Both SandyPickle and Beach Tennis are paddles born and bred for beach-goers. But to a someone who is unfamiliar of the nuances of many of these new paddle sports, it may be hard to tell the difference. So for those that are wondering what the difference between SandyPickleball and Beach Tennis are, we have answers!
What is Beach Tennis?
Beach tennis is a paddle sport that takes after both tennis and volleyball. It is played mostly on the beach (surprise!) and can also be played on the grass.
The game started gaining popularity in Italy in the 1970s and spread to other parts of the world with a strong beach culture such as Rio De Janeiro, Aruba, and the California coast. Today, beach tennis is very much a global sport, with over 300 official tournaments being held in almost 40 countries.
Beach tennis can be played in singles or doubles (two-player teams) on a regulated volleyball court. Although the game is played on a volleyball court with a similar net to volleyball, the rules take after tennis. Both the scoring and volley rules are similar to tennis. Players use depressurized tennis balls and paddles as equipment.
What is SandyPickle?
SandyPickle is a game invented by Pickleball enthusiasts Steve Reeves & Brady Whittingham who were looking for a way to enjoy Pickleball in a beach or grassy park-like atmosphere. With some help of friends, they invented the game of Sandy Pickle which combines elements of Pickleball and Volleyball to create a fun game that Pickleball enthusiasts can play when there is no asphalt or hard concrete surfaces to play on.
SandyPickle is played on a sand or grass court that can be set up within minutes as long as you have the right equipment
Beach Tennis vs SandyPickle – How are they Different?
The differences between Beach Tennis and Sandy Pickle come down to three key difference: the court size, the type of ball used, and the rules.
Court Size
A SandyPickle court is slightly smaller than a pickleball court. SandyPickle courts also have different sizes based on singles or doubles play. A singles SandyPickle court measures 32 feet long by 13 feet 6 inches wide (9.7 meters x 4.1 meters) and the doubles court is slightly larger at 36 feet by 16 feet 8 inches (11 meters x 5.1 meters). The standard height of a SandyPickle net is 6 feet high.
Beach Tennis courts are larger and share the same size as a standard beach volleyball court so long as you are playing doubles. A beach tennis court measures at 52 feet 6 inches long x 29 feet 6 inches wide (16 meters x 9 meters). However, for singles beach tennis (which is less often played) the court is 14 feet 9 inches (4.5 meters) less in width. This means the singles court is narrower than the doubles in beach tennis.
This is a big difference in the amount of activity involved in either sport. In beach tennis, you have to cover more ground and will probably get more cardio in. In SandyPickle, you’ll cover less ground but might mean you’ll have to have quicker reflexes and technique.
Ball
Simply put, SandyPickle and Beach Tennis use a different ball. Beach tennis uses a deflated tennis ball. SandyPickle uses a pickleball-ball.
Rules
Here is where we see a substantial difference in the two paddle sports born of the sand. The rules of each game vary in that SandyPickl takes after Pickleball, where beach tennis takes after tennis.
For example, in beach tennis, the scoring is akin to tennis with a 15-30-40 scoring system. SandyPickle games are played to 11, win-by-2.
Additionally, in SandyPickle you are allowed one “bump” per volley. This is not the case in Beach Tennis where you cannot pass the ball to your partner (in doubles). Once the ball is hit, it must legally pass over the net to the opposing team
If I am going to the beach, should I play SandyPickle or Beach Tennis?
If you are going to the beach and want to do some paddle-sporting, you have two great options between SandyPickle and Beach Tennis. There is no wrong option, but depending upon your situation you might want to pick one or the other.
Those who are going to a beach with limited space might find that SandyPickle is a better option for some beach fun since you don’t need as much space to place. Also, your beach may not have a volleyball court and net, which would make the decision easy if you have a SandyPickle set (or want to buy one).
However, SandyPickle necessitates that you have the right equipment to set up. And you may not have a SandyPickle set. In this case, we would recommend finding a beach with a volleyball net already installed. If your beach does have a volleyball net, all you will need are some paddles and a depressurized tennis ball.
Conclusion
While SandyPickle and Beach Tennis may look the same to an outsider, there are notable differences. Most of the difference come in the rules of the game, the size of the court and the type of ball that is used. So now when someone asks you what game those kids on the beach with paddles are playing, you have the answer.