What Should You Know Before Your First Pickleball Game? We Asked Real Players
Your first pickleball game is going to feel weird. Not bad weird. Just different. The court is smaller than you expected. The paddle is lighter. The ball moves slower. Everything happens faster because the rallies don't drag out like tennis. You'll probably lose your first game. That's fine. Everyone does.
Here's what actually matters: show up, pay attention, and don't overthink it. We talked to people who went from zero to obsessed with pickleball in a matter of weeks, and they all said the same thing. The sport figures itself out once you're on the court. Everything before that is just logistics and mindset.
What to Bring (The Actual List)
You need three things. Paddle, shoes, water. That's it.
The Paddle
You don't need to own one for your first time. Most rec centers have paddles available for rent or borrow, usually free for beginners. If you want to bring your own, expect to spend between 50 and 100 dollars. Don't overthink selection right now. You won't know what you like until you've actually played anyway.
The Shoes
This matters more than people think. You need lateral stability. Pickleball is side to side movement, not forward and backward like running. Court shoes or solid sneakers with decent side support work. Think basketball shoes, not running shoes.
Pro tip: Don't buy special pickleball shoes. They don't really exist and they're marketing nonsense. Wear what you'd wear to play badminton or shoot hoops.
The Water
Bring a water bottle. You'll need it
What Actually Happens When You Show Up
Open play is exactly what it sounds like. You arrive during a designated time and add your paddle to the rack. The system works on rotation. When a court opens up, the next group plays. Games are usually to 11 points, win by 2. Best of three is standard.
Arrive early and watch a game first. You'll see the court layout, understand the pace, and get a feel for how people move. This is useful.
When it's your turn to play, introduce yourself to the people you're with. Tell them it's your first time. They'll adjust their play accordingly. That's it.
Positioning and Key Rules to Know
When you're receiving serve, stand slightly forward of the baseline, ready to move. Your dominant foot should be slightly forward while your non-dominant foot stays back, maintaining a balanced stance. This gives you better court coverage.
When you're at the net, keep your paddle up just above waist level. This is your ready position—knees bent, feet shoulder width apart, paddle out front. When a quick shot comes, your paddle is already there.
The serve must always be underhand. Contact with the ball happens below your waist, the paddle head stays below your wrist, and your arm moves in an upward arc. No overhand serves allowed.
Once the ball is in play and you're both at the kitchen line, this is where dinking happens. A dink is a soft, controlled shot hit from the non-volley zone that lands in your opponent's kitchen. The goal is to keep the ball low and force your opponent to hit up on the next shot.
Pro tip: When dinking, keep your paddle face slightly open and use a gentle pushing motion from your shoulder. Get low, set your paddle early, and push from the shoulder—not your hands or wrists. Consistency beats power here.
Your First Game
Go in with one goal: return the ball successfully. That's it. The best shots are often the simplest and most obvious ones. You don't need to hit a winner on your first game. You just need to keep the ball in play.
Introduce yourself when you get on the court. Ask if you can get a warm-up. Use that time to feel out how your paddle and the ball work together. Try some close-range shots, some mid-court, some deeper. Get comfortable with the weight and response.
When you're on court, experiment. Hit some dinks. Try some drives. See what the paddle can do. Don't be afraid to ask for a rule clarification or a positioning tip. People will tell you where to stand, how to adjust, what you're doing right or wrong. They're not judging. They actually want you to improve.
When a smash or power shot is obviously there, go for it. But here's the thing: if it's not perfectly set up, angle your paddle slightly sideways instead of going full force. The angled shot often catches your opponent more off guard than a hard hit that goes out of bounds. Sometimes the smart play is just letting it bounce and going for the short, simple dink.
By your second or third game, your body stops fighting the rhythm and starts playing it. You'll realize the game clicks faster than you expected. When you're ready to invest in a paddle, grab a LUMA Pickleball Paddle. It's built to handle both the dinks and the smashes without feeling like you're fighting your equipment. You get feedback on your shots, not excuses for bad ones.