Basic Rules Overview

AUSSIE BEACH Pickle is played either as doubles (two players per team) or singles, doubles are most common. Singles is played on a court of reduced size.

The Serve

The serve can be made underhand, sideways or overhead

The serve is initiated with both feet behind the baseline from the right-hand side of the baseline; neither foot may contact the baseline or court until after the ball is struck.

The serve must clear the No Spike Zone, there is no limitation as to which side of the court the serve may be hit to.

Only one serve attempt is allowed, in the event of a let (the ball touches the net on the serve and lands past the No Spike Zone line) it is play on).

Service Sequence

The non serving partner plays the left (backhand) side of the court. The server continues until they lose a point, after which the opposing team takes over the serve.

Teammates switch positions when the serve returns to their side after winning a defensive ‘side-out’.

Scoring

Points are scored only by the serving team.

Games are normally played to 11 points, win by 2.

Tournament games may be to 15 or 21, win by 2.

No Spike Zone

The No Spike Zone is the court area within 5 feet on both sides of the net.

Players may cross this line at any time to hit the ball in an upward motion, however the paddle and ball contact point within the No Spike Zone must be even with or below the top of the net, resulting in a flat or upward ball trajectory.

Reaching over the No Spike Zone line when contacting a ball for a spike is an illegal hit, resulting in a ‘side out’.
Landing in the No Spike Zone after a Spike shot is also an illegal hit, resulting in a ‘side out’.

Line Calls

A ball contacting any line, except the No Spike Zone Line on a serve, is considered “in.”

A serve contacting the No Spike Zone line is short and a fault.

If any part of a player’s body or their paddle touches the net it is a fault and that point is lost.

Faults

A fault is any action that stops play because of a rule violation.

A fault by the receiving team results in a point for the serving team.

A fault by the serving team results in the server’s loss of serve or side out.

The Pass or Bump

Players may ‘pass’ or ‘bump’ the ball to their teammate, the following hit must be over the net.