Local Policies

Topics

Court designation
First service
Sportsmanship
Ball on court
Player rotation (single court)
Player rotation (both courts)
Special player rotation (5 or more players waiting)
Umbrella usage
Court scheduling

Introduction

While the official pickleball rules spell out how to play the game, they do not deal with certain play-related situations. Here is a listing of local customs and policies that help us maintain a pleasant and predictable environment for pickleball at Touchmark at The Ranch.

Court Designation

The east court (closest to the rock wall) is designated Court 1 while the west court is designated Court 2.

First Service

The first serve of every game is made from the south-east corner of each court (closest towards the Amphitheater building and the spectator or waiting area).

Sportsmanship

Sportsmanship is a big part of recreational pickleball. A good write-up on the subject has been prepared by the USA Pickleball Association and you can find a copy of it here.

Ball on Court

If a ball from one court is hit on to the other court, players should call "Pickle!" or "Ball on court!" Play on both courts should cease immediately until the errant ball is returned to its proper court.

Player Rotation (single court)

For the first game only, the losers shall exit the court. From then on, players who have been in for two games exit whether or not they have won the last game. Then the two players whose paddles are next in the holder shall begin a new game. The four players may determine among themselves as to how they team up. It is suggested that teams attempt to equalize their skill levels and/or change partners as desired.

If a player is injured or decides to leave a game for any reason the player whose paddle is next in the holder or a volunteer shall join the game. The new player shall take the same classification as the exiting player as to the number of games played. This is to eliminate the confusion that results when three new players enter the court for each remaining game of the session.

Player Rotation (both courts)

On occasion, both courts may happen to finish their games at the same time. After the new players come on the courts, all players may agree to switch courts to mix up the teams. A suggested method is to have the most recent winners play on Court 1 (as designated above) and the non-winners play on Court 2.

Special Player Rotation (5 or more players waiting)

This policy is currently under evaluation due to a recent increase in the number of players attending Open Play sessions.

Umbrella Usage

The shade umbrella is prone to wind damage if left unfurled at the end of a play session. Because the player who initially unfurled the umbrella may not be present at the end of the session, the last players on the court should take the responsibility of closing and tying up the umbrella. It's not that hard to do and if you have any questions, please ask for a demonstration the next time you are waiting to play.

Court Scheduling

Please refer to the current play schedule listed on the Home page. The Touchmark calendars, which are often drawn up in advance, may not always accurately reflect the correct starting times.

When the courts are not scheduled for Open Play or Beginners, they are available to any players for practicing or pick-up games. Depending on the number of Beginners, they may be using both courts so please do not try to squeeze into their scheduled time.