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Yes — a standard tennis court is large enough to fit a pickleball court inside it. You need to mark out the kitchen lines and ideally lower the net slightly from tennis height (36 inches at the posts) to pickleball height (34 inches at the centre). Most Nottingham players use dedicated leisure centre courts, but a tennis court works well for casual practice if you have access to one.

The kitchen is the non-volley zone — a 7-foot area on both sides of the net. You cannot hit a volley (a ball struck before it bounces) while standing inside the kitchen or on its line. It's one of the most important rules in pickleball and exists to prevent players from dominating the net with smashes. You can enter the kitchen after the ball bounces there.

Games go to 11 points, win by 2. Only the serving team scores in traditional side-out scoring. In doubles the score is called as three numbers — your score, their score, which server. It clicks quickly once you're on court. Read our full scoring guide for a complete breakdown with examples →

A standard game goes to 11 points and typically lasts 15-25 minutes. Most open play sessions run for 90 minutes to 2 hours with multiple games.

Comfortable sports clothes and court shoes or trainers with good lateral support. Avoid running shoes if possible — they're not built for the side-to-side movement pickleball requires. Read our full shoes guide for more detail.

Yes — pickleball is one of the easiest racquet sports to pick up. Most beginners are rallying within their first 15 minutes. Open play sessions welcome all levels and nobody expects perfection on day one.