The sport was invented in the mid-1960s, when pickelball appeared in the United States of America in 1965, on Bainbridge Island, by its inventor, Joel Pritchard, who wanted to provide a new sport that was fun and available to everyone. It is considered a combination of table tennis, badminton, and ground tennis. It is a fun sport for beginners. It is easy to learn and play. It is suitable for all ages and skill levels. The sport is played on a court similar to a badminton court, while the net and rules are similar to tennis, with some modifications.
A standard pickelball court measures 20 feet (6.1 meters) in width and 44 feet (13.4 meters) in length. The court is divided into two equal halves by a net.
Pickelball courts have a non-volley zone, also known as the kitchen, located on both sides of the net. The non-volley zone extends 7 feet (2.1 meters) from the net into the court. Players are not allowed to step into the non-volley zone and hit the ball in the air. They must let the ball bounce before hitting it if they are inside the non-volley zone.
Pickelball can be played in singles or doubles. The scoring system is typically based on rally scoring, where points can be scored by the serving or receiving team. In traditional pickelball, games are usually played to 11 or 15 points, and the winning team must win by a margin of two points.
Pickelball is played with a solid Padel made of various materials, such as wood, composite, or graphite. The ball used is a perforated plastic ball, similar to a wiffle ball but slightly heavier.