When it comes to finding the right pickleball, there are hundreds of options. Before you set out to buy a pickleball, it’s a good idea to find out what you need to look for.
There are three key factors that influence your pickleball choice: indoor or outdoor use, tournament or hobby game and the color of the ball.
While there are no specific rules about the color of pickleballs, many players prefer yellow, orange or white because they are the most visible.
In this guide, we find out what color pickleball you should use and how to choose the right color pickleball.
What The Rules Say About Pickleball Colors
The pickleball rule book doesn’t specify a special color for pickleball games. The only rule that applies to pickleball colors is that they must be uniform.
This means that you can use any color pickleball but it has to be a single color, except for any brand logo printed on the ball.
What’s The Best Pickleball Color?
While you are free to choose any color for your pickleball, it’s best to play only with brightly colored pickleballs, such as yellow, orange or white.
They are easily visible from any distance, whether you are playing on an indoor or outdoor court.
Plus, most indoor and outdoor pickleballs are available only in vibrant colors, such as bright yellow, neon green or orange.
What Is The Most Popular Color For Outdoor Pickleballs?
The best outdoor pickleball color is radiant yellow or bright white. While you can also use bright green pickleballs, they may not be so easy to see if your ball goes off-court.
You should also keep in mind that outdoor pickleball games require outdoor pickleballs.
This type of pickleball is made from hard plastic that slightly bounces off the ground. Most pickleball designed for outdoor use come in bright yellow, white or green.
What Is The Best Color For Indoor Pickleballs?
Although official USAPA rules don’t specify a required color for pickleballs, many players of indoor pickleball prefer darker color balls, such as green or white.
While they are still easily visible inside gyms, they are not too bright for the indoor pickleball court.
When you pick the right pickleball for your match inside, make sure that you use a soft indoor pickleball.
These balls are designed specifically for indoor use as they are slightly lighter than the tough outdoor pickleballs. This means they bounce off the indoor court surface easier.
What Is The Best Pickleball Color For Tournaments?
The USA Pickleball Association doesn’t specify any special color for tournament pickleballs. However, the same rules as for any pickleball game apply.
Most tournament-level games provide pickleballs that have a vibrant color with a logo branding. These balls are all uniform in color.
If you are practicing for a tournament, keep in mind that it’s a good idea to use the same ball as you would in a professional match.
This means that you should also use a USAPA-approved pickleball that has the right dimensions and weight allowed for tournaments.
What Color Pickleball Is Most Visible?
The most visible pickleball color is bright green or vibrant yellow. You can also buy radiant orange which stands out in any type of environment you are playing.
Make sure that you choose your pickleball color based on the lighting, background colors and type of game.
If you are playing outdoors in nature, then you may want to avoid green as this does not stand out enough against leaves and shrubs.
Instead, choose a uniform yellow or orange pickleball that’s quick and easy to see during the game.
How To Choose The Best Pickleball Color
When you are looking for a pickleball, there are a number of factors to consider, from the type of pickleball court to the coloration of your ball.
As the official pickleball rules don’t set out specific colors for pickleballs, you can choose any pickleball color you like.
However, many pickleball players prefer to go with vibrant colors, such as orange, green or yellow. This ensures that the ball is visible even in low-light conditions.
Here are some of the things to consider when choosing the right pickleball color for your game.
Check The Surrounding Colors
As players need to follow the ball at all times, a pickleball needs to stand out from its environment.
Whether you are playing outside among tall, green leaves or inside where white gym walls dominate the background, choose a color that doesn’t blend in with the background.
Outdoor pickleballs are usually yellow, white or orange, while indoor pickleballs can be orange, yellow or green.
Consider The Lighting
Another essential element to consider when you buy a specific color pickleball is the lighting.
If you are playing in good light conditions, then any color ball is going to be visible. However, if you play in low light, then you need a pickleball that’s painted a neon color.
This is the reason that white pickleballs are rarely used today because they are not visible enough in darker environments.
Neon orange, bright green or intense yellow stand out in any environment. If you are playing in variable lighting conditions, then choose any of these three colors for your pickleball game.
Indoor Or Outdoor
While the specific outdoor or indoor use of your ball doesn’t have a direct impact on your color choice, some balls are only available in certain colors.
Pickleball makers use the most visible colors, such as orange, neon and yellow to produce their balls.
Outdoor and indoor courts have different lighting conditions and various background colors. You need to consider this when you pick your pickleball.
As a rule of thumb, the light with indoor courts isn’t variable and it can be much easier to see even some of the dark-colored balls.
On the other hand, you can’t control the variable lighting conditions on an outdoor court which means that you should choose a bright pickleball.
Tournament Use
There are a number of different rules for pickleball tournaments. However, there is no specific rule for colors that a tournament pickleball should have.
As long as the pickleball is a uniform color with an official logo, the ball is allowed for professional matches.
This being said, pickleballs used for tournaments also need to be approved by the USAPA. This means that they need to follow certain rules around weight and dimensions.
If you want to buy a pickleball to practice (see also: How To Practice Pickleball Alone)for an upcoming tournament match, then make sure that you get an official USAPA-approved ball that follows the rules.
Avoid Multi-Colored Balls
While they may be pretty to look at, official Pickleball Association rules specify clearly that your pickleball should be uniform in color.
If you still want to use a multi-colored pickleball, just keep in mind that this type of ball wouldn’t be accepted for official tournaments.
This means that you may need to change balls if you want to play in a pickleball tournament.
Final Thoughts
Although there are no specific rules from the USA Pickleball Association relating to pickleball colors, make sure that your pickleball is bright enough so every player can easily see it on the court.
Hi, I’m Michael Walter, and I am a Pickleball enthusiast. I work as a High School Physical Education Teacher, so I have an expansive knowledge of sports and its impact on physical health.
When I first took a position at my current school, one of the many things I wanted to implement in the curriculum was Pickleball.
Pickleball is a fantastic sport to keep yourself active, healthy, keep your blood pumping, and to start a good sense of competitiveness and team work.
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