What is pickleball?

If you have heard the "pock" of pickleball at your local tennis club or leisure centre and wondered what it is, this page is the quick version.

How is pickleball played?

Two or four players hit a perforated plastic ball over a net with solid paddles. The serve is underarm. The ball has to bounce once on each side before anyone hits it out of the air, and nobody can volley while standing in the 2.13 m zone next to the net, known as the kitchen. Only the serving side scores, and games go to 11, win by 2.

Pickleball Australia describes the sport as fun and fast paced, with long rallies, soft finessed shots and bursts of rapid-fire exchanges, and says it is designed so players of any age or skill level can enjoy it from the first rally. For the full rules, see how to play.

What equipment do you need?

See the gear section for Australian prices.

Where did pickleball come from?

According to HistoryLink, the Washington State history encyclopedia, Joel Pritchard, a Washington State legislator who later became a US Congressman, invented the game in summer 1965 at his family's cabin on Bainbridge Island with friends Bill Bell and Barney McCallum. His children were bored, so the adults lowered the badminton net, got out paddleball paddles and borrowed a whiffle-type ball. A neighbour paved the first permanent court in 1967, and Pritchard and friends incorporated Pickle Ball Inc. in February 1968.

Why is it called pickleball?

There are two stories, and the popular one is probably wrong. HistoryLink reports that the widely shared story about the game being named after Pickles, the family dog, was debunked by Pritchard himself, who said the dog came later and was named after the game. Joan Pritchard, Joel's wife at the time, wrote that the mixed-up nature of the game reminded her of the "pickle boat" in rowing, a crew made up of rowers left over from other boats. Pritchard said they simply needed a "nutty name".

How popular is pickleball in Australia?

The numbers have climbed quickly:

Membership is not spread evenly. In February 2025 Pickleball Australia published membership by state: NSW 6,093, Queensland 5,172, Victoria 2,508, ACT 811, South Australia 805, Tasmania 662, Western Australia 652 and the Northern Territory 122. Those numbers only count Pickleball Australia members, not the many people who play casually at private centres or council courts.

Who plays pickleball?

Pickleball Australia's rules page describes it as an intergenerational sport for everyone aged 9 to 90, and its "What is pickleball?" page says everyone can play together without modifications based on age, gender or ability. Pickleball Australia also runs a dedicated Seniors portal and the Australian Masters Cup for players over 50, and its ranking system has categories from juniors (18 and under) to 70+, plus ParaPickleball. See my guides for seniors and juniors.

Is pickleball the same as padel?

No. Both are paddle sports that have grown fast in Australia, and the Australian Sports Commission groups them together in AusPlay, but they are very different games. Under the International Padel Federation rules, padel uses a solid, perforated racket with no strings, a pressurised rubber ball, and a 20 m by 10 m court enclosed by walls that the ball can be played off. Read pickleball vs padel.

How do I start?

Find a come-and-try session through my where to play guides or Pickleball Australia's Places to Play map, read the beginner's guide, and borrow a paddle for your first few sessions.