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.
