Pickleball Glossary

Paddle, court and shot terms in plain English. Paddle terms link to the tools that use them.

Paddle Court & rules Shots & play

Paddle

Core: The layer inside the paddle between the two faces. It sets most of the feel: how much the ball pops off, how soft the contact is and how much weight the paddle carries. Common cores are polypropylene honeycomb and foam. Browse paddles by core →
Honeycomb core: A core of thin plastic cells, usually polypropylene, arranged like a honeycomb. It is the most common core and gives a crisp, lively feel.
Foam core: A core made from foam instead of honeycomb. Foam-core paddles are often described as having a more solid feel and more power, though feel varies a lot by design.
Core thickness: How thick the core is, in millimeters. Thicker cores (16 mm and up) are generally more forgiving and softer; thinner cores (13 to 14 mm) generally give more pop and feedback. Filter by core thickness →
Face: The hitting surface of the paddle. Faces are commonly made of fiberglass (composite), carbon fiber or graphite.
Carbon fiber: A face material that is stiff and light. Many modern paddles use a carbon face, often with a textured finish meant to grip the ball.
Fiberglass (composite): A face material that is generally livelier and more flexible than carbon, which many players find easier to power.
Surface texture: The roughness of the face, which affects how much spin you can put on the ball. USA Pickleball has been moving from surface-roughness limits to a spin-rate test for approving paddles.
Static weight: How much the paddle weighs on a scale, in ounces. Most adult paddles are listed between 7 and 8.5 oz.
Swing weight: How heavy the paddle feels when you swing it. It depends on where the mass sits, so two paddles of the same static weight can swing differently. Brands that list it publish a number, higher meaning harder to swing.
Twist weight: How much the paddle resists twisting when you hit off-center. Higher twist weight generally means more stability on mishits.
Sweet spot: The area of the face where contact feels best and the ball comes off most consistently. Wider and thicker-core paddles usually have a larger one.
Pop: How much energy the paddle returns to the ball. High-pop paddles are livelier; low-pop paddles give you more control.
Dwell time: How long the ball stays on the face during contact. Longer dwell time generally means a softer feel and more control.
Elongated: A longer, narrower paddle shape. It gives extra reach and leverage with a narrower sweet spot. Best elongated paddles →
Hybrid shape: A shape between standard and elongated: somewhat longer than a classic paddle but wider than a fully elongated one.
Wide-body: A shorter, wider paddle shape that spreads the sweet spot across the face and is generally more forgiving. Best wide-body paddles →
Edge guard: A strip around the paddle's perimeter that protects the edge from chips. Some paddles are edgeless to save weight.
Grip circumference: The distance around the handle, in inches. A grip that is too small makes you squeeze harder, which can tire the forearm.
USA Pickleball approved: A paddle that appears on USA Pickleball's approved list, required in sanctioned tournaments. Always check the list for your exact paddle. Approved paddle list →

Court & rules

Kitchen (non-volley zone): The area within 7 feet of the net on each side. You may not volley the ball while standing in it or touching its lines.
Non-volley line: The line 7 feet from the net that marks the back of the kitchen. It counts as part of the kitchen.
Two-bounce rule: After the serve, the receiving side must let the ball bounce once before returning it, and the serving side must let the return bounce before hitting it. After that, volleys are allowed.
Side out: When the serving side loses the rally, the serve passes to the other side. In doubles, each side normally gets two server turns, except at the start of the game.
DUPR: Dynamic Universal Pickleball Rating, a rating system that estimates skill on a scale from about 2 to 8 based on match results. Skill rating calculator →

Shots & play

Dink: A soft shot hit from near the kitchen that arcs over the net and lands in the opponent's kitchen.
Third shot drop: A soft shot hit from the baseline after the serve and return, meant to land in the kitchen and give your team time to move forward.
Drive: A fast, low shot hit with pace. Used to pressure opponents or finish a point.
Reset: A soft block that absorbs a fast ball and drops it in the kitchen to neutralize the attack.
Volley: A shot hit out of the air before the ball bounces. Not allowed from inside the kitchen.
Lob: A high shot over the opponents' heads, usually used to push the net player back.
Erne: A volley hit by a player who jumps or steps outside the sideline around the kitchen, without touching the kitchen.
Stacking: A doubles formation where partners start on the same side of the court and shift after the serve so each plays their preferred side.