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In America, pickleball is one of the sports that has seen the quickest growth. Pickleball was first created in 1965 as a vicinity game for kiddies, but it has since become a popular exertion for people of all periods.
Pickleball's availability and appeal are incompletely attributed to its minimum outfit conditions, which bear a paddle, ball, and court. However, what are the precise measures and rules for the design of a standard pickleball court?
Read on as the article dives into the official court specifications determined by the USA Pickleball Association (USAPA). Knowing the precise pickleball court measurements will help you set up and mark your court at home. You'll also learn some pickleball lingo and court elements along the way.
So, get ready to ace those court dimensions as you serve up the full rundown on official pickleball court size from baseline to baseline!
Overview of Pickleball Court Markings & Dimensions
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Before getting into the granular court measurements, it helps to understand pickleball court markings at a high level, along with general dimension guidelines. Official pickleball courts are rectangular and the same size as a double badminton court. Here is a quick overview to help you read more about standard pickleball court size:
- Baselines: The baseline is the back line on each side of the court. Courts have a right and a left service court separated by the non-volley zone line (more on this later).
- Total play area length: Pickleball courts are 20 feet wide and 44 feet long for 20x44 feet.
- Service courts: Courts have two service courts, each 15 feet long from baseline to non-volley line.
- Non-volley zone: This 7-foot zone is closest to the net on each side. Players cannot volley the ball while standing in this area.
- Total area: The total play area of a pickleball court is 846 square feet.
Also Read: Is it Hard to Become a Professional Pickleball Player?
Baseline & Boundary Line Measurements
The baseline is the back line on either side of the pickleball court. It runs parallel to the net, 20 feet behind on each end. The right and left baselines mark the absolute end of the permissible court area. It is considered out of play if the ball bounces beyond these 20-foot baselines. Courts also have right and left sideline boundaries running perpendicular to the baselines. Here are the official measurements:
- Baseline width: 20 feet
- Sideline/court width: 20 feet
- Total court length: 44 feet
- Court length from baseline to non-volley line: 15 feet
- Baseline to service line distance: 10 feet
As you can see, pickleball borrows court dimensions from badminton on a smaller scale. Let's see how those measurements break down to delineate key court marker lines.
Service Court Markings & Dimensions
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Earlier, there was an introduction of the two service courts on either side of the net that comprise the total pickleball play area. Here is a closer look at how these quadrants get marked off.
Each side of the court has a right and left service court equal in size. These service courts are between the non-volley zone in the front, the baseline in the back, and the center line bisecting the two. Here are the service court details:
- Service court width: 10 feet
- Service court length: 15 feet
- Total service court area: 150 square feet
So, what do all these lines mean in practice? The service line denotes the spot from which players must serve during play. Serves must be made diagonally from the right to the left service court and vice versa. The center line and non-volley line help delineate the smaller areas during gameplay. Read on for more on those.
The Non-Volley Zone Explained
Every pickleball court needs a non-volley zone (NVZ). It describes the two 7-foot zones separated from the net by non-volley zone lines. Players are prohibited from entering this area to strike a volley shot when the ball is in play.
Here are the must-know specs of the pickleball non-volley zone:
- Non-volley zone depth: 7 feet
- Non-volley zone width: 15 feet
- Non-volley lines: 7 feet from net
The non-volley zone adds an intriguing wrinkle not found in tennis. It forces players to think strategically about court positioning and shot selection near the kitchen line while allowing volleys deep in the court. Skilled players can exploit this rule by learning to enter the zone only once the ball has bounced judiciously. The environmental strategy revolves around controlling the non-volley area known colloquially as "the kitchen."
Regulation Pickleball Net Height & Other Specs
A pickleball court would only be complete with the net crossing through the middle perpendicular to the baselines. Nets are made of mesh without interior supports to allow play to continue without obstruction. Here are the official pickleball net specs:
- Height at side posts: 36 inches
- Height at center: 34 inches
- Length: 25 feet 3 inches
- Mesh hole width: 1.75 inches minimum
The net posts extend 22-34 inches beyond the sidelines to stabilize the net. The sides must be 36 inches from the court surface to the net top for its length. At the center court, the regulation height drops by 2 to 34 inches from the floor to the mesh top. This slight dip facilitates exciting volley exchanges across the slim pickleball net!
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