Ever noticed your friends swapping their badminton rackets for something a little more… funky? Welcome to the pickleball craze — a fast-growing sport that’s been trending hard on TikTok, with influencers and celebrities swinging their paddles on colourful courts. With a perfect blend of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong, pickleball is the ultimate social sport that’s taking the world by storm — and Malaysia is catching on too.
If you’re looking to spice up your weekend routine with something active, fun, and seriously addictive, then it’s time to give pickleball a swing. So, keep reading to explore and learn about basic rules, gears and useful tips to play pickleball, especially if you are an amateur !
A Quick History: How Pickleball Came to Life
Before diving into the game itself, let’s rewind a bit and see how this sport even came about. Pickleball was invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three dads — Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum — who wanted to keep their kids entertained during the summer. They improvised with ping-pong paddles, a perforated plastic ball, and a badminton court. What started as a simple backyard game quickly turned into a global phenomenon.
The quirky name? It’s said to be inspired by the Pritchards’ dog, Pickles, who loved to chase stray balls and the story was widely reported. However, the name was originated from a “pickle boat” which was suggested by Pritchard’s wife. Either way, pickleball is as fun as its name sounds, and it’s now one of the fastest-growing sports worldwide—including in Malaysia!
Basic Rules: How to Play Pickleball Like a Pro
Now, onto the fun part — learning how to actually play. The pickleball game can be played in singles or doubles (mostly doubles), indoor or outdoor and it’s usually set up on a badminton-sized court with a net similar to tennis but slightly lower. The rules are simple, but the strategy can be as spicy as you like. Here’s how it works:
1. Serving the Ball
- The game begins with an underhand serve and must not be above waist level.
- The server must stand behind the baseline and hit the ball diagonally into the opposite service box.
- Only one serve attempt is allowed (unless there’s a let—when the ball hits the net but still lands in the correct area).
2. Serving Sequence (for doubles)
- Both players on the serving doubles team serve and score points until a fault is committed.
- The first serve of each side-out is made from the right-hand court.
- If a point is scored, the server switches sides and initiates the next serve from the left-hand court.
- The server continues switching sides until a fault is committed and the first server loses the serve.
- The second server continues serving until his team commits a fault and loses the serve to the opposing team.
- The first serve is from the right-hand court when the score is even and from the left when the score is odd.
- At the beginning of each new game, only one partner on the serving team has the opportunity to serve before faulting.
3. Double Bounce Rule
- After the serve, the ball must bounce once on each side before players can start volleying (hitting the ball without letting it bounce).
4. No-Volley Zone aka “The Kitchen”
- This is a 7-foot zone on both sides of the net.
- You can’t volley while standing inside the kitchen—no smashing from up close!
5. Scoring System
- Only the serving team can score.
- Games are typically played to 11 points, win by 2.
- Points are scored when the opposing team fails to return the ball, hits it out of bounds, or commits a fault.
6. Faults to Avoid
- Hitting the ball into the net.
- Stepping into the kitchen during a volley.
- Letting the ball bounce twice on your side.
Pickleball is a game where you need a good strategy to win. When it comes to playing pickleball effectively, it’s all about smart positioning, shot selection, and knowing when to play offense or defense.
Gear Up: What You Need to Play Pickleball
Before you hit the court, you won’t need a lot to get started, which makes pickleball super accessible. All essentials that you need are:
- Paddle: Not quite a tennis racquet, not quite a ping-pong paddle—pickleball paddles are lightweight and made of composite or graphite materials.
- Pickleball: It looks like a wiffle ball, but with smaller holes. There are indoor and outdoor versions.
- Court & Net: You can play on a dedicated pickleball court or a modified badminton or tennis court.
- Proper Footwear: Court shoes or any non-marking sneakers with a good grip.
- Comfortable Sportswear: Think activewear like a pair of bra tank with tennis skirt that allows full movement.
Optional but useful: wristbands, towel, water bottle, and of course—a good attitude and some competitive spirit!
Where to Play: Popular Pickleball Courts in Malaysia
Pickleball courts are everywhere now in Malaysia. Here are a few popular places in Kuala Lumpur to get in the game:
- Pickleball Court Malaysia, Pudu – A dedicated spot with great vibes and well-maintained courts.
- KL Pickleball Town @ Maluri – Public courts open for 24 hours.
- Pickle Social Club (PSC), KLGCC Resort – An exclusive pickleball club with 4 indoor courts.
- KL City Pickleball, Kelab Golf di Raja Selangor – A rising hub for competitive and casual players.
More courts are popping up all over, so keep your eyes peeled or even start a game at your nearest multipurpose court!
Top Tips to Step Up Your Pickleball Game
Even though pickleball is beginner-friendly, these pro tips will give you a solid edge to play better and enjoy the game even more:
- Warm up and stay hydrated – Do a light warm-up before playing to prevent injuries and keep a water bottle handy.
- Stay low and ready – Bend your knees and stay in an athletic stance to react quickly to any shot.
- Master the dink shot – Soft, short shots just over the net can break your opponent’s rhythm.
- Communicate with your partner – Stay aligned with your partner to cover the court better and give support to each other.
- Practice your serve and return – A deep serve and return pushes your opponent back and gives you time to set up.
- Stay patient and composed – Pickleball is as much a mental game as a physical one; wait for the right shot to attack.
- Watch the ball closely – Keep your eyes on the ball to improve accuracy and timing.
- Have fun and stay social – Pickleball is a community sport — enjoy the game, make new friends, and keep it positive!
Whether you’re looking to burn calories, make new friends, or just try something trendier than your usual gym session, pickleball ticks all the boxes. It’s accessible, social, and downright addictive once you get the hang of it. Plus, you’ll instantly earn cool points for being part of the growing pickleball group in Malaysia and beyond.
So grab your paddle and let’s have fun playing together !
