Although leagues (both pro and recreational) are the most-commonly talked about way to play pickleball, it’s probably not the most common. Open play pickleball is a way for players to get together to play without ever organizing a game. But it can be intimidating to just show up to a court if you haven’t done it before. Here are some things you should know about showing up to your first pickleball open play.
Types of pickleball open play
When you show up to a pickleball open play, the group will decide on a type of pickleball play (or someone will have already decided on the type). These types of play can include:
- Round robin.
- King of the court.
- Challenge courts.
- Numbering.
- Paddle racking/paddle stacking.
All of the types of open play are very simple and easy to learn, so you should not worry too much about learning all of them before you show up.
Learn more about the types of pickleball open play.
Open play etiquette
Before you show up to pickleball open play, you should know the basics of pickleball etiquette. Even though most players will be very nice and explain the ins & outs of pickleball, you will still want to know some basics. This includes:
- Paddle stacking/racking.
- How to call your line calls.
- Respecting the property of other players.
- How to call stray pickleballs.
- Having respect for everyone else on the court.
- When to coach other players.
- Knowing the basic rules of pickleball.
Learn more about the etiquette of open play pickleball.
Finding a pickleball court & people to play with
If you are brand new to pickleball, you may not know anyone yet who also plays. There are a lot of ways you can learn more about your local pickleball community, including:
- Sign up for a learn-to-play pickleball clinic.
- Sign up for a pickleball league.
- Join local pickleball Facebook or Reddit groups.
- Reach out to your local courts to ask them for an overview of the local pickleball community.
- If you do know one or three other people who can play, you can set up your own open play (either by renting a private court or showing up to a public court).
Learn more about finding pickleball near you.
There are also a number of pickleball apps that will have the local pickleball open play schedules. Here are a few of them:
Pickleball scheduling apps
Although a lot of pickleball open play, especially at public courts, is spontaneous and unplanned, you may not be comfortable just showing up to a pickleball court without knowing if anyone will be there. There are a number of pickleball scheduling apps you can use to find open play near you:
- Playtime Scheduler.
- CourtReserve.
Why should you show up to pickleball open play?
Pickleball is a community, and the more you play, the more you will realize what a small and tight-knit community it can be. Showing up to play with local players you do not already know can help you find your place in that community, meet new people, and hopefully help you get invited to even more games.
Generally, everyone is super nice even if you are brand new. As long as you are not showing up to a high-level pickleball game as a beginner, everyone will likely be gracious, teach you the rules, and help you with your basic strategy. The more you play pickleball, the more you will want to play pickleball, and learning the local courts and schedules will mean you can play as much pickleball as will fit into your schedule.
It may seem scary at first, but open play pickleball is a fun and engaging way to keep playing pickleball between your league or organized play. If you can get over the fear of showing up to one open play, you will realize it does not have to be scary and there is an amazing community there waiting for you.