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Racquetball is played both and outdoors. While there is no denying that both of them are equally enjoyable. However, they have many differences that one needs to consider while playing. Here are some of the important ones that you should know about.
To understand the difference between indoor and outdoor racquetball, you can watch this video.
Court Specifications:
Unlike indoor racquetball, the outdoor version does not have specific measurements. There are two types of measurements that are widely accepted around the world.

Image Credit: World Outdoor Racquetball
- One wall: It a basic set up and it has only one wall in the front that can be a few feet high and has no sidewalls.
- Three-wall: Normally, the front wall is at a minimum 20-feet high and 20-feet wide. The same measurements are used for sidewalls and they are tapered towards the backcourt.
Racquets:
There are different types of racquetball racquets that are available in the market. However, when buying a racquet, you need to ensure that it complies with the racquetball guidelines. The basic rule for racquet implies that the size of the racquet should not exceed 22 inches.
Attire:
The attire for outdoor racquetball is not very different from the indoor ones. You can wear a nylon or polyester t-shirt and pair it with the same quality trunks for breathability. There are some great racquetball shoes that you can choose from that will keep your feet safe and provide grip on the court.
Bevel:
There are bevels on the sides of the wall that keep it together and most of the time people hit these bevels during the game. Shots that hit the bevel and come back in the game are counted as playable shots.
Markings:
Due to the variation in the size of the court, there is a variation in the placement of the lines too. There are some additional lines in the outdoor version of the game which include Side Lines, Back Line, and Singles Service Lines.
Side & Back Court Lines:
In outdoor games as long as the ball bounces inside the court you are allowed to play on all the side and back lines.
Line Judges:
There are judges in outdoor games too. However, there is a minor difference in the way they function. Line judges are allowed to call out the first in/out in the game but cannot stop the game in the first call. Once the line judge calls out/in the referee’s judgment will not be asked.
Players can appeal to the referee and if the referee disagrees, there will be a replay. If the referee agrees or has no call the call will stay. In both cases, the decision of the line judge will influence the final decision of the call.
There are short line judges in outdoor games too, these judges call out the short line faults and stop the game on the short line serve. If an appeal is made, it first goes to the referee, and if the referee agrees the call stands.
However, if the referee disagrees the appeal may go to the sideline judge. The implementation of the decision depends on the number of votes the decision gets.
Receiving line:
In outdoor racquetball, there is no receiving line, but the players do have the restriction of not breaking the plane of the service box while swinging the racquet. In the longwall version of the game, the receiving line is used.
Serve:
Both indoor and outdoor games follow the one-serve rule.

Image Credit: Sun-Sentinel
Hitting Partner in The Box
There are times when players often hit their partners with their serve. While this would be considered a hinder, in outdoor games there are some exceptions. If the partner is in the box, under the one-server rule, the server will receive another legal serve.
If the server hits the partner again, it will result in an out. It is the referee’s duty to check if the player was properly in the box.

Image Credit: Tmtevents
Receiving Player Signalling Not Ready
When the receiving players signal not ready, but the same is not noticed by the referee. In such scenarios, even though there are points awarded to the opposite team but can often result in a delay. For such instances, outdoor games use professional rules.
Therefore, in outdoor games,a rally must be played for a rally to be won.

Image Credits: Review Journal
Court Hinders
In outdoor racquetball, there are no court hinders unless a local court sets a particular part of the court as a hinder.
Light Poles
Light poles are not considered as playing areas.

Image Credit: Living In the Pacific
Sidewall Bounces
A shot that hits the sidewall is a legal shot.
Safety Holdup
In outdoor games, the safety holdup is extended to included players on adjacent courts.
Moving Crowd
In outdoor games, a safety holdup is called on the moving part of the crowd as opposed to the stationary crowd. Players are not permitted to put the stationary crowd at risk. The players must hit the ball safely before it enters the stationary crowd. The stationary crowd cannot cause a hindrance.
The game must be stopped by the referee if the ball enters the stationary crowd. If the ball enters the stationary crowd the ball is dead considered as dead.
To see how outdoor racquetball is played, you can watch this video:
Conclusion
Racquetball is an amazing game that can be played by both young and old as long as they follow the rules of the game based on the type of court they are playing on. I hope the above information has helped you learn more about outdoor racquetball and will help you in the games you play henceforth. If you have any queries or suggestions, you can write them in the comments.
In outdoor racquetball, if a player is hit by a ball on the fly when that player is beyond the out line at the back of the court who wins that rally? The player who was hit by the ball or the other player?
Also, does it matter if it’s a doubles game?