into the opponent's service box.
Thereafter, players try to keep the ball in play until someone makes an error.
One of the major differences from, for example, tennis is the area closest to the net. It's called the non-volley zone, but in Sweden, we often simply call it the kitchen.
You are not allowed to stand there and hit the ball on the volley.
Another important difference is the double bounce rule. After the serve, the receiver must let the ball bounce before returning it. The serving team must then also let the return bounce before hitting the ball.
Once these two bounces have occurred, the ball can be played both on the volley and after a bounce – with regard to the kitchen rules.
→ How to play pickleball – a complete step-by-step guide
2. Learn the most important rules
You don't need to know the entire rulebook before your first match. A few basic rules go a long way.
- The serve is hit diagonally into the opponent's service box.
- The serve must be hit according to the rules for a legal pickleball serve.
- After the serve, the ball must bounce on both sides before volley play is allowed.
- You cannot hit a volley while in the kitchen.
- A ball that lands outside the court lines is out.
- In traditional side-out scoring, only the serving team can score a point.
There are more details regarding the serve, kitchen, lines, and doubles play, but you don't need to learn everything at once.
→ Pickleball rules – learn the rules step by step
3. Understand the kitchen
The kitchen is the area closest to the net and one of the most important parts of pickleball.
It extends 2.13 meters (7 feet) from the net on both sides.
The most important principle is simple:
You cannot hit a volley while you are in the kitchen.
However, this does not mean you can never go in there.
If the ball has bounced, you can go into the kitchen and hit it. After that, you often want to try to get back to a good position near the kitchen line.
The kitchen prevents players from standing directly at the net and smashing every ball and is a key reason why pickleball has its characteristic tactical play.
4. How scoring works
Scoring is probably the part of pickleball that most beginners find tricky at first.
In traditional pickleball, side-out scoring is used. This means that only the team or player serving can win a point.
In doubles, three numbers are called out before the serve.
An example is:
7–4–1
- 7 = the serving team's score
- 4 = the opponents' score
- 1 = the team's first server
When the serve goes over to the opponents, their score is announced first.
It sounds much harder than it is. After a few matches, the system usually starts to feel natural.
→ Pickleball Scoring – Complete Guide with Examples
5. What equipment does a beginner need?
One of the advantages of pickleball is that you don't need much equipment to start.
Basically, you need:
- a pickleball paddle
- pickleball balls
- good shoes
- comfortable workout clothes
Pickleball paddle
The paddle is smaller than a tennis racket and has no strings. Instead, the hitting surface consists of a solid material.
As a beginner, you don't need to buy the most expensive paddle on the market. The most important thing is to find a paddle that feels easy to maneuver and provides a good combination of control and power.
Pickleball balls
Pickleball is played with a hollow plastic ball with holes. There are different balls for indoor and outdoor play.
Outdoor balls are usually harder and have more, smaller holes to be less affected by wind. Indoor balls are normally softer and have fewer, larger holes.
Shoes and clothing
Regular workout clothes work perfectly fine at first. When it comes to shoes, stability and grip are important because pickleball involves many short movements and changes of direction.
→ Pickleball clothing – workout clothes, hoodies and caps
6. Learn the basic strokes
Once you know the rules, the next step is to get control of some basic strokes.
You primarily need to learn:
- serve
- return
- forehand
- backhand
- volley
- dink
Later, you can start working more with shots like the drive, third shot drop, reset, block, speed-up, and lob.
Start with control
A common beginner's mistake is trying to hit the ball too hard.
In the beginning, you benefit much more from being able to place the ball and keep it in play.
Therefore, try to develop control and consistency before focusing on maximum speed.
→ Pickleball technique – learn the strokes step by step
7. Learn to play at the kitchen line
When new players start pickleball, they often stay far back on the court.
This is natural, but in doubles, the position at the kitchen line is very important.
From there you can:
- take the ball earlier
- put more pressure on opponents
- hit volleys
- play dinks
- cover more of the court
The goal is therefore often to move forward towards the kitchen line when the situation allows it.
But don't rush blindly. If the opponent is about to hit the ball, you should try to be balanced and ready before moving forward.
8. Simple tactics for beginners
You don't need to use advanced tactical systems to start winning more points.
Four simple principles go a long way:
- Keep the ball in play. Let the opponents make the mistakes.
