Parts of a Pickleball Paddle

A paddle drawn to scale, with a window into its honeycomb core and its head seen edge-on.

Parts of a Pickleball Paddle

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Write the name of each numbered part.Answer key

  1. Face
  2. Grip
  3. Edge guard
  4. Core
  5. Handle
  6. Sweet spot
  7. Length
  8. Width

Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-24. Licence: own work.

Each numbered ring is a button. Use the arrow keys to move between them and Enter to choose. Names are read out in Study, and once a part is answered.

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All 8 parts on the diagram

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Start here: 5 main parts 5

  1. Face The hitting surface that meets the ball.
  2. Grip The wrap round the handle; its size can be changed.
  3. Edge guard A protective strip round the edge of the face.
  4. Core The layer between the faces, most often a honeycomb.
  5. Handle The part below the head that the grip covers.

The paddle 3

  1. Sweet spot The middle of the face; a bigger face gives a bigger one.
  2. Length At most 17 inches, edge guard and butt cap included.
  3. Width Length plus width may be at most 24 inches.

How this list was compiled: Read 2026-09-24. (1) USA Pickleball, Equipment Standards Manual (January 2025), https://usapickleball.org/docs/rules/USAP-Equipment-Standards-Manual.pdf : the paddle's hitting surface or face, edge guards, grips and grip wraps, core material, and rule 2.E.3: the combined length and width, including any edge guard and butt cap, shall not exceed 24 inches, the length shall not exceed 17 inches, and thickness is not limited. (2) Wikipedia, Pickleball, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pickleball : the same length and width limits; smooth-faced paddles with honeycomb cores. (3) A paddle maker's construction guide, https://www.selkirk.com/blogs/paddles-and-product-education/the-ultimