Frequently Asked Questions
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No, paid membership is not required to play pickleball at Pickle Paradise. We welcome all players to come and enjoy our courts! We do require at least a FREE Club membership (account) CourtReserve to reserve a court or register for events. Beyond the free membership, we do offer other paid membership levels that provide discounts on court rentals, open play, leagues, instruction, etc. See the “Pricing & Memberships” section on this website.
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We highly recommend that players make a reservation in advance using the CourtReserve system, this helps to secure a spot for open play or to reserve a court. However, if there are available courts or openings we absolutely welcome walk-ins.
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Open Play is a scheduled time when players can drop in, mix, and play games with different partners—no need to book a court. You can register ahead of time on CourtReserve, check in, and join the rotation. It’s a fun way to meet new players, get plenty of games in, and enjoy a social pickleball atmosphere without organizing your own group.
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It is not necessary to bring your own equipment. We offer rental paddles and balls available for purchase.
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Yes, we have two excellent coaches. You can schedule a private lesson with them, attend a clinic (typically 4 individuals or less), or reach out to them directly (see the “Our Team” section on this website) to see what format works best for you. We even offer an “instructional league,” 2 hours per week for 6 weeks. This offers an opportunity to receive ~30 minutes of instruction coupled with league play to apply what you learn. One of our coaches will be on court to help provide additional direction or answer questions.
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We have several different leagues that are now registering. Check out CourtReserve to see what options we offer. Feel free to contact us at info@pickle-paradise.net, if you would like help choosing.
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Yes, we have a Pro Shop where you can find a variety of pickleball gear and equipment, as well as some Pickle Paradise merch! Our Pro Shop offers equipment from JOOLA, Selkirk, and Pikkl. We also have paddles available to demo if you would like to try before you buy.
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No, since Pickle Paradise is not a full gym, we do not have showers or changing rooms. We do have small lockers available for free to secure items while playing.
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Proper, CLEAN athletic footwear is required for all players. No boots, crocs/sandals, street shoes, dress shoes, or bare feet allowed. Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our courts clean and safe.
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Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating (DUPR) is the most accurate and only global rating system in Pickleball. All players, regardless of their age, gender, location, or skill, are rated on the same scale between 2.00-8.00 based on their match results. You can click this link to sign up for DUPR. Pickle Paradise does integrate with DUPR for qualifying events.
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Cancellations:
Reservations may be canceled up to 8 hours prior to the scheduled start time without penalty.
If canceled at least 8 hours in advance, the reservation fee will be refunded as a credit to your CourtReserve account. Refunds will not be returned to the original payment method.
No-Shows:
If a member does not show up and fails to cancel in advance, they will be charged the full cost for the reservation or event. No refunds or credits will be issued for no-shows.
We understand that plans can change, and we appreciate your cooperation in keeping your reservations up to date. This policy helps ensure that court time is used efficiently and remains available to our entire community.
What is Pickleball?
Pickleball is a fun and fast-paced paddle sport that’s easy to learn and great for all ages! It combines elements of tennis, badminton, ping-pong, and other racquet and paddle sports — it’s played on a specific court with a low net and a plastic ball with holes.
The Court.
It’s about the size of a badminton court — 20 feet wide by 44 feet long.
There’s a 7-foot “no-volley zone” near the net, called the kitchen. No smashing in the kitchen!
The Gear.
You use a paddle (like a big ping-pong paddle) and a plastic ball with holes (like a wiffle ball).
Pickle Paradise will have equipment for sale and available to rent.
The Basics.
You can play singles (1 vs 1) or doubles (2 vs 2) — most people play doubles.
The game starts with an underhand serve that must land diagonally across the court.
The ball must bounce once on each side before players can start hitting it out of the air. This is called the “double bounce rule.”
The Non-Volley Zone (“Kitchen”)
"The golden rule of pickleball: No volleys in the kitchen
The kitchen, or non-volley zone, is that 7-foot space on each side of the net (see the picture above).
Players are not allowed to hit volleys (shots before they bounce) while standing in the kitchen. Players also can’t go into the kitchen even if their momentum pushes them in right after hitting a volley (includes their paddles).
These rules help ensure that players don’t just stand right at the net, smashing each ball that comes their way.
Even though players can’t volley in the kitchen, they can play in the kitchen as much as they want, as long as they let the ball bounce before hitting it.
Most doubles games are won and lost by the level of play at the kitchen line — that’s where shots like dinks, counters and resets come into play
The Scoring.
Only the serving team can score points.
Games are usually played to 11 points, and you have to win by 2.
The score is called out before each serve — and yes, it sounds a little quirky at first, but you'll get the hang of it!