Pickleball is hotter than ever. Here’s what to know + where to play in Raleigh

What do you get when you combine the elements of tennis, ping pong, racquetball and badminton? You get America’s latest outdoor (sometimes indoor) craze: pickleball.

Don’t let the name fool you. Pickleball is one of fastest growing pastimes in the country and is catching on worldwide, with talk of the sport possibly being added to the Olympics as early as 2028.

“It’s just getting bigger and bigger,” said Rachel Simon, author of the book “Pickleball for All: Everything But the Kitchen Sink,” a deep dive into the sport released by Harper Collins in August.

Simon, who lives in Raleigh, remembers playing the game as a kid and was reintroduced to the sport in 2020. She was in Asheville at the time with her now husband, his dad and stepmom. Looking for something to do, they decided to play pickleball out in the driveway.

“I got into it from there and started realizing how interesting the pickleball community was,” Simon told The News & Observer during a Zoom call. “I had no idea how many millions of people out there were not just interested in the sport, but really passionate about it.”

Simon quickly discovered that pickleball wasn’t a sport, but a “lifestyle” to millions.

“Some people really devote their lives to it,” Simon said. “They are competing in tournaments all over the world. People are starting pickleball companies, making close friends, even meeting their spouses sometimes through pickleball.”

So, what is pickleball? How is it scored?

Like most great ideas, pickleball was born from boredom.

In 1965, Joel Pritchard and Bill Bell were looking for something for their families to do in Bainbridge Island, Washington. They hunted for badminton equipment, but had to improvise when they couldn’t find any. They gathered ping pong paddles and a wiffle ball, lowered a volleyball net to 36 inches and, voila — pickleball was invented.

In its current form, think tennis, but on a smaller court (20’ X 44’), with a paddle instead of a racket. There is a sideline, base line and center line. The center line splits each side of the court in half. There is also a non-volley area on each side (near the net) called “the kitchen.”

Like tennis, it can be played in singles or doubles. The score goes to 11 and the winning team has to win by two.

The game starts with an underhand serve from behind the line. Only the serving team can score points. When you are serving, you alternate from right to left on your side of the court whenever you score.

In doubles, it gets a little tricky.

In singles, only points are scored on a serve. In doubles, whoever serves first starts on the right side. That player keeps serving, alternating from right to left, until they have a fault. A fault is when the ball touches the line, is hit out of bounds or doesn’t clear the net. That player’s teammate then gets a chance to serve. Basically, each team gets two chances to serve.

What equipment do you need for pickleball?

Equipment: Players need paddles, a net, balls and a court. Wooden paddles range from $15-$35.

You can order an entire set (two battles, balls) on Amazon, or find them at local retail chains like Costco, Dick’s Sporting Goods, Target and Walmart.

Court: Like Simon, players can also create their own court if they have space in their driveway. Players would need to purchase a low net and some chalk to draw the dimension of the court.

Where are the pickleball courts in Raleigh?

Drawing a pickleball court is convenient, but there are other options.

Indoors: Community centers at Brier Creek, Green Road, Lake Lynn, Laurel Hills, Optimists, Chavis, Worthdale and Lions Park offer indoor open-play.

Outdoors: There are also designated outdoor pickleball courts in Raleigh. Simon said the most popular two that she’s seen are at North Hills Park and Method Community Park, with six permanent outdoor courts at each.

Tennis courts: Also, any tennis court at a city park can be converted into a pickleball court.

▪ Learn more about where to play pickleball in Raleigh by visiting raleighnc.gov/pickleball.

▪ Learn more about pickleball clinics offered in Raleigh by visiting raleighncpickleball.com.