Open Play Etiquette

Arriving and joining the rotation

• Find out how the group rotates. Every group has a system — a paddle rack, a whiteboard, an organizer with a list, or an app. Ask someone on the sideline before you walk onto a court.
• Check in as soon as you arrive. Rotations are usually fair by arrival or waiting time, so the sooner you are in the system, the sooner you play.
• Say if you are only staying a short while. The organizer can plan around it, and nobody is surprised when you leave halfway through a game.
• Warm up off the main courts if they are busy, or keep it to a couple of minutes once your game starts.

Paddle stacking and rotations

Many groups use a paddle rack: you place your paddle in the queue, and when a court frees up, the next four paddles go on. Some common variations:

• Four on, four off. When a game ends, all four players leave the court and the next four paddles take it. This is the fairest system for busy sessions.
• Winners stay, split up. The winning pair stays but splits, each partnering with a new player. Popular in smaller groups.
• Challenge court. A designated court where winners stay on and challengers queue. Usually only one court, kept for players who want competitive games.

Whatever the system, follow it. Skipping the queue, saving spots for friends or quietly reshuffling the order to pick partners are the quickest ways to lose a group's goodwill. If you want to play with a particular partner, ask the organizer — many will happily lock a pair together.

During the game

Call the score, every time

The server calls the score before every serve, loudly enough for everyone to hear. It prevents most disputes before they start. If you are unsure how, our guide to pickleball scoring explains the three-number call.

Make fair line calls

• Call the lines on your side only.
• If you did not clearly see the ball out, it is in. Give your opponents the benefit of the doubt.
• Call it promptly — "out" said after you have returned the ball does not count.
• Accept your opponents' calls on their side gracefully, even when you disagree. Over a session, the close calls even out.

Keep the pace moving

At a busy session, other people are waiting for your court. Retrieve balls quickly, keep the time between points short, and leave the court promptly when the game ends. Long discussions about a point can happen on the sideline.

Stray balls and walking behind courts

Pickleball courts are often close together, and stray balls cause most of the injuries people get at open play — usually from stepping on one mid-point.

• If a ball rolls onto your court during a point, call "ball!" clearly and stop play. The point is replayed. Nobody should play on with a ball underfoot.
• If your ball goes onto another court, wait for their point to finish before asking for it back or walking on to retrieve it.
• Return stray balls gently to the player who needs it, during a break in their play — a roll or a soft underhand toss, never a hit across a live court.
• Do not walk behind or across a court mid-point. Wait for the rally to end, then move quickly.

Playing with mixed skill levels

Most open play sessions mix beginners, intermediates and strong players, and how people handle that decides whether newcomers come back.

• If you are stronger than the others on your court, play to the level of the game. Keep the ball in play, avoid hammering the weakest player, and enjoy the chance to work on your soft game.
• If you are newer, do not apologize for every miss. Everyone was a beginner, and most experienced players are happy to share a tip if you ask between games.
• Avoid unsolicited coaching during a game. A quick, kind tip afterwards, when someone asks, lands much better.
• Respect skill-based courts. If the group reserves a court for a particular level, play on the court that matches you. Our skill levels guide describes each level honestly.

Safety and comfort

• Wear court shoes with lateral support. Running shoes make it easy to roll an ankle.
• Never run backwards for a lob. Turn and move sideways, or let it go.
• Bring water, and in hot climates take breaks in the shade between games.
• Be careful at the net. Avoid hitting hard at an opponent's face at close range, especially in casual games.

Finishing and leaving

• Tap paddles at the net after a game. It is the pickleball handshake, and it ends every game on a friendly note.
• Tell the organizer if you are taking a break or leaving, so you are taken out of the rotation instead of being called for a game while you are gone.
• Help put things away if the group sets up its own nets or equipment.