• Each team consists of 4 players (men, women, or mixed) split with 2 players on each end of the court to eliminate crossing paths.
• Matches are capped at 60 minutes. Highest score wins; ties are broken by one additional round.
• The serving team throws the pallino from behind the blue tape sideboard line. It must pass the center line and rest at least 12 inches from side/backboards without hitting the backboard. (2 failures passes the throw to the opponent).
• The team furthest from the pallino continues throwing until they are closer or out of balls. Each person throws 2 balls, alternating with teammates.
• Only Team or End Captains may step onto the court to check alignment or measure distances.

• The first team to reach 10 points wins the game (2 games played per week).
• Only 1 team can score per round (1, 2, 3, or 4 points based on how many balls are closer than the opponent's closest ball). No extra points for touching the pallino.
• Balls thrown short of halfway stay in play.
• A ball hitting the backboard (or sideboard then back wall) without touching the pallino or another ball first is declared dead and removed.
• The team winning the round serves first in the next round.

• Teams must secure their own subs. Regular season subs can belong to other teams not currently playing. Tournament subs cannot be part of another league team.
• A minimum of 2 players must be present to play. Missing players result in a penalty of 2 unthrown balls per missing person.
• Arriving with fewer than 2 players at start time results in an automatic forfeit (0 points to forfeiting team, 10 points to opponent). Two forfeits removes a team from tournament eligibility.
• Pre-play Option: Match updates can be coordinated a week early if both full teams agree (no subs allowed). Text final scores to Dave or Penny Scott. If an agreement can't be reached, the scheduling team gets 2 wins, and the unready team gets 0.

Resort Open Play Guidelines

• Court Assignments: Courts 1 and 2 are designated for Level 1 and 2 players. Courts 3 and 4 are designated for Level 3 and 4 players. Players can mix up within their respective court halves (e.g., 1s and 2s can mix together).
• Paddle Rack Rotation: When waiting to play, place your paddle in the leftmost open spot of the appropriate rack (one rack for courts 1 & 2; another for courts 3 & 4).
• Standard Scoring Limit: If there are fewer than 4 paddles waiting in the rack, games are played normally to 11 points (must win by 2).
• Paddle Queue Scoring Limit (Rule of 9): If there are 4 or more paddles waiting in a rack, new games starting on those courts must be played to 9 points (straight up, do not need to win by 2).
  • Note: Do not adjust games already in play. If a normal game to 11 started when the rack was empty, finish the full game. The 9-point rule applies only to new games starting while 4+ paddles are queued.

Equipment & Clothing Requirements

• Paddles & Balls: The resort has loaner paddles available if it is your first time. Balls are provided by the Resort Pickleball Club. Permanent paddles generally range from $50 to $175 and last virtually forever.
• Apparel: Wear comfortable shorts and a shirt that allows uninhibited movement.
• Footwear: The most crucial item is a proper pair of "court shoes" (designed for tennis or pickleball). These offer necessary lateral support for side-to-side movements and help prevent injury.

Player Skill Levels

• Equal Grouping: To keep matches balanced and fun, players are self-assigned a level from 1 to 4.
• Level Definitions: Level 1 is for those just starting out, while Level 4 represents the most advanced players. Players with previous tennis or ping-pong experience may start at a higher tier.

Pickleball Basic Rules

• Match Setup: Played either as doubles (two players per team) or singles. Doubles is the most common format. The court size and rules are identical for both formats.
• The Serve:
  • The server’s arm must move in an upward arc upon striking the ball.
  • Paddle contact must be below waist level, and the paddle head must not be above the highest part of the wrist.
  • A "drop serve" is also permitted, in which case the upward arc, waist, and wrist restrictions do not apply.
  • At contact, the server’s feet must be behind the baseline and within the imaginary extensions of the centerline and sideline.
  • The serve must travel diagonally crosscourt and land within the confines of the opposite receiving court. Only one serve attempt is allowed.
• Serving Sequence:
  • In doubles, both players on a team get to serve and score points until a fault is committed—except for the very first service turn of a new game, where only one partner serves before a side-out.
  • The first serve of any side-out is always made from the right (even) court.
  • If a point is scored, the server switches to the left side and serves again, continuing to alternate until a fault occurs.
  • Once the service passes to the opposing team (Side Out), both players on that team will get a turn to serve before turning it over.
  • In singles, the server serves from the right court when their score is even, and from the left court when their score is odd.
• Scoring: Points can only be scored by the serving team. Standard games are played to 11 (win by 2). Tournament matches may go to 15 or 21 (win by 2).
• Two-Bounce Rule: Following a serve, the receiving team must let the ball bounce once before returning it, and the serving team must also let the return bounce once before hitting it. After these two initial bounces, volleys (hitting the ball mid-air) or groundstrokes are permitted.
• Non-Volley Zone ("The Kitchen"):
  • The kitchen is the 7-foot restricted area on both sides of the net. Volleying the ball while standing inside this zone is strictly prohibited to prevent close-up smashes.
  • It is a fault if a player steps into the kitchen, touches a kitchen line, or has their momentum carry them/their gear into the zone during or immediately after executing a volley.
  • Players may legally stand inside the kitchen at any other time, as long as they are not hitting a volley.
• Line Calls & Faults:
  • A ball contacting any part of a boundary line is considered "in", *except* for the kitchen line on a serve, which is considered short and a fault.
  • A fault stops play due to a rule violation. A fault by the receivers gives the servers a point; a fault by the servers results in a loss of serve or a side-out.
• Determining First Serve: Any fair method can be used to decide choice of side or service (e.g., writing a 1 or 2 on the back of a score sheet).

Court Etiquette & Core Object

• Court Dressings: Always ensure there are beads evenly distributed on the court surface prior to beginning play. Use the provided shaker.
• Surface Care: Strictly DO NOT walk on the painted playing surface at any time.
• The Object of Play: To propel discs by means of a cue onto the scoring diagram at the opposite end of the court to score points, prevent your opponent from scoring, or both.
• Practice Availability: Courts are compliant with outdoor shuffleboard standards for optimal travel and are always open for practice.

Game Flow & Disk Color Selection

• Color Assignments:
  • Game 1: The team with the lowest team number plays with White discs. The opposing team uses Blue.
  • Game 2: Teams change colors (the low team number switches to Blue).
  • Game 3 (If Needed): Color selection is determined by a coin flip; the winner chooses their color.
• Starting a Round: White always shoots first in each game and is positioned on the right side of the court. Discs must be shot in alternating colors.
• Shooting Alignment: Discs are placed within your team's 10-off area. They may be pushed back and forth to check the slide condition, but must be fully at rest back in the area prior to shooting.
• Swapping Ends: At the completion of each full game, players on both ends switch sides of the court.

In-Play Regulations & Faults

• Foot Faults: A player's foot must not touch or cross the baseline (the line directly beneath the 10-off area).
• Live Discs: A disc is officially played once it leaves the cue. It must completely touch or cross the opposite side's dead line. If it fails to cross or touch this line, it is dead and removed immediately.
• Shot Timing: A player must wait for the previously shot disc to come to a complete stop before executing their turn.
• Rebounds & Interference:
  • If a disc rebounds backwards past the -10-back line after hitting the end wall, it is considered dead. If it strikes a live disc upon rebounding, that entire round is replayed with no scores recorded.
  • If a stray disc from an adjacent court drifts over and strikes a live disc, both players on the shooting side replay their round over.
• 

Scoring & Winning Conditions

• Line Contact: Points are awarded after all 8 discs are shot. Discs must be fully within and not touching any white boundary lines to count. The thin white separation line inside the 10-off area is excluded from this rule.
• Judging Contact: Determination of line contact must be done by viewing straight down the vertical edge of the disc, mutually agreed upon by both teams at that end.
• Stacked Discs: A disc resting cleanly on top of another disc counts normally.
• Target Score: The first side to reach 50 points wins the game. There is no requirement to win by 2 points.
• Tie-Breaker Rule: If a tie occurs at 50 points or higher, play continues for another full round (both ends shooting). The highest score at the end of the full round wins. Rounds continue in full until the tie is broken.
• Recording Results: The winning team marks the master sheet with a 1 under their team column and a 0 for the losing team.

League Administration & Policies

• Group Captain Duties: Each league group has an assigned Captain responsible for ensuring courts are properly dressed with beads, supplying the daily score sheet, confirming matches are recorded (1 for win, 0 for loss), and routing results to the coordinator.
• Forfeits: A 10-minute grace period from the scheduled start time is allowed. If a team fails to show without prior contact, a forfeit is declared, and the present team is automatically awarded 3 wins.
• Rescheduling & Subs: It is the responsibility of the absent team to arrange a substitute or coordinate an alternate match date with their opponents. Makeup matches can be played at any time, but must be completed before the final cutoff of the regular season. Inform your Group Captain as a courtesy.
• Weather Cancellations: In case of inclement weather, teams must coordinate directly to reschedule. If a total weekly washout occurs, the entire league schedule may be shifted back by one week.
• Playoffs Structure: The top 2 ranking teams from each distinct group advance into a 4-team single-elimination playoff bracket held the week following the end of regular matchups to crown the ultimate league champion.