Racquet sports are taking off all across America. Pickleball is a great example of a racket sport (or technically a paddle sport) who’s growing popularity isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
It seems like there is a Pickleball court on every corner, and new derivatives of the sport are now starting to form. But while Pickleball is picking up steam, there may be Squash enthusiasts that are thinking, “how is this different than Squash?” Alternatively, Pickleball enthusiasts who are knew to racket sports might be wondering how to play that weird sport that has the same name as a vegetable. So let’s look at some of the differences between Pickleball vs Squash.
What is Squash
Squash is a racket sport invented in the mid 19th century in London that is played within a court that has 4 contained walls on each side (similar to racquetball). The game involves either 2 or 4 players hitting a hollow ball against the wall. Once a single player or a player from a team of two squash players hits the ball, the opposing team or player must return in by hitting it back against the wall in accordance with the rules of the game. Squash has quite a few peculiar rules that make it a very unique racket sport which we will get into.
Squash courts are indoors and are 30 feet x 20 feet roughly in size ( 9.75 meters x 6.4 meters to be exact). Squash courts are not the easiest to find and are only available in select sports clubs and gyms, although most large cities in the USA will have Squash courts available somewhere. It is a global sport played in over 180 countries worldwide.
What is Pickleball
Pickleball is a sport that was invented in Bainbridge Island Washington State in 1965. It is a racket/paddle sport with a net similar to a tennis net played on a court roughly the size of a badminton court.
The rules are also similar to badminton and tennis, and it is quite easy is easy to pick up and play with your friends on blacktop or a tennis court. The game involves either 2 pickleball players playing singles or 4 pickleball players playing doubles.
It is taking off in the USA and fast becoming the most popular paddle sport spanning all age groups. The reason for it’s popularity is largely due to the fact that the rules are fairly simple, and you can set up a Pickleball court on any blacktop if you have the right equipment.
How are Squash and Pickleball Similar?
Squash and Pickleball are two very different racket sports, but they do share similarities.
- Both a Pickleball and a squash ball are hollow.
- Games are played to 11. Each team must win by 2 points.
- Although the area of a Squash court is much smaller compared to the total area of a Pickleball court, the total area that any given player can cover is the same. One side of a Pickleball court is 30 feet x 30 feet roughly, whereas a squash player can cover a 30 feet by 20 feet area.
- Like most racket sports, the skillsets of great Pickleball & Squash players are similar. You have to have good lateral motion, and ability to control your paddle/racket as the ball ricochets off of it. Having a good instinct as to how to direct a ball in a certain direction, and what force to use when swinging your racket or paddle are both integral parts of a players skillset.
Fundamental differences Between Squash and Pickleball
There are some fundamental differences in the two games of Pickleball and Squash:
- Sports like Racquetball Squash and Padel ball are played on enclosed courts that rely on walls which players smack the ball against. Pickleball is played on an open court with a net and opponents on each side.
- A pickleball has holes in it and resembles a wiffleball whereas a Squash ball is enclosed.
- A Pickleball racket is shorter, wider and completely solid. A Squash Racket is woven like a Tennis racket and is taller & skinnier
- Most Squash games (at least in the US) are played “Point-A-Rally” where a team can win a point no matter who serves. Pickleball is scored on a “hand-in-hand-out” system – or in other words – only the player / team who is serving can win a point.
- Although not recommended, you can serve overhand in Squash. This is illegal in Pickleball.
Cultural Differences
One difference that is notable is that Squash has been traditionally known as a sport for the wealthy. This could be due to the fact that throughtout the history of the game, is has been difficult to find a nice Squash court unless you are part of a Racquet club in your town. Racket sporting clubs have a reputation for being somewhat exclusive and expensive to be a member of.
On the contrary, Pickleball has branded itself as the “less pretentious” racket sport that you can play mostly anywhere. You just need some buddies to go in on a Pickleball set ($20 per person if split between 4 people) and you can play Pickleball for as long as you want, anywhere you want.
Wrapping up – Pickleball vs Squash
Both Squash and Pickleball are great sports that are similar, yet share some distinctive qualities. If your gym has a Squash court, I would highly recommend picking it up or ant least giving it a try. However, this is not something most of us have the luxury of, so Pickleball would be the obvious choice for many.