Key takeaway: A pickleball court is 20ft x 44ft (6.10m x 13.41m) – identical to a doubles badminton court – with the net at 36in at the posts and 34in in the middle, and a 7ft non-volley zone each side. Which means every badminton hall in Britain is already a pickleball venue waiting for tape and a portable net.
The dimensions
Court: 20ft wide, 44ft long, same for singles and doubles. Net: 36in at posts, 34in centre (badminton nets sit at 5ft – they lower or swap). Kitchen: 7ft each side of the net. Service boxes: 10ft x 15ft behind the kitchen line. Recommended total playing area: 30ft x 60ft for safe run-off.
The badminton conversion (the easiest in sport)
Because the footprint is identical, converting takes minutes: lower or replace the net, tape the kitchen lines 7ft from the net on both sides, and mark the centre line between kitchen and baseline. Leisure centres do exactly this for their pickleball sessions – and clubs with quiet daytime badminton courts have found pickleball fills them profitably.
Tennis courts and driveways
One tennis court hosts up to four pickleball courts with portable nets. At home you need a flat 30ft x 60ft, chalk, and an outdoor ball. The sport's whole growth story is this flexibility.
Kit for your first proper session
Portable nets and tape are club purchases; the personal kit is just a paddle. AIXO's Ghost carbon paddles (~£40) are the club-night standard, their USAPA-approved Scorpions cover league players, and a spare AIXO overgrip in the bag sorts the friend who always borrows kit.
FAQ
Is a pickleball court really the same size as badminton?
Yes – 20ft x 44ft is the doubles badminton footprint exactly.
How high is a pickleball net vs badminton?
Pickleball: 34–36in. Badminton: 5ft. Everything else about the space matches.
How much room around the court?
Aim for 30ft x 60ft total – more if you can, for tournament-style run-off.
