Ball Hits the Net Post
Also known as: ball hits the net post, ball hit the net post, shot hits the net post, net post rule, ball hits the pole in pickleball, net post winner, ball bounces then hits the post
It depends on when it hits. A shot that hits the net post before it lands is a fault against the hitter. A ball that first bounces in the opponents' court and then strikes the pole wins the rally for the hitter.
The 2026 rulebook treats the posts as permanent objects. Rule 10.C.4 makes it a fault when your shot hits a permanent object before it bounces. Rule 10.C.5 covers the other case. If a ball bounces in a player's court and that player fails to return it before it hits a permanent object, the fault is theirs.
The change document calls this the net post winner. The 2025 rule said any ball touching a pole was dead and lost by the hitter. In 2026, a ball can bounce in, then spin or blow into the upright, and the hitter wins the rally.
Other net support rules still apply. A serve that touches any part of the net support system is a fault. So is a return that touches it before crossing the net (Rule 13.B.1). A return that crosses and then hits a crossbar inside the court is replayed (Rule 13.B.2). Going around the outside is legal, but going between the net and the pole is a fault (Rules 13.C and 13.D).
Tips by skill level
Watch where the ball touches first. Before landing, the pole is a fault on the hitter. After a bounce in the opponents' court, it is the hitter's rally.
A wide, spinning dink that bounces near the sideline now pays off even if it drifts into the upright. It also makes a ball that bounces wide worth chasing early.
Example
Your sharp crosscourt dink bounces in the opponents' court, then spins sideways into the pole. Under the 2026 rules, you win the rally. If the same ball had clipped it before landing, you would have lost the rally.
Why it matters
These shots happen most on wide dinks and around-the-post attempts. The rule changed in 2026, so many players still make the old call.
Common mistakes
- Calling every ball that touches the pole a fault on the hitter, as under the 2025 rule
- Forgetting that a serve touching the net support system is always a fault
- Treating a ball that crosses and hits a portable net's crossbar as a point instead of a replay
Frequently asked questions
Is it in if the ball hits the net post in pickleball?
Not if it touches the pole before landing. That is a fault against the hitter. If it bounces in the opponents' court first and then hits the pole, the hitter wins the rally.
What changed about the net post rule in 2026?
The 2025 rule made any ball touching the pole a loss for the hitter. Under 2026 Rule 10.C.5, a ball that bounces in the opponents' court first counts for the hitter.
What if the ball hits the crossbar of a portable net?
It depends on the side. If a return crosses the net and then hits a crossbar inside the court, the rally is replayed under Rule 13.B.2. If it hits the support before crossing, it is a fault.
Sources
- USA Pickleball 2026 Official Rulebook (copy published by Pickleball Canada) — Definitions (Permanent Object: net posts), Rules 10.C.4–10.C.5 and 13.B–13.D (net support system; around the post; between net and post)
- USA Pickleball 2026 Rulebook Change Document (copy published by Pickleball Canada) — entry 2 (2070), Net Post Winner: 2025 Rule 11.K replaced by 2026 Rule 10.C.5
Related terms
- Around-the-Post (ATP)An around-the-post, universally shortened to ATP, is a legal shot played around the outside of the net post rather than over the net, at any height at all. It arises when a sharply angled ball pulls a player outside the sideline. This leaves the outside route as the only way back into the opponent's court.
- Serve In or Out: Line Rules for the Pickleball ServeA serve that touches the kitchen line is out. That line is part of the non-volley zone. A serve that lands on the baseline, sideline or centerline of the correct service court is in. A serve that clips the net is still good if it lands in the right court.
- Touching the Net and Reaching Over the NetTouching the net or net posts with your paddle, body or clothing while the ball is live is a fault. You may not hit the ball before it fully crosses to your side of the net. Your paddle may cross over the net only on the follow-through after you hit the ball.
- Fault (General)A fault is any rule violation that immediately ends a rally, including serve errors, non-volley zone violations, out-of-bounds shots, and illegal contact. The side that commits it loses the rally. A fault by the receiving side scores a point for the servers, and a fault by the serving side loses the serve.
Related guides & benchmarks
Have a question about this?
There is nothing here to film. Ask SwingVantage a follow-up question, or keep reading the related terms above.