The Smartest
Pickleball Scorer
on the Web

What is Pickleball — And Why Is Everyone Playing It?

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the United States. With over 36 million players and counting, it has overtaken tennis as the country's most popular racquet sport. It's played on a badminton-sized court with a wiffle-style ball and solid paddles, combining elements of tennis, ping pong, and badminton into something entirely its own.

The game is accessible to all ages and fitness levels — which is exactly why it's exploded in community parks, recreation centers, retirement communities, and company wellness programs. A game can last anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, making it perfect for a casual workout or a competitive session.

But here's the problem: pickleball scoring is genuinely confusing for new players. The side-out scoring system, the three-number call, server rotation in doubles — it trips up everyone at first. That's why Dink exists.

How Pickleball Scoring Actually Works

Pickleball uses a rally scoring variant called side-out scoring. Here's the breakdown:

• Games are played to 11 points, and you must win by 2.
• Only the serving team can score a point.
• In doubles, each player on a team gets to serve before the serve passes to the opposing team — this is called a side-out.
• The score is always called as three numbers: Server Score – Receiver Score – Server Number. For example: "5-3-2" means the serving team has 5 points, receiving team has 3, and the second server is serving.
• At the very start of a game, only one player on the first serving team gets to serve (to prevent a first-serve advantage). They are called Server 2.

Why Dink Is Different From Other Scorekeeping Apps

Most scorekeeping apps are generic — they track numbers but don't understand pickleball's unique rules. Dink was built specifically for pickleball players:

• Automatic server rotation — Dink tracks which player is serving and switches automatically on a fault or side-out. No more arguments at the net.
• Vocal call display — The correct "Score–Score–Server" call is always shown on screen. Hold it up and everyone can see the official call.
• Doubles and Singles modes — Whether you're playing a 2v2 match or head-to-head singles, Dink handles both correctly.
• One-tap match recap — At the end of a match, tap to copy a formatted recap text — perfect for sharing in iMessage, WhatsApp, or your park's group chat.
• Offline capability — Dink works without an internet connection. Take it to any court, indoor or outdoor.
• Local match history — All your games are saved to your device. No account, no cloud, no privacy concerns.

5 Pickleball Rules Beginners Always Get Wrong

1. The Kitchen Rule (Non-Volley Zone)

The "kitchen" is the 7-foot non-volley zone on either side of the net. You cannot volley the ball (hit it in the air) while standing in the kitchen or while your momentum carries you into it after a shot. This catches nearly every new player out at least once. You can step into the kitchen to hit a ball that has bounced — just not to volley.

2. The Double Bounce Rule

When a game starts, the ball must bounce once on each side before either team can begin volleying. The serve must bounce, then the return must bounce, and only after those two bounces can both teams hit the ball out of the air. This prevents the serve-and-volley tactic dominant in tennis and keeps rallies longer.

3. The Starting Server Rule

At the very beginning of a game in doubles, the first serving team only gets one serve (they start as Server 2). Every other team after that gets both servers before a side-out. This is specifically designed to reduce the serving team's advantage at the opening of a match. It confuses almost every beginner.

4. Foot Faults on the Serve

The serve must be hit underhand, below the waist, and your feet must be behind the baseline — not on it, behind it. Foot faults are rarely called in casual play but matter in competitive settings. Dink helps you focus on the game by tracking the score, so you can focus on your form.

5. Let Serves Are Now In Play

Unlike tennis, since 2021 the USAPA rules no longer treat a serve that clips the net and lands in as a "let." It is played as a live ball. Many players from tennis backgrounds still call let serves without realizing the rule changed. Keep an eye on where the ball lands, not whether it touched the net.