{"id":326,"date":"2025-09-15T19:24:24","date_gmt":"2025-09-15T19:24:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/?p=326"},"modified":"2025-10-08T13:17:24","modified_gmt":"2025-10-08T13:17:24","slug":"joola-diadem-and-more-which-paddle-matches-your-playing-style-copy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/?p=326","title":{"rendered":"Pickleball Protocol: Don\u2019t Hog the Kitchen\u2014and Other Etiquette Dos and Don\u2019ts"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Whether you’re a newbie or a regular at open play, there’s more to the pickleball than just paddles and dinks. Pickleball etiquette is a key part of keeping matches fair and friendly. Here are the unspoken rules you\u2019ll want to master before stepping onto that court.<\/span><\/p>

DON\u2019T: <\/i><\/b>Park in the Kitchen<\/b>
<\/b>The kitchen<\/span> is a unique part of pickleball, and understanding its function is essential. While the official rules say you can’t volley from inside the kitchen, the <\/span>unofficial<\/span><\/i> rules say: Don\u2019t camp out there like you own the place. Instead, step into the kitchen only when necessary\u2014say, for dinks or drops. Hovering at the net the entire game is not only annoying to your fellow players, it\u2019s also ineffective.<\/span><\/p>


<\/i><\/b>DO: <\/i><\/b>Call Out the Score\u00a0<\/b>
<\/b>Announcing the score in pickleball may seem like an optional act to beginners, but it serves as a necessary part of the game and is a requirement in even the most casual tournaments. Before striking the ball, the server must announce the score loudly, clearly, and in a specific order. That means starting with the serving team’s score, followed by the receiving team’s score and then the server number (1 or 2 in doubles). A \u201c4-2-1\u201d score, for example, indicates that the serving team has 4 points, the receiving team has 2, and the server is the first one on their team. This simple habit helps everyone stay on the same page\u2014and prevents those awkward mid-game debates.<\/span><\/p>

DO: <\/i><\/b>Rotate Courteously During Open Play<\/b>
<\/b>Open play (aka drop-in play) is all about sharing court time<\/span>.<\/span> Be aware of the system at your local courts\u2014be it whiteboards, paddles on the fence, or sign-up sheets\u2014and be sure to follow it<\/span>. <\/b>This means sitting out your turn, mixing up partners, and players of different skill levels. Don\u2019t cherry-pick the high-level players or hog the same partner every game. Community spirit is one of pickleball\u2019s biggest draws, so keep it alive by playing with new people.<\/span><\/p>

DO: <\/i><\/b>Make Honest Line Calls<\/b>
<\/b>Pickleball is often self-officiated<\/span>,<\/b> meaning you’re expected to make fair line calls\u2014especially when it\u2019s on your side of the court. Give opponents the benefit of the doubt. If you\u2019re unsure, the ball is in. Arguing endlessly or making obviously biased calls is a surefire way to kill the vibe.<\/span><\/p>

DON\u2019T: <\/i><\/b>Smash Every Ball Like It\u2019s a Final<\/b>
<\/b>Yes, it can be fun to win a point with a hard smash. But a game loses its appeal if you\u2019re drilling shots at beginners<\/span> or overhitting on every rally. Play to your opponent\u2019s level. If you\u2019re more experienced, focus on placement and control. It\u2019s important to remember that pickleball is about prowess and precision\u2014and not force.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

DON\u2019T: <\/i><\/b>Coach Unsolicited<\/b>
<\/b>Unless someone specifically asks you for help, it\u2019s best to keep your coaching instincts in check\u2014especially mid-match. Even if your heart\u2019s in the right place, your suggestions might not be welcome in that moment. If you\u2019re really itching to offer a fellow player advice, save it for your post-game chat.<\/span><\/p>

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DO: <\/i><\/b>Communicate With Your Partner<\/b>
<\/b>Good communication makes for better teamwork\u2014and more wins. Call \u201cmine\u201d or \u201cyours\u201d clearly. Use hand signals or verbal cues to coordinate. Rather than blaming your partner for missing a shot, try encouraging them. A quick \u201cnice try\u201d or \u201cgood shot\u201d is much more effective in building trust and keeping things positive.<\/span><\/p>

DON\u2019T: <\/i><\/b>Get Be a Sore Loser<\/b>
<\/b>Don\u2019t sulk, slam your paddle, or walk off in a huff if the game doesn\u2019t go your way. Win or lose, thank your opponents and partner. Shake paddles, smile, and move on. <\/span><\/p>

DO: <\/i><\/b>Keep Your Cool<\/b>
<\/b>Fond of f-bombs and paddle smashes? Not a good look. Most courts are public and family-friendly. In fact, some local parks have banned players for repeated outbursts. Try to stay composed\u2014even when you miss an easy shot\u2014and leave the expletives and trash talk in the bin.<\/span>
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Final Word: Play Like a Pro, Even If You\u2019re Not One<\/b>
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<\/b>Pickleball may be a casual sport, but etiquette matters<\/span>.<\/b> Knowing and respecting the social rules of the game makes every match more enjoyable\u2014for you and everyone else on the court. Whether you’re playing at a club, community center, or park, bring your best attitude. Because good sportsmanship<\/span> is always in style.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

New to pickleball? Learn the must-know etiquette rules\u2014from respecting the kitchen to handling line calls\u2014with these helpful dos and don\u2019ts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":331,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[89,88,54],"tags":[58,17,70,7,60,57,62,39,68,64,59,61,31,67,69],"class_list":{"0":"post-326","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-culture","8":"category-lifestyle","9":"category-pickleball","10":"tag-best-pickleball-paddles","11":"tag-courtsapp","12":"tag-paddle-hacks","13":"tag-pickleball","14":"tag-pickleball-control-paddles","15":"tag-pickleball-gear-tips","16":"tag-pickleball-grip-size","17":"tag-pickleball-near-me","18":"tag-pickleball-paddle-guide","19":"tag-pickleball-paddle-weight","20":"tag-pickleball-paddles","21":"tag-pickleball-power-paddles","22":"tag-pickleball-tips","23":"tag-selkirk-vanguard","24":"tag-weighted-paddle"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=326"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":399,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/326\/revisions\/399"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/331"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=326"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=326"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/blog.courtsapp.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=326"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}