Pickleball
What’s up with pickleball?
Please read through the Pickleball Rules.
Our pickleball specific coach, Winkie LaForce, offers clinics and lessons to our members. She was bitten by the pickleball bug a few years ago, and admits to be a total pickleball addict nowadays. Winkie is a certified coach and she has trained over 100+ beginners and intermediates in Chapel Hill and Durham area. Many are tennis players turned pickleball players. Winkie even took this game to the deep bush of Ghana in 2021 playing on the first court in Ghana.
Pickleball was created in 1965 and now there are 3.5 million people who play. It is the fastest growing sport in the US. This game is intergenerational, and people on every level and age can pickle their hearts away, and have a great time.
Come join the pickleball community. Winkie guarantees fun, laughter and wonderful socialization.
(Who said athletes do not play pickleball---watch this point!)
Pickleball Clinics
You must be a Hollow Rock member to participate in any clinics at the club.
Pickleball Etiquette
1) Call out the score loudly before you serve - there are 3 different numbers to keep track of and everyone from beginners to advanced players can get confused. This is why having a constant update at the beginning of each serve is so helpful (and mandatory in tournaments). So, call out the score loudly so that things don’t get off track.
2) Wait until everyone is ready before you serve - the server should not serve until the receiver of the serve is ready. It is against the rules to serve if the receiver isn’t ready. If someone says they weren’t ready, re-serve the point.
3) Meet at the net after a game - meeting at the net is how you conclude every game. When people meet at the net they typically stick their paddle handles out to sort of “high five” in our own pickleball way.
Beginner Players: For learning the basics of pickleball. (Members only)
4) Ball management - If a ball gets caught on your side of the net, but it needs to go to your opponent, don’t weakly throw the ball back over. Make sure it reaches your opponent. The same is true if a ball lands in your court from another court; find out which court the ball belongs to and return it to the other court, without smashing it back.
If a ball is going towards another court, do NOT chase it ONTO the other court. Stop, yell “Ball on Court”, and let the other people stop play and retrieve the ball.
Try to have a few balls in your pocket. This keeps people from having to hunt down balls all the time. If someone goes out of their way to get a ball for you, say thanks for going through the trouble.
5) Don’t give people lessons on the court - most people who come to play recreational pickleball are just there for fun. They don’t care if they win or lose and they probably don’t even care if they improve or not. Trying to give them lessons on the court can make their experience annoying and frustrating no matter how well intentioned. Make sure you ask players if they want tips while they play.
Intermediate Players: If you know how to play but you want to advance your skills, sign up for this clinic. (Members only)
Open play opportunities:
(available to members only)
More Pickleball info: