One of the reasons we love Pickleball so much is that not much stands between you and your first game. The only thing you will need to start playing Pickleball is a Pickleball paddle for each player and a Pickleball ball. Many club sessions will have equipment that you can borrow.
My very first game of Pickleball involved me paying a few pounds at a local sports centre, where they provided 4 Pickleball courts, a box of equipment, and one person who’d played before so that they could teach us all how to play. They explained the basics, handed out all the equipment and a printed out a set of rules, and we were off!
However if you’ve already had your introduction to the game and are hooked, then you probably want to know what you might want to invest in. So here is a breakdown.
The essentials – Two Paddles, a ball & a court
At the very least you will need a Paddle and a ball. If you are going to try and get some of your friends involved too then we’d recommend buying one of these Pickleball sets – and then all you need to do is book a court and invite a friend!
But what kind of Paddle? They come in a variety of materials and different weights, so we’ve written a blog post which digs down into the detail of which Pickleball Paddle is right for you.
And there are indoor and outdoor Pickleballs so make sure you get yourself the correct type, or maybe even both so you can play all year round whatever the weather.
Accessories for the keener player
A Pickleball net
If you are lucky enough to have space at home then you might want to buy a Pickleball net. That way on clear level ground you can have a Pickleball match. In this scenario you will probably need to mark out your court boundaries too, so you need to know what size a Pickleball court is.
Mark out Pickleball court boundary
Once you know the correct Pickleball court size, you can mark out your boundary so that you have lines in the right place. We’d describe this as a DIY Pickleball court setup.
Pickleball Clothing
Any old trainers or tennis shoes will do when you are just starting out, but if you’ve decided that Pickleball is the sport for you, then you might decide to invest in some shoes that help you play your best game. As for the rest of your clothes you just need to wear something that’s loose and comfortable so that you can move around easily and don’t mind getting sweaty in!
Start playing Pickleball today
As we said at the start, there’s not much standing in the way of you playing Pickleball today! Call your local sports club or leisure centre and there’s probably a group of Pickleball players who will welcome you on to the court and give you the equipment you need for your first game.
