Pickleball is a fun sport perfect for any age group to play. Whether indoors or outdoors, pickleball is usually played on designated hardcourt surfaces (similar to a tennis court). But what about playing pickleball on grass, like in your backyard? Can you actually do that?
Even though pickleball is mainly played on hard surfaces, it can be played on grass for casual and non-serious matches. Make sure that the grass is compact, the court is adequately set up, and the ball you are using is appropriate.
Now let’s dive deeper into this topic and discuss all the possible places to play pickleball – and its benefits and downsides.
Pickleball: Where You Can Play
Practice and non-league pickleball games can be played on grass or other surfaces. Still, leagues and professional games must be played on the standard courts.
There are many other places where a temporary pickleball court can be set up as well. Anywhere that has enough space and a hard reliable surface is good. Parking lots, warehouses, backyards, lawns, driveways, and other sports courts such as tennis, basketball, or volleyball.
If you want more information about how to turn your backyard into a decent pickleball court, be sure to check out content from U.S. Lawn Pickleball Association on social media.
If your only concern is to have fun, pickleball can be played on just about any surface, including grass. It can be played in driveways, backyards, gyms, concrete, asphalt, carpet, basketball, and tennis courts.
To set up a pickleball court, you’ll need to have the court dimensions and equipment to mark the lines and set up the net.
Measuring tape, chalk, and some strings will be needed to do the work. The next thing you want to do is set up a temporary net in the middle.
Remember that the official court dimensions are 20 x 44 feet, but that doesn’t mean you can’t set up a smaller court just to have fun with family and friends.
Suppose you are looking to play more serious games and compete in tournaments. In that case, these are the best surfaces to play on: concrete, asphalt, and court tiles.
Can You Play Pickleball on The Grass?
Pickleball can be played on the grass. Just make sure to get the grass as packed down and level as possible. Keeping the grass short is the best option for better ball bounces and moving across the court more quickly.
To have a better experience playing pickleball, choose a stable spot that’s relatively even, without any holes or dips. Bouncing is an essential part of pickleball. It can be challenging to change the game over to the grass, but definitely possible.
Lines can also be drawn on the grass to make visible and accurate dimensions for the pickleball court. Here is a good product for this, available on Amazon.
This type of paint will not harm the grass and is long-lasting, so you don’t have to keep repainting the lines every time you want to play.
However, be mindful that when playing on the grass, the conditions are not the best for playing the game. No serious or competitive matches are held on such irregular surfaces.
Sports are great at bringing people together, and playing barefoot in a social atmosphere can be a great way to have fun. It’s definitely nice to have a fun game of pickleball on the grass at any barbecue party or social gathering.
Can You Play Pickleball Outside?
Pickleball can definitely be played outside. All you need is an adequate surface to set up a temporary court.
The main advantage of playing outside is health-related because getting sunlight exposure is extremely important. In addition, going outside the house to move our bodies has tremendous consequences for mental and physical well-being.
The most significant drawbacks are nature-related. Unbearable temperatures, crazy winds, and rain can be pretty annoying to deal with.
Don’t forget to have an appropriate ball for each scenario. Here are great pickleball balls for outdoor play (click here to see the best pricing on Amazon).
Can You Play Pickleball Inside?
Playing indoors is the best option for some individuals to play pickleball. It offers a consistent and more reliable environment that’s protected from mother nature.
The benefits are to both beginners and more serious and competitive players. The game will be more precise and does a better job of simulating the game conditions in a more controlled and balanced environment.
In addition, it’s easier to understand the game and adjust your technique to improve your groundstrokes and overall gameplay.
However, playing indoors also has its drawbacks. One example is that the noise produced in pickleball games can be annoying, especially if there are multiple courts together with many players hitting the ball at once.
Don’t forget to have an appropriate ball for each scenario. Here are great pickleball balls for indoor play, also on Amazon.
Can You Play Pickleball on The Driveway?
Assuming that the driveway dimensions are big enough to set up a pickleball court, this is a great option for pickleball. A temporary court can be set up on plain asphalt, concrete, or other hard surfaces.
In addition, make sure to protect the surroundings of the driveway court because when the ball bounces, it can get a bit wild and can cause damage.
Can You Play Pickleball on Synthetic Grass?
Synthetic grass can be even better than natural grass. It’s more likely to have a reliable and solid surface and will provide a stable place for the ball to bounce.
Pickleball is typically played on hard surfaces, but there are ways to play the sport on different surfaces, such as grass and synthetic grass.
With synthetic grass, it’s easier and has a more rigid surface that is more compact and stable than regular natural grass.
Can You Play Pickleball on a Tennis Court?
You can set up a pickleball court pretty much anywhere, such as basketball courts, volleyball courts, and tennis courts.
However, make sure that you have the proper equipment to turn these places into actual pickleball courts. There are several YouTube tutorials that show how to adapt a tennis court into a pickleball court.
Always make sure that before making any adjustments in the courts, the owners know and agree about it. It’s also essential to use proper types of equipment when playing outdoors, such as unique balls for the conditions.
Key Takeaways and Next Steps
An amateur and non-professional pickleball game can happen anywhere with a little bit of space and effort. Having a match on the grass is very possible, providing you set up a court and its boundaries.
But, if your friends and family are coming over for a reunion and you have some extra space in your backyard… Why not set up a court and play a few matches of pickleball just for fun?
Pickleball is an exciting way to get some exercise, and playing on the grass can provide a fun and exciting experience.
Remember, pickleball is best played on a hard, solid, and reliable surface to provide stable ball bounces for more serious and professional play.
Now that you know more about where to play, make sure you’ve got the right kind of paddle. Give this article a read next to make sure you’ve got the best paddle for your playing style: Is It Better To Have A Lighter Or Heavier Pickleball Paddle?
Resources
Learning from your own experiences is important, but learning from others is also smart. These are the sources used in this article and our research to be more informed as a family of sports nuts wannabes.
- Jess. “A Beginners Guide On How To Play Pickleball On Grass.” TheVolleyLlama.Com, 17 Dec. 2021, thevolleyllama.com/can-you-play-pickleball-on-grass/.
- USAPApickleball. “Temporary Pickleball Court Setup – USA Pickleball Association.” USA Pickleball, 22 June 2021, usapickleball.org/what-is-pickleball/court-diagram/temporary-court-setup.