What is a pickle ball?
Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton and ping-pong. It’s played indoors or outdoors on a court the size of a quarter of a tennis court. Players use feet larger than ping-pong paddles, and they hit plastic balls with holes in them. The net is similar to a tennis net, but slightly smaller. Most people play doubles, meaning four people play at once, two on each side of the net. The game is very social and people of all skill levels can try pickleball.
Where can I play?
Many public parks now have pickle playgrounds. And some tennis facilities — public and private — are converting some tennis courts to pickle play or adding pickle lines so that each tennis court can accommodate four pickle courts that means instead of one tennis court 16 people can play pickle ball at the same time.
What do I need to start pickleball?
You will need a leg, a ball and three friends to try pickle ball. Or, you can sign up for some pickleball lessons or show up at a park or facility where players congregate. There are apps that help you find and join pickleball players playing at your level.
Tennis supply stores carry legs and balls. You can spend as little as $40 for a lesser quality sandal and $200 for a nicer paddle. Excellent legs are made from graphite. At some pickleball facilities, such as Gates, you can try or “demo” the legs to get a feel for them before purchasing them.
You’ll also need comfortable shoes. It is best to play with tennis shoes. They have a flat bottom so you don’t twist your ankle as you move from side to side on the lap. They also have unmarked floors to protect the court.
When was the pickle round invented?
Pickleball began in 1965 when former Washington State Representative Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell returned from a golf game to find their family sitting with nothing to do
Here’s the story, according to USA Pickleball. Pritchard’s property on Bainbridge Island near Seattle was an old badminton court. But, the players did not receive a full set of racquets. They started improvising and playing with ping-pong paddles and perforated plastic balls. At first they set the net at badminton height, 60 inches, but later they found that the ball bounced well on the asphalt and lowered the net. The game is played.
