Try the fastest-growing sport in the United States: pickleball. Millions of players, also known as “picklers,” have picked up pickleball paddles, and the number continues to grow. But did you know that several Hilton Grand Vacations properties have pickleball courts? Here’s the scoop on the trendiest sport, how to get started and where to play.
What Is Pickleball?
Many pickleball players describe the sport as a combination between tennis, badminton and Ping-Pong. Players hit plastic, wiffle-like balls with paddles, which are easier to play with than traditional tennis balls and rackets. Pickleball courts are also smaller, about one-fourth of one tennis court. Because of the more relaxed pace, pickleball is incredibly accessible; you can play indoors or outside, standing or in a wheelchair, whether you’re over 55 years old or under 24.
How To Play Pickleball
If you’re unfamiliar with the phrase “No volleys in the kitchen,” here’s a quick guide to pickleball rules.
Grab a friend or three because pickleball is a singles or doubles game. Once equipped with pickleball paddles and a ball, head to the court and decide who serves first.
You serve with an underhand swing or drop serve, where the ball bounces on the court before the serve. The serve must go across the court and bounce, then bounce after the return; this is called the two-bounce rule.
Then, you “rally” the ball, passing it back and forth over the net until there’s a fault.
Faults can include double bounces, out-of-bounds balls, a net ball and a volley in the kitchen. A volley is when the ball is returned without bouncing, and the kitchen is the section of the court closest to the net, so positioning your feet is key.
Scoring can be tricky, but a team can only score if they are the serving team. After the serving team scores, both teams switch sides, and the server serves again. The next player gets to serve if the serving team loses the rally. Play continues until a team receives 11 points and wins by two.
Check out USA Pickleball for more in-depth tutorials on the fundamentals and tips to improve your pickleball game.
Where To Play Pickleball On Vacation
Find pickleball courts through Pickleheads to get started. However, if you’re looking to try the sport while on vacation, check out some of the resorts with dedicated pickleball courts:
- Tuscany Village, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Orlando
- The Boulevard, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Las Vegas
- SeaWorld® Orlando, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Orlando
- La Pacifica Los Cabos, a Hilton Club in Los Cabos, Mexico
- Mystic Dunes, a Hilton Vacation Club in Celebration, Florida
- Scottsdale Villa Mirage, a Hilton Vacation Club in Scottsdale, Arizona
- Parc Soleil, a Hilton Grand Vacations Club in Orlando
- Hilton Grand Vacations Club Palm Desert near Palm Springs, California
Plus, you can play pickleball on any tennis court, so you can play at even more Hilton Grand Vacations properties.
Check out more blogs with fun things to do on vacation here, from ski excursions to golf getaways.