1. Don’t be a court hog. Wait to play until you have four players present.

Warming up and drilling is important, but don’t take up an entire court to simply dink back and forth while you wait for your fourth player to show up when there are groups with all four players there waiting. Respect other people’s court times as much as your own.

2. Wait to open the court gate or pass behind the court until the point is over. 

Don’t be a distraction. That’s just rude. If there’s a men’s doubles match underway with guys playing like Ben and Collin Johns against Gabe Tardio and Andrei Daescu on Championship Sunday, don't open the court gate and walk behind them in the middle of a point.

It’s obnoxious and unsafe. Some of those rec players are aggressive and a little unpredictable, so let’s avoid the drama and potential injuries. Just don’t do it. Be polite.

3. If your ball rolls onto a neighboring court, yell “ball.”

We all think we're basically perfectly players, but sometimes we inadvertently lob or whack a ball in the wrong direction and it soars into a neighboring court.

When that happens, call “Ball!” to alert players nearby. 

Otherwise, it’s a safety hazard. Now, they should calmly halt their point and either roll or toss it back to you. That's how you should react under the circumstances. Some people, however, are less gracious.

But be the bigger person.

That concludes today’s lesson. Please remember that pickleball is a wonderfully diverse sport that should be accessible to all. Be polite to others. Be aware of your surroundings and use sound judgement. We all want court time and we all want to play. 

Let’s make our community courts a fun-filled, drama-free zone.

What pickleball etiquette did I miss? Leave us a comment on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).