Is the pickleball net of your local court at regulation height? Now you can find out, thanks to Experience Pickleball’s guide outlining the rules regarding pickleball net height and width.
Pickleball is a fun sport that offers great exercise and a chance to be competitive! But it can only be these things if it's fair for everyone. That's why Experience Pickleball is trying to clear up some of the confusion regarding the regulations of the sport.
With its guide, the online pickleball resource wants to educate you about the rules of pickleball so that when you enter competitions, you are playing within the laws of the game. In addition to net requirements, the guide also discusses the court’s dimensions and explains how they are different from a tennis court.
Read the full guide at https://experiencepickleball.com/how-high-is-a-pickleball-net/
Experience Pickleball says that the USA Pickleball Association is the authority that decides on the rules and parameters of the game, including the net’s height and width and the court’s size. This is to ensure that competitions are fair and that newly constructed courts are consistent in their dimensions.
By USAPA rules, a standard pickleball net should be 36 inches high at the posts and 34 inches high in the center where it sags. This height difference is important, as most gameplay takes place in or across the middle of the court.
Additionally, the pickleball court itself should be 21 feet 9 inches wide and 44 feet long for both singles and doubles. This is much smaller than a tennis court, which is 42 feet wide for doubles and 33 feet wide for singles. Tennis nets are also much higher than pickleball nets, making tennis courts unsuitable for playing competitive pickleball.
In some instances, tennis courts can be adjusted or modified to allow for pickleball; however, in most cases, you will have to locate pickleball-specific courts, which can be hard to find. The guide recommends that you get in touch with your local pickleball community or sports center to learn more about court availability. The USAPA also has a community-sourced app called Places2Play where you can find regulation-size pickleball courts in your area.
Because pickleball is rapidly growing in popularity, many cities and towns are building pickleball-specific courts in their neighborhoods. These courts are often state-of-the-art, featuring lights, nets, and courts that are all in line with USAPA standards. If your city or town doesn't have any pickleball courts, Experience Pickleball suggests you try petitioning your local ambassador or councilor.
“Net height is something many people forget about but it is one of the main things that differentiates pickleball from other paddle or racquet sports like tennis,” said a spokesperson for the company. “Having the right net height is really important but it can be confusing for people who have never set a game up. With our new guide, anyone can set up a game and start playing.”
If you want to learn more about other pickleball rules and regulations, Experience Pickleball has a series of other guides posted on its website. Recent topics have included scoring for singles and doubles, the double-bounce rule, the non-volley zone, lets, and faults.
About Experience Pickleball
Pickleball player and sports science student Damien Dansel created Experience Pickleball as a way of exposing more people to the sport and its many benefits. In addition to coaching and rule guides, the site provides product reviews of pickleball equipment, including paddles, nets, balls, and accessories.
Make sure all of your shots go over the net by visiting https://experiencepickleball.com/how-high-is-a-pickleball-net/
