How to Speak Picklease

HOW TO SPEAK
PICKLEASE

Once you’ve mastered the basics—such as “kitchen” and “dink”—these next 10 terms will help you sound like a pro on the pickleball court.

10

OPEN FACE

KEEPING THE PADDLE’S HITTING SURFACE TILTED UPWARD A BIT. (NOT A REFERENCE TO YOUR POSTGAME SANDWICH.) 


9

NO MAN’S LAND

THE DANGEROUS AREA BETWEEN THE KITCHEN AND THE BASELINE. 


8

PICKLED

WHEN YOUR TEAM LOSES 11–0. A BIG FAT ZERO. SKUNKED. BAGELED. TRY TO AVOID THIS.  


7

DEAD BALL

THE BALL HAS BOUNCED OUT OF BOUNDS. POINT OVER.  


6

SLAMMERS

PLAYERS WHO HIT THE BALL HARD AND FAST. APPARENTLY, THIS IS FROWNED UPON—OOPS, SORRY!   


5

FLAPJACK

A SHOT THAT MUST BOUNCE BEFORE BEING HIT; THE RETURN OF A SERVE OR THE RETURN OF THE RETURN OF THE SERVE. (PHEW!)   


4

DILLBALL

A LIVE BALL; THE OPPOSITE OF A DEAD BALL.  


3

OPA!

PLAYERS SHOUT THIS AFTER THE THIRD SHOT HAS BEEN HIT AND VOLLEYING HAS BEGUN.  


2

FALAFEL

A SHOT THAT DIES OFF THE PADDLE BECAUSE OF LACK OF POWER— A.K.A. A WIMPY HIT.   


1

THE VOLLEY LLAMA

AN ILLEGAL MOVE IN WHICH A PLAYER HITS A VOLLEY SHOT WHILE STANDING IN THE KITCHEN.