- Hit the serve deep. This keeps the receiver further back.
- Return deep. This gives you more time to get to the kitchen line.
- Play to the opponents' feet. Low balls are much harder to attack.
Once you master this, you can start working with more advanced strategies around placement, third shots, dinking, speed-ups, and how to create attack opportunities.
→ Pickleball tactics – strategies from beginner to advanced player
9. Common mistakes when starting to play pickleball
Most beginners make roughly the same mistakes. This is completely natural – and it also means that some relatively simple changes can make a big difference.
Common mistakes include, for example:
- hitting too hard
- trying to win the point too early
- staying far back on the court
- forgetting the double bounce rule
- entering the kitchen and hitting a volley
- using too large swings near the net
- holding the paddle too low at the kitchen line
- backing up when it's actually better to hold your position
Identifying these mistakes early can significantly accelerate your development.
→ Common mistakes in pickleball – and how to correct them
10. Your first pickleball match
You don't need to wait until your technique is perfect before playing your first match.
On the contrary, pickleball is a sport where many learn quickly by actually playing.
Feel free to tell the other players that you are new. More experienced pickleball players can often help with the serving order, scoring, and rules during the match.
During your first matches, you can focus on three things:
- getting the serve in play
- trying to keep the ball in play
- learning where to stand on the court
The result is significantly less important than starting to understand how a real rally develops.
11. Find somewhere to play pickleball
Once you have the basics down, all that remains is the most important thing – to start playing.
Pickleball is played today in many places around Sweden. There are pickleball associations, racket facilities, tennis clubs, and sports halls where the sport is played.
At SwePickleball, we gather clubs and playing venues around the country so you can easily find options near you.
→ Play pickleball in Sweden – find courts and clubs
→ See our list of pickleball clubs and venues
How to get better at pickleball
Once you've played your first matches, progress often comes quickly.
Don't try to improve everything at once.
A good development sequence for a new player might be:
- Learn the rules.
- Make your serve consistent.
- Learn to return deep.
- Develop forehand and backhand.
- Become comfortable at the kitchen line.
- Learn to dink and volley.
- Practice the third shot drop.
- Learn to reset.
- Start developing tactics.
If you practice individual elements instead of just playing matches, your development will often be faster.
Pickleball for beginners – quick guide
| What do I need? | Paddle, ball, shoes and comfortable workout clothes. |
| Singles or doubles? | Both work, but doubles is very common and often a good way to start. |
| How big is the court? | 6.10 × 13.41 meters (20 × 44 feet). |
| What is the kitchen? | The non-volley zone closest to the net where you cannot hit a volley. |
| What should I practice first? | Serve, return, basic strokes, positioning and ball control. |
| Do I need to be fit? | No. Pickleball can be played at many different intensity levels. |
Frequently Asked Questions from Beginners
Is pickleball difficult to learn?
The basics are relatively easy to learn, and many people can play simple rallies on their first try. However, there's a lot of technique and tactics to develop if you want to become truly good.
Can you play pickleball without prior racket sport experience?
Yes. Experience from, for example, tennis, badminton, or padel can help, but it is absolutely not a requirement.
Can children play pickleball?
Yes. The smaller court, light ball, and ability to adjust the pace mean that pickleball can work well even for children.
Can seniors play pickleball?
Yes. Pickleball is popular among many different age groups because the intensity can be adapted to the players' level and conditions.
Is pickleball the same as padel?
No. The sports have different courts, rackets, balls, and rules. Pickleball is played without glass walls and features, among other things, the kitchen and the double bounce rule as central parts of the game.
How many people are needed for pickleball?
Pickleball can be played as singles with two players or doubles with four players.
How long does it take to learn pickleball?
The basic rules can be learned relatively quickly. However, developing stable technique, good positioning, and tactical understanding takes longer and is a large part of what makes the sport developmental.
What's the most important thing for a beginner to keep in mind?
Don't try to win every point with a hard shot. Prioritize control, keep the ball in play, and learn where to position yourself on the court.
Start playing pickleball
The best way to learn pickleball is to combine knowledge with practical play.
Learn the most important rules, get or borrow a paddle, and find some people to play with. You don't need to master dinks, third shot drops, or advanced tactics before you start – that will come later.
Choose what you want to learn next:
