What Is The Double Bounce Rule In Pickleball (Explained)

If you have never heard of pickleball, then you are really missing out. This is an incredibly fun and outgoing sport that all can enjoy.

If you are looking for a new sport or game to play, then pickleball may be just right for you. This is a fun sport that can be played indoors or outdoors, and is really simple to pick up.

Even if you are a complete novice, you will really appreciate and enjoy a game of pickleball, as you can learn the rules with just a little bit of practice. So, what exactly is pickleball, what are the rules, and what is a double bounce? That’s exactly what we are here to explain!

What is pickleball?

Pickleball is a simple paddle game that is played with a baseball sized wiffleball and a tennis type net on a Badminton size court. So, essentially, pickleball is a paddle ball type of sport that actually combines some of the elements of table tennis, badminton and tennis. 

It was invented by Joel Pritchard in 1965 as a means of passing the time. As many games originated, pickleball was a new way to have a little fun and find something to do.

The game was invented as Prtichard’s property already had an existing Badminton court, so they headed there to play, and found a few spare ping pong paddles and a wiffle ball. With all of these components, the game pickleball was born. 

The game got its name from Joel Pritchard’s wife, who decided to call it pickleball, because it combined different sports and pushed them all into one. This reminded her of the pickle boat crews, where oarsmen were chosen from the leftovers of other boats. 

When the game begins, the server will shout ‘Pickle!’ to alert the rest of the players that they are about to serve. The term pickled, is when a team scored no points in the whole game, which means that they have been pickled. So, what are the rules and how do you play? 

What are the 5 rules of pickleball?

There are actually five basic rules of playing pickleball. These are that the ball must stay inbounds, and there should only be one bounce per side, along with the fact that the serve cannot land in the no volley zone, and all serving must be done at the baseline, with the game ending at 11, 15 or 21 points.

How do you play pickleball? 

Pickleball is played on a Badminton-size court, and the ball is served diagonally, with points only being scored by the side that serves.

The players on all sides have to let the ball bounce one time before volleys are permitted, and there is a seven foot no volley zone either side of the net. 

When playing, the server will continue to serve whilst alternating service counts, and will do so until they fault. Pickleball can be played with either singles or doubles, with the first side scoring 11 points and leading by at least two points wins the game. 

A fault is committed in pickleball when the ball does not clear the net, or when the ball is volleyed from the non-volley zone, or when the ball is volleyed before a bounce has occurred on each side.

In addition, the fault will be committed when the ball is out of bounds, or if the ball touches any part of the non volley zone during a serve. 

You can score pickleball points only when you are serving, and the player serving will continue to serve until their team faults. Then, the serve will go to the opposing team or person, and the ball will be served by them until they fault.

When serving, you are not permitted to bounce the ball or hit it off the bounce, and the receiver cannot volley without letting the ball bounce once.

This is why many people get confused when we tell them about the double bounce rule, and what this entails. Luckily, we can explain this for you. 

What is the double bounce rule in pickleball?

The double bounce rule or two bounce rule is typically where beginners find the difficulty and confusion in pickleball games. This rule will take some getting used to, and some practice. 

The double bounce rule is simply where the first two shots in the game, the serve and the return of the serve, have to bounce before you are allowed to hit them.

Once both of these shots have been permitted to bounce the two bounce rule is achieved and completed, and then you can hit the ball and volley it. 

If you do not let the first serve and first receiving shot bounce first, then you are not allowed to volley. After the two bounces have taken place, you will be allowed to volley the ball, as long as you are out of the no volley zone! 

In the simplest terms, the double bounce rule is there to prevent each team or player from being able to hit the ball in the air, otherwise known as volleying it. Instead, they need to hit groundstrokes and let it bounce first.  

The double bounce rule basically means that the first serve must bounce, and that the return serve also has to bounce. This is designed to extend the game for more rallies and longer playtime, and even out the competition between players. 

It is also designed to help mitigate and make it fairer as the serving team can have the advantage. With the double bounce rule, it makes space for mistakes, as many players forget to let it bounce when serving. 

Players often naturally want to hit the ball back by instinct, so this is often a means of costing the team a point, and levelling the playing ground a little, which makes the games more exciting and last longer! 

What is the pickleball two bounce rule definition?

According to the USA Pickleball Association, when the ball is being served during a game of pickleball, the receiving team has to let it bounce before returning the ball, and the serving team or person has to let the ball bounce before returning it again.

This is therefore two bounces in total, called the two bounce rule, or the double bounce rule.  For more rules and regulations about pickleball, check out the USA Pickleball Rules Summary: