Just starting off your pickleball playing journey and want to learn the sport without investing any or very little money for starters? Here’s how you can do exactly that.
In this article, you would be able to discover the secrets of mastering pickleball without spending much.
Our comprehensive guide reveals the best free resources, outdoor practice options, and community connections to help you learn and improve your pickleball skills while staying within your budget. Start playing this exciting sport without breaking the bank.
Table of Content
Why Not to Spend a Lot on Pickleball to Begin With?
Pickleball combines elements of badminton, table tennis, and tennis. While that make it may sound intimidating at first, especially if you are new to pickleball or have only heard of the sport and want to play it as a beginner, there are multiple ways to learn it without the need to invest a lot of money in it.
Sure, there are costs involved with playing pickleball like with any other sport (check here for a breakdown) but other than these, you would probably need to invest money in getting professionally coached as well.
It’s quite understandable if you want to go down that route but as a pickleball beginner one is often looking to pick things up on one’s own instead of spending money on coaching.
If that’s the case with you too, we have the most perfect guide to help you with learning the game of pickleball without having to spend too much money – or any money at all.
I must quickly warn you here that the road to learning anything new without having a dedicated coach is a difficult one but at the same time, potentially a very satisfying and fruitful one at that too.
With that warning out of the way, first things first if you are looking to learn pickleball on your own is to understand what you need to learn (before actually drilling into it and learning it!).
What Can I Learn for Free as a Pickleball Beginner?
At a very broad level, beginner pickleball players need to know the following:
- Understanding the Game & Mastering the Rules
- Equipment Knowledge & Infrastructure – Paddle and Courts
- Strategic Aspects of Pickleball
- Which Websites to Follow?
- Which Video Channels to Watch to Pick up the Game?
- How to Practice (Outside & at Home)
- Choosing the Right Coach (When it’s Time)
Also Read:
Understanding the Rules of the Game
Like with most sports, it’s very important to learn all the rules of the game when it comes to pickleball.
We are slowly entering an era where pickleball has become a famous enough sport that celebrities are regularly playing it and more importantly it is getting beamed on our gadgets – television, tablets, laptops and mobile phones.
This obviously makes it easier to pick up the rules of pickleball but to understand them in detail, here’re a few things you could do.
Read the Official Pickleball Rulebook
The best way to learn the pickleball rules is to read the official pickleball rulebook from the USAPA (United States of America Pickleball Association). This rulebook covers all of the basic rules of pickleball, as well as more advanced concepts.
While this might be a slightly cumbersome exercise, it will hold you in a good stead for any game of pickleball, whether you are playing, coaching or refereeing it.
To get a condensed version of the pickleball rules click here.
Watch Pickleball Tutorial Videos
There are many great pickleball tutorial videos available online. These videos can be a great way to learn the basics of pickleball, as well as more advanced concepts.
Here’s an example of a simple, eight-minute long video that explains these same rules in detail:
Attend Free Pickleball Clinic or Camp
Another great way to learn the pickleball rules is to attend free clinic or camp. These events usually offer comprehensive instruction on all aspects of pickleball, including the rules and while they don’t actually teach the sport itself, they are a good way to learn the rules.
In turn, the coaches or the organizers use these free clinics to market themselves for any future coaching needs you might have.
A simple Google search (or whichever is your favorite search engine of choice) on free pickleball clinics around me should help you get you the answer to this question.
Play with Other Pickleball Players
One of the best ways to learn the pickleball rules is to play with other players who already know them. This will allow you to see how the game is played in a real-world setting and ask questions if you need clarification on any of the rules.
So once you have the basic knowledge of how pickleball is played, get down to a pickleball court and kick-start your pickleball-playing journey. There are multiple ways you can find pickleball courts near you as mentioned here.
Equipment & Infrastructure Knowledge
Whether it’s the knowledge of which are the best paddles in the market or the ability to be able to either build your own pickleball courts or get it done in your backyard, it’s a step in the right direction as far as your pickleball journey is concerned.
Building pickleball courts can be left to the experts at this stage obviously, but as far as an understanding about your own equipment is concerned, it’s imperative you can get that right as soon as possible.
Here’re some of the things you might want to know about as far as pickleball equipment is concerned.
- Factors to look for before buying a paddle (Read Here)
- Should you add a lead tape to your paddle? (Read Here)
- How to clean a paddle? (Read Here)
- Types & brands of pickleball grips (Read Here)
- How to hold your pickleball paddle? (Read Here)
- Where to buy your pickleball equipment? (Read Here)
- Are wooden paddles good to play? (Read Here)
- Which paddles to buy for a beginner? (Read Here)
- Which paddle to buy for spin? (Read Here)
- Which paddle to buy to reduce the noise? (Read Here)
…among others!
Also Read:
Picking up the Strategic Aspects of Pickleball
The best way to delve deeper into learning the strategic aspects and the gameplay associated with pickleball is to train under a coach.
However, that doesn’t come cheap and since we are discussing free – or budget – options in this piece, that certainly doesn’t work too well at this stage of your pickleball development.
There are multiple ways one can leverage to learn pickleball tactics. Here’re some of them explained in brief:
Online Tutorials and Videos
There are scores of videos and tons of articles online which speak specifically about the strategies associated with pickleball.
What happened during the Covid-19 pandemic is a lot of coaches went online and posted a lot of pickleball coaching content online for free usage and that can be easily used to jump-start one’s pickleball career for free.
Yes, it takes time to sift through all this content but the other side of the same coin is you have an uncanny amount of options to choose from. It also gives you an insight into how a particular coach’s style works and whether that is agreeable to you even before you allocate any budget to coaching.
Community Recreation Centers
Many community recreation centers offer free or low-cost pickleball lessons and open play sessions.
Check with your local community center or parks and recreation department to see if they have any free pickleball programs or practice sessions available.
These opportunities allow you to learn from experienced players and practice with others in a supportive environment.
Social Media Groups & Forums
While we aren’t the biggest advocates of social media, it has its own merits and when you add forums like Reddit and Quora to the mix, you can garner a ton of information from the confines of your room.
Practice is obviously the key to improvement but picking things up from peers or even coaches who are happy to provide answers to your technical questions is a good starting point.
Pickleball Clinics and Workshops
Keep an eye out for free pickleball clinics or workshops organized by local clubs, community centers, or even pickleball manufacturers.
These events often provide an opportunity to learn from experienced players and coaches who can guide you through the basics of the game and offer valuable tips.
Read How-To & Strategy-Based Articles on Pickleball
Again, there is a lot of expert-driven content online on pickleball and grabbing some of that could make for one of the ways of improving your skills.
We, at RacketSportsWorld.com have a few of them below which you can help yourself to (or you could visit some of the other websites mentioned in the section below!):
- How to Block Power Shots in Pickleball?
- How to Improve One’s Dinking in Pickleball?
- What is Poaching & Its Pros and Cons?
- What is Stacking?
- What is Tagging?
- How to Improve One’s Pickleball in the No-Man’s Land?
…and so on.
Best Websites to Follow to Pick up Pickleball
One of the best ways to learn pickleball online, especially pick up pickleball tactics and strategies is to follow some of the top pickleball websites online.
We, at RacketSportsWorld.com, are always there to help those looking to grow in the field of pickleball obviously but we do recognize we are not alone on this journey and there are a few others who are dedicated to the cause too. They might be our competition but take nothing away from them.
In our list here, you can pick a lot of brain, virtually off some of the other pickleball websites.
Please note, some of these websites mentioned in the above list might not always be free to use but could still contain enough free material for you to grab and grow in pickleball.
Best YouTube Channels to Watch to Learn Pickleball
Theoretical knowledge is always good but it becomes easier to grasp in the form of videos. There are some absolutely brilliant YouTube channels which could go a long way in helping you learn pickleball as a beginner.
You can also follow some of the YouTube Channels that telecast highlights from competitive matches to get your regular dose of watching how the professionals play.
Here’s a list of few of our favorite YouTube channels for pickleball:
- PlayPickleball.com
- PrimeTime Pickleball
- Pickleball Magazine
- Pickleball Kitchen
- Pickleball Global
- Pickleball Central
How to Practice Pickleball (at Home & Outside)
While pickleball is essentially an outdoor sport (and that includes indoor courts, which are essentially outside one’s homes!), one can do a lot to improve one’s game at home too.
Here’s a lowdown on practicing pickleball alone at home.
To give you a gist of the same, one needs a pickleball paddle and ball and just a wall to get one’s practice started – whether it’s one serves, forehand or backhand, one can get an initial hold on it by practicing on one’s own too.
You can also take time to improve your accuracy or volleying skills or even legwork and stance indoors without the need to book courts or coaches.
While this is an article for free pickleball learning, a basic investment in a pickleball machine could go a long way in helping you practice for hours when you are on your own.
Other inexpensive ways to practice pickleball include:
- Public Parks
- School or Community Centers
- Outdoor Recreation Areas
- Backyards or Driveways
- Community Pickleball Groups
- Meetup Groups
- Organizing Frequent Pickleball Games with Like-Minded Friends
How Do You Know It’s the Right Time to Choose a Coach?
At some point, you would want to go with taking that next step. Of moving away from being a budget-conscious pickleball student to wanting to spend some bucks on getting coached and improving one’s game.
Here’s when you should seriously consider making that move forward.
Plateaued Progress
If you are experiencing symptoms of not improving enough on your own, or you feel like you have hit a ceiling, a coach can provide guidance to help you overcome challenges and take your game to the next level.
Specific Skill Development
Once you have identified areas of your game which need a pair of professional eyes that could benefit your growth, you could use a coach to help you overcome those issues.
Competitive Aspirations
Beginners and amateur players don’t quite need a pickleball coach to kick things off but if you are looking to grow to the next level by participating in tournaments or leagues, working with a coach can help you develop a competitive edge.
This is because a pickleball coach would not only help with improving aspects of your own game, they could also help you analyze opponents’ weaknesses, and enhance your overall game to perform at a higher level.
Injury Prevention
A coach can assist in refining your technique and form, which can help prevent injuries caused by improper movement or overuse. They can provide guidance on proper body mechanics and help you develop good habits to protect yourself from common pickleball injuries.
Accelerated Learning
As we had mentioned earlier in this article, there are a lot of free resources available online to help you through your initial days of pickleball learning but that could take some time.
Working with a coach can accelerate your learning curve by providing structured lessons, personalized feedback, and tailored training programs.
Mental Game Improvement
A coach can also help with the mental aspects of pickleball, such as developing focus, resilience, and confidence. They can provide strategies to manage pressure, overcome mental blocks, and optimize your mindset for peak performance.
Final Words on Learning Pickleball for Free
The love and passion for pickleball has been off the charts in more recent times and while it has faced some resistance, especially from neighborhoods which are disturbed by the constant noise or by tennis fans who seem to have picked up a dislike for the sport, there is no doubting its growth and popularity.
And a lot of it down to the pickleball community, of which we are proud to be a part of.
We, along with the many other stakeholders, are happy to make our teeny-weeny contribution to making the sport grow and by using the free methods mentioned above, you can learn pickleball and be a part of that movement too!