How to Start Playing Pickleball

Starting pickleball does not take much, that is one of the reasons it has grown so quickly. You do not need years of racquet sport experience, a big budget for equipment, or a regular partner lined up in advance. This guide walks through what you actually need, where most beginners start, and how joining a structured camp compares with teaching yourself from scratch.

On equipment, you need very little to try your first session. A paddle, a plastic pickleball with holes, comfortable shoes with good grip for quick side to side movement, and clothes you can move freely in. You do not need to buy a paddle before you know whether you enjoy the sport, many clubs and camps, including Open Marratxí, offer paddle loan specifically so beginners can try it first.

Before you play, it helps to know the core rules, though you do not need to master them in advance. The double bounce rule, the non-volley zone known as the kitchen, and the basic points system can all be explained in a few minutes, and most people pick them up properly once they are actually on court rather than by reading about them beforehand. Our pickleball rules guide covers all of this in more depth if you want to look it over first.

Most beginners start one of two ways: joining casual, informal play at a local court or park with whoever is around, or being introduced by a friend or family member who already plays. Both are a perfectly reasonable way in, and plenty of players learn this way, but progress can be slower and less consistent, since nobody is correcting your form, explaining why a shot did not work, or making sure you are facing a mix of skill levels as you improve.

A structured camp changes that. Coached sessions correct technique early, before habits form that are harder to unlearn later, and group clinics teach the rules, scoring and shot mechanics in a logical order rather than picking them up piecemeal. Playing regularly against a rotating mix of skill levels, which a camp naturally provides, tends to speed up real progress far more than occasional informal games with the same one or two people. Open Marratxí is built around exactly this, with paddle loan for beginners and sessions structured to suit where you are rather than assuming everyone starts at the same level.

A typical first session usually follows a similar shape: a short warm up, an introduction to the serve and the basic rules, some slower paced dinking practice near the net to build touch and control, then rally practice building up to full points and games. You are not expected to play a full match well on day one, the point of a first session is simply to get comfortable with the paddle, the ball and the pace of the game.

Once the basics feel comfortable, the best way to keep improving is to play regularly against a mix of opponents rather than sticking to the same one or two people. Our pickleball skill levels guide is a useful next read once you want to understand roughly where you sit and what to focus on, and if you are ready to get started in Mallorca, take a look at Open Marratxí.