Spot Fitness: A Beginner’s Guide to Pickleball

(SPOT.ph) You may have never heard of pickleball before the pandemic. Then suddenly, it's everywhere. Courts started popping up in malls, on rooftops, and even church compounds, while everyone and their mother—and possibly their grandmother—seems to be picking up a paddle.

The appeal is easy to see. Pickleball combines elements of tennis, badminton, and table tennis in a smaller, more approachable game that people of different ages can enjoy. It won't be long before you understand why some courts stay fully booked well past midnight.

Planning to pick up a paddle yourself? Here’s everything you need to know before stepping onto the court.

• What is pickleball?

• What do you need for pickleball?

• What to know about pickleball if you’re a beginner

• Pickleball courts in Metro Manila

Pickleball may feel like a fairly new sport, but it actually dates back to 1965. It began in Washington, where friends Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum entertained their bored children with an improvised game using a badminton court, table-tennis paddles, and a perforated plastic ball. They experimented with the rules until they had a game that people of different ages and abilities could play together.

That improvised beginning from other racket sports explains why pickleball feels familiar even the first time you see it. Even the name reflects the sport’s origins: According to USA Pickleball, Pritchard named it after a “pickle boat,” a rowing term for a crew that is assembled from leftover rowers.

Eventually, the backyard game became its own organized sport.

So, how do you actually play? At its simplest, you hit the ball back and forth over the net until someone misses, sends it outside the court, or lets it bounce twice.

Each point starts with a serve to the opposite side. The ball should bounce once on each side before anyone can hit it in the air. Just watch out for the “kitchen” or the box closest to the net: you can step inside it, but you can't hit the ball in the air while your feet are within the area.

Most games are played to 11 points. Only the serving side can score—if the receiving side wins the exchange, it earns the next serve instead.

You can show up in any light, comfortable sportswear, but pay more attention to your shoes. Go for court shoes with a flatter sole and good grip. This helps keep your feet planted when you change direction, lowering the risk of slipping or twisting an ankle, something regular rubber shoes might not provide.

Most venues rent paddles and provide balls, so beginners don't need to buy equipment right away. Once you find yourself coming back regularly, though, having your own beginner paddle from brands such as Sypik, Wika, JOOLA, and Selkirk is recommended. You’re better off starting with an entry-level paddle, then upgrading once you know what weight, grip, and feel work best for you.

One purchase worth considering early is protective eyewear, especially when you're playing with other beginners. It's not exactly uncommon for a fast ball to end up flying toward someone’s face.

Last but not least, don't forget to bring water and a small towel for when things get sweaty.

We’re not here to spell out every pickleball rule—they’re much easier to understand once you actually start playing. But there are a few practical tips we can share to help you move better, avoid common mistakes, and make the game more enjoyable for everyone on the court.

We spoke to Olan Dela Cruz, a PPR- and AATC-certified pickleball coach at Baseline Pickleball Club, and Alvin Lim, a casual pickleball player.

There’s a reason pickleball has become especially popular among older players: the court is smaller, the paddle is lighter, and beginners do not need to cover as much ground as they would in tennis or badminton. This makes it relatively easy to pick up, even if you are starting later in life.

“Kahit 40s ka na, matututo ka pa. Kadalasan, mga student ko ngayon may edad na, pero may mga bata rin naman,” Dela Cruz said. His oldest student was already in his 70s, while many of the people he teaches are in their 40s and above.

Dela Cruz said having a background in another racket sport can also give you an advantage: Badminton players may have an easier time with overhead shots since they're already used to generating power from the wrist. Table tennis players may already know how to use topspin and sidespin when hitting the ball, which makes for more challenging play. Tennis players may come in with stronger forehands and backhands.

But the thing about pickleball is this: it may be one of the easiest racket sports to learn, but Dela Cruz said that doesn’t necessarily mean it is the easiest to master.

Lim saw that for himself after picking up the sport in his late 40s. His background in badminton helped him get started, but the more he played, the more he realized there's more to the sport than hitting a ball.
 

“The basic moves and skills needed to play is relatively very easy to learn. But it gets a bit harder if you want to be serious and competitive with the game,” Lim said. “Eventually, players will also need to work on their footwork and how they should properly handle their paddles as well. This takes time; they need to play more often and consciously work on them. “

For a sport that is supposed to be easy to pick up, pickleball comes with a surprising number of rules that can feel oddly specific at first. As Lim put it, “there are rules in the pickleball game that are not intuitive.”

The “kitchen” is one of the first unfamiliar terms you’ll encounter in pickleball—and one of the first rules that you will surely break when starting out. You can step inside it, but you can't hit the ball out of the air while standing in or touching the line. Once the ball bounces, that's the only time you can step in and return it.

Then there is what Dela Cruz calls “serve and stay.” After serving, resist the urge to immediately run toward the net as one would in tennis or badminton. The return has to bounce on your side before your team can hit it, so staying near the baseline puts you in a better position for the next shot.

