Basics

Pickleball words and open-play etiquette, for anyone new to the game.

• Explainer

  Pickleball Terms: Dink, Erne, ATP and More, Explained

  The words you'll hear most: the kitchen is the 7-foot non-volley zone by the net. A dink is a soft shot that lands in it. A third-shot drop is the serving team's soft shot to get to the net. An erne is a volley hit from outside the court beside the net, and an ATP is a shot hit around the net post instead of over the net. Both are legal.

• Guide

  Pickleball Open Play Etiquette: How to Join In

  Put your paddle in the rack or line and wait your turn; the next four up take the next free court. Say hello, mention your level, and ask what scoring the court uses. Call the score before every serve, call only the lines on your side, and if you're not sure a ball was out, it's in. When the game ends, tap paddles and head back to the rack.