About Geelong Pickleball Club

What is Pickleball?

Invented in 1965 on Bainbridge Island, Washington, by three dads trying to entertain bored children, pickleball is what happens when tennis, badminton and table tennis turn up to the same barbecue. That backyard experiment has since spread around the world and across Australia, converting perfectly sensible people into paddle-carrying enthusiasts who say “just one more game” for an hour. Played as singles or doubles on a badminton-sized court, it uses solid paddles, a plastic ball with holes, an underarm serve and a two-bounce rule: the serve must bounce, then the return must bounce, before either side can volley. The real plot twist is the “kitchen”, the seven-foot zone on each side of the net where you cannot volley, including letting your momentum carry you in afterwards. You can step in to play a ball that has bounced, though—no apron required, and absolutely no actual cooking.

Explore the history and basics, the rules, and pickleball’s growth in Australia.