“’Yun ’yung mga nagiging problem ng beginner. Sa mga nagseserve, ang guide ko sa kanila, put in their mind ‘serve and stay’ para hindi sila ma-tempt pumasok agad sa loob ng court,” Dela Cruz said.

The same restraint applies once the rally gets going. When Dela Cruz moved from playing tennis to pickleball, one of his biggest adjustments was realizing that winning was not a matter of hitting one hard shot after another. You have to approach the ball at the right time—a skill you can only pick up from experience.

“Kailangan ng patience. Pag nainip ka, ’yun ’yung cause ng error mo. Kailangan proper timing bago ka mag-hard shots. Hindi puwedeng lahat hard shots,” Dela Cruz said.

All those oddly specific rules are exactly why it is best to start your pickleball journey with a coach. The instruction of your friends or family might get you through your first game, but they won't be able to catch mistakes in your positioning, movement, or technique before they become (bad) habits.

“Having a person who can teach me proper hand and body movement for pickleball could have helped me progress faster in the development of my game,” Lim said.

Coaching sessions usually begin with the basics, such as proper grip, stance, and forehand and backhand form, before moving on to more advanced techniques. Don't expect everything to click after one session, though. A full beginner program usually takes around 12 sessions, Dela Cruz said, but most students are usually ready enough to join open play after five or six sessions.

If you're able to, Dela Cruz suggests playing around three times a week while you’re still learning. The repetition helps build muscle memory: “Hindi mo rin siya makukuha sa isang coaching session lang. Kailangan mo rin talagang magbigay ng time and effort sa sport.”

Because pickleball is a highly social sport, a good game will require everyone on the court to communicate. This is especially important in doubles, where you and your partner have to decide who will take a ball that lands between you. If both players are right-handed, Dela Cruz said the person on the left will usually take the middle ball because it falls on their forehand, which is generally stronger and easier to control than a backhand.

“Basta gitna, forehand ’yung kukuha,” Dela Cruz said. If one of you is left-handed, discuss beforehand who will cover the middle. Calling out “mine” or “yours” during the game also keeps both of you from hesitating or crashing into each other while going for the same ball.

Good etiquette also means playing at the right level. You don’t have to be particularly skilled before joining other people, but you should at least know how to serve, return the ball, follow the scoring, and keep a basic rally going. This becomes even more important during open play, where you will be paired with strangers.

Some venues, such as Baseline Pickleball Club, will group open-play participants according to skill level. Not every court does this, though.

“Generally, advanced and experienced players may be hesitant to play with beginners since their level of play is already very different, quite faster and more intense,” Lim said. “It’s best for [beginners] to play with other novice players first. This way, they can play at their level and move up from there.”

Until you’re ready to move up, Dela Cruz’s advice is simple: “Improve yourself.” That means training enough that you can step onto the court with enough confidence to play with others. It will save you—and everyone else on the court—a lot of time and frustration.

“Mag-training ka para pagdating mo sa court, hindi ka mahihiyang makipaglaro sa kanila kasi alam mong marunong ka.”

Branch: Santa Ana, Taguig City
Operating hours: 7 a.m. to 4 a.m.
Rates: P700 per court per hour from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and midnight to 4 a.m.; P900 from 6 p.m. to midnight. Each court booking covers up to eight players

Baseline only opened in mid-2026, so the entire facility is still pretty new. It has four tournament-grade courts with cushioned acrylic flooring.

It's also one of the few places where you can play well past midnight. Baseline stays open until 4 a.m., making it a good option for night owls, people coming from work, or anyone who would rather wait for traffic to die down before heading to the court. You can order food at the venue, too, which comes in handy once everyone gets hungry between games.

Just know that the courts get busier after 6 p.m. Book an earlier slot if you want a more relaxed session—or a better shot at getting the time you actually want.

Branch: 1 FVR Road, Marikina City

Operating hours: 9 a.m. to 12 m.n. every day

Rates: Starts at P500 per court per hour and goes up to P700 during peak periods, plus a P100 facility fee

Vantage is a good pick when your pickleball group has grown too big for one or two courts. It has seven professionally graded courts with generous space around the playing areas, including a cafe and lounge where you can cool down between games.

Getting the entire barkada there shouldn't be too much of a headache, either. The gated facility has more than 40 parking spaces, along with air-conditioned shower and restroom facilities. A pro shop also saves you from having to leave the venue when you suddenly need a ball, grip, or other pickleball gear.

Branch: 3 First Street, Barangay Valencia, New Manila, Quezon City

Operating hours: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day

Rates: P650 per court per hour on weekdays; P750 on weekends and holidays, plus a P100 daily access pass per player

KALARÔ has five US-standard courts with generous clearance around each one, giving players enough room to move without feeling cramped.

It is especially worth checking out if you do not have a regular group yet. Several pickleball communities hold sessions here, covering everything from relaxed morning games to more competitive after-work play. You can come alone, join the rotation, and possibly leave with a new group to play with next time.

There is also an air-conditioned grooming room with showers, a loft where players can hang around between games, select free parking, and complimentary hot and cold drinking water—useful extras if you plan on staying for more than one game.