Guides
What to settle before you buy, and what to know before you show up: the first paddle, the right balls, shoes that protect your ankles, the rules, and how open play works.
Paddles
Choosing your first pickleball paddle
Weight, grip size, face material and core thickness, what each one changes, what USA Pickleball approval means, and the two mistakes first-time buyers make.
How open play works: showing up to a pickleball court for the first time
Paddle stacking, rotating in, what the ratings mean, what to bring and how to find a session near you. The unwritten rules, written down.
The rules of pickleball in ten minutes
The court, the serve, the two-bounce rule, the kitchen and how scoring works: enough to play your first game without holding anyone up.
What you need to start playing pickleball
The three things to buy, the things to borrow, what to bring to a first open-play session, and the gear that can wait until you know you're coming back.
