Know the court

A pickleball court is 20 by 44 feet, the same size as a badminton doubles court, which is why many halls in Metro Manila line both on one floor. The net is 36 inches high at the sides and dips to 34 inches in the middle.

Serve underhand, cross-court

• Hit the serve underhand, making contact below your waist. A drop serve, where you let the ball bounce first, is allowed too and is easier to learn.
• Keep at least one foot behind the baseline when you hit.
• Serve diagonally, into the box across from you. A serve that lands in the kitchen or on the kitchen line is a fault.
• You get one serve. A serve that clips the net and still lands in the right box stays in play.

Let it bounce twice, then volley

After the serve, the return has to bounce, and the serving team’s next shot has to bounce too. After those two bounces, anyone can volley, which means hitting the ball out of the air.

Why it mattersThis is why the serving team stays back at first: you have to let the return bounce before you can come to the net.

Stay out of the kitchen when you volley

The 7-foot zone on each side of the net is the non-volley zone, which everyone calls the kitchen. You can’t volley while you’re standing in it or touching its line, and you can’t let your momentum carry you into it after a volley.

You can walk into the kitchen any time to hit a ball that has bounced. Soft shots that drop into the kitchen, called dinks, are a big part of the game.

Keep score the doubles way

Only the serving team scores. In doubles the server calls three numbers before every serve: their team’s score, the other team’s score, and whether they’re the first or second server.

A game starts at 0–0–2: the team that serves first gets only one server in its first turn. Most games go to 11, and you have to win by 2.

Get the gear (not much)

• Paddle: borrow or rent one for your first few games. 12 venues we list rent paddles or equipment.
• Balls: indoor balls are softer with bigger holes, outdoor balls are harder with smaller holes. Ask which kind your venue uses.
• Shoes: court shoes with good side support. Running shoes roll on quick sideways steps, and indoor courts often ask for non-marking soles.
• Water and a towel: Manila afternoons are hot, even indoors.

Find a beginner-friendly game

Open play is the easiest way in: you come alone and get rotated into doubles games. Look for sessions marked for all levels, or ones that welcome unrated (NR) players. How to join your first open play walks you through it.

Want a lesson first? Pickleball Hub PH, Picklelines – The Pickleball, Activate One Ayala, SPS Pickleball Club, Pickle Fam Collective and The Pickle Spot Makati list coaching.