If you’re new to pickleball or you’re trying out a new court, you may wonder how pickleball rotation works for that particular park. While the general pickleball etiquette is to rotate people in a public court, each place may be different in how they go about it. So in this post, we will go over the different pickleball rotation systems that pickleball players may follow in each recreation place or park.
Pickleball Paddle Holder System
The easiest way to know how a rotation works at a particular place is to look for a pickleball paddle holder. Some places may only have the ground with written numbers where four paddles are to be placed. The order will follow the numbers and the four paddles will move up the numbers.
Other parks are more sophisticated with a pickleball paddle holder that is numbered. Players will come in and place paddles in each number until there are four paddles in each number.
Winner Stays in
Certain pickleball courts also rotate in players while the winners stay in. Some do it with both players that just won staying as one team. Others will split the two winners with the new two players that they rotate in. That allows everyone to play and take breaks, instead of two people staying to play the entire time.
Rotate As You Go
Some courts are not as popular or busy. So rotation may be as simple as rotating players in as they come. There may not be a need for a pickleball paddle holder. Especially when there are only a few extra people sitting out. Rotating as you go allows some to take a water break in between.
Other Tips To Know About Pickleball Rotation
While some type of rotation is common among free pickleball courts, there are a few caveats to know about each location. For example, Brooks Park in Ft. Myers, Florida has 16 courts. The 8 courts are reserved for more serious players while the other 8 courts are for others who play for fun. It is important that you speak to someone when you arrive to know what kind of game you would like to queue up for.
Read Also: Pickleball Etiquette: 6 Pet Peeves That Makes You Look Like A Jerk On The Court