“So You Want To Play Pickleball On The Grass?“

Sandy Pickle was actually the result of our experience trying to play pickleball during the pandemic. The public courts were always busy, so we bought a portable pickleball game and set it up on the park grass. We immediately learned that without a bounce, a 3′ net was too low…kill shots were too easy. The next day we raised the net height by replacing the poles from our set with a couple 6′ sections of sprinkler pipe (PVC). With a taller net the game was fun, but it was no longer “pickleball”.

As we continued playing we made a few more modifications and soon realized what had just happened…we had just modified pickleball into a game that could be played anywhere…in the park, at the beach, and in the yard!

What Changes Were Made As “Grass Pickleball” Became Sandy Pickle?

Now you can play pickleball on the grass, at the beach, or in your own yard with Sandy Pickle! Read below for a summary of the rules.

1. Smaller Court Dimensions:

We adjusted the court size to accommodate for the fact that players can’t move as fast on grass or sand, and every shot is a volley since the ball doesn’t bounce.

In comparison to pickleball, Sandy Pickle’s boundaries are slightly smaller, and the center line has been eliminated. The singles* court width is 13′ 6″ (4.1 meters), and doubles is 16′ 8″ (5.1 meters), with baselines at 16′ for singles and 18′ for doubles.
*SandyPickle’s proprietary net design allows for easy width adjustment between singles & doubles.

2. Adjustable Net Height

For the same reasons as in #1, the net needed to be raised from the standard 36 inch pickleball height.

For recreational play, the net should be set to the approximate height of the tallest player on the court. For tournament play, the default height is 6’ but may be modified to accommodate for optional height and/or skill divisions.

3. No-Spike Zone

The area within 5’ of the net on each side is called the “No Spike Zone” (similar to the “Kitchen” in pickleball).

On each serve, the return must be made from behind the no-spike zone; At all other times, the only restriction to playing inside this area is that no part of the paddle may be above the top of the net when making contact with the ball (i.e. no spiking).

4. No Bounces

Balls don’t bounce well on sand or grass, therefore each shot must be hit before the ball touches the ground.

Sometimes described as a hybrid of pickleball and badminton, Sandy Pickle also borrows the “bump” from volleyball. The addition of the 1-pass rule in doubles play allows a player to bump, or pass to their teammate who then must hit the ball over the net on the subsequent shot.

Longer, volley-only rallies make for a fast-paced game that is almost as fun to watch as it is to play!

5. Serving

Serves are made from behind the baseline with no limitations as to which side of the court they are hit from or to. Also unlike pickleball, players may serve overhead.

A serve is “out” if it lands within the no-spike zone or outside court boundaries. If the ball hits the net but lands within the boundaries, it is a “let” and the serve is repeated. The player serving continues until they lose a point, after which their opponent takes over (unlike pickleball, in doubles play the serve alternates sides at the end of each serving opportunity).

6. Scoring

Like pickleball, games are played to 11 points and must be won by 2 (or more). A point is earned when the player or team serving wins the point. If the player or team RECEIVING the serve wins the point, they take over the serve.

Scoring Note: When a team is winning 7-6, for example, the player serving would call out “7-6” rather than “7-6-1”.

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