Can you play pickleball on the beach? Are you a beach lover looking for a quick, easy and fun sport? The sport of beach pickleball is perfect for you.
Yes, pickleball can be played on a beach with a set of paddles and a portable net. A temporary pickleball court can be drawn in the sand and the net placed in the center. Teams of 2 to 4 people can practice returning volleys back and forth on the beach.
With just a few simple steps, you can have a new hobby that you can play anywhere, anytime. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about beach pickleball.
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- What is Beach Pickleball?
- Why Play Beach Pickleball?
- How to Play Beach Pickleball
- Types of Pickleball Beach Courts
- Pickleball Nets on the Beach
- Beach Rules for Pickleball
- Dealing with the wind
- Tips for playing pickleball on the beach
- Number of Players for Beach Pickleball
- Best times to play pickleball on the beach
- Conclusion
What is Beach Pickleball?
Pickleball is a sport that can be played on the beach using two paddles and a pickleball (miniature whiffle ball). The objective of the game is to hit a ball from one side of the court to the other without it hitting the ground.
It’s a fast-paced game with a mix of skills, strategy, and sportsmanship. The game can be played by two people or between two and four people, who can play doubles. Pickleball is easy to learn but there are many strategies. The typical strategies for standard pickleball go out the window at the beach since conditions aren’t ideal and it’s more about having fun than anything else.
Why Play Beach Pickleball?
There are a number of benefits to playing beach pickleball. This includes the fact it’s a fun sport to play, you don’t need a lot of space to play, and it’s great for fitness as well. The beach offers an open space with little obstruction to construct a makeshift court.
When you play pickleball, you get to combine fitness with sports. You can burn calories while having fun. You can also improve your coordination and balance by using both your arms and legs to hit the ball. You can also improve your flexibility and increase your speed, strength and agility.
How to Play Beach Pickleball
Since the beach doesn’t offer a typical pickleball playing surface, it’s important to be flexible with rules and court sizes. Courts can be made with your foot in the sand and portable nets can be set up just about anywhere.
Setting the court parallel to the water is the best layout to avoid one side having a stiff wind advantage for volleys. 2 to 4 people can play at any time and the objective is to keep the ball from in the air traveling back and forth across the net without hitting the sand.
Badminton Rules
Typical badminton rules apply. The first side to fail to return the ball or hit the out of bounds line loses the match. Points totals can be modified or not recorded at all. The objective is to have fun playing pickleball at the beach!
Types of Pickleball Beach Courts
The two types of pickleball courts on the beach revolve around firm and loose sand. A typical court size measures 40’x20’.
Firm sand
This type of beach sand is ideal for pickleball. It’s firm under your feet and you can pivot and return volleys without slipping. Firm sand will hold the markings of court lines better and reduce the amount of effort that goes into playing and setting the court up.
Loose sand
Beach sand that is loose is the worst to play pickleball on. Your feet sink into it and it’s difficult to move around. To avoid loose sand, play closer to the water where the sand is more compact.
If you have to play in loose sand, it can help by adding cushion when diving for balls that firm sand doesn’t provide. Most of the time you can’t pick the type of sand, so make the best of what you have available.
Court lines
Setting water bottles or other markers in the sand at the corners of the court are sufficient enough to gauge out of bounds lines. A simple line can be drawn in the sand to imitate a net line in a pinch.
Pickleball Nets on the Beach
Portable pickleball nets are the perfect option for setting up a pickleball court on the beach. The mesh netting will allow wind to travel through without blowing the net system over.
It’s important to bury the net support posts in the sand to some degree to add stability to the net and to draw it tight. If you don’t have a net, you can make a line in the sand and use it as a crude guide. The important thing is that pickleball can be played on a beach, you just have to improvise.
Beach Rules for Pickleball
- Rule 1 – There are no rules, you are at the beach
- Rule 2 – Roll with the flow and keep an upbeat attitude
- Rule 3 – Explain the temporary rules with all players before starting
- Rule 4 – The first team to fail to return a volley loses that round
- Rule 5 – Match point is when everyone is tired of playing
The basic rules for pickleball still apply, but serves and certain returns need to be modified since pickleballs don’t react well to sand. The focus should be keeping the ball in the air as much as possible and the losing team is the one that fails to properly return the ball to the other side.
Dealing with the wind
We all know beaches are extremely windy and this could hamper playing pickleball. Switching to a heavier pickleball will allow volleys to travel straighter in high winds. Heavier pickleballs will react faster off the face of the paddle creating more mentum and velocity.
Related – Need a NEW Pickleball Paddle? See the TOP picks here!
It is also important to position the pickleball play surface so the wind is perpendicular to the court. This will prevent once side from having a wind advantage that results in faster volleys and slower returns from the opposing team.
Tips for playing pickleball on the beach
- Equipment needed: Two paddles and a pickleball
- Sun visors come in handy at the beach
- Portable nets offer a quick solution to having barrier between both players
- Court lines can be drawn in the sand with your foot
- Rules can be modified since sand isn’t an ideal surface for pickleball
- Firm sand makes the best playing surface
- Place the court perpendicular to the wind
- Select a heavier pickleball on windy days
Here’s a great video showing how to play pickleball on the beach
Number of Players for Beach Pickleball
Beach pickleball can be played with 2 or more people. Two people is the least that can play with since the sport requires a person to return a volley to another person. 4 people (2 on each side) is the typical maximum for standard pickleball, but on a beach it can be expanded based on available space.
The entire point of playing pickleball on the beach is to have fun, so bending the rules is must. Equipment limitations will likely be the greatest factor in determining how many people can play at one time. 4 sets of paddles and 2 pickleballs is the optimal setup for most beach situations.
For groups larger than 4 people, the court widths will need to be enlarged. This can be as easy as expanding lines in the sand to accommodate the larger groupings. The other option is to set up more beach courts for additional 2 vs 2 or 4 vs 4 matchups.
Best times to play pickleball on the beach
Earlier morning or late evening is the best time to play pickleball on the beach. The wind is usually lower and the heat from the sun is at its lowest point. These are the most enjoyable times to play beach pickleball.
If you have to play during the middle of the day, make sure to take breaks and drink plenty of water. Pickleball can be a demanding sport and constant hydration is needed.
Additionally, playing pickleball during the middle of the day at the beach can cause sun burn, so wear plenty of sunscreen and have a canopy nearby to rest in the shade during set breaks.
Conclusion
Beach pickleball is an easy sport to learn, making it a great sport for any age and ability. With a beach court and paddle in your hands, you can start playing pickleball right away.
Pickleball courts on the beach aren’t official, so have fun with the setup. The purpose of playing pickleball at the beach is to have fun with friends and practice your game.
Beach pickleball is a great sport for active lifestyles, as it requires little to no equipment to play. So go out and play pickleball!
About Me
Hi! I’m Marie Spentel. I’ve been an avid Pickleball player for over 2 decades. I worked in several Pickleball leagues and climbed my way up to a 4.5 level rating. These days, I can usually be found practicing court techniques, consulting with others in the industry, and blogging about Pickleball! Read More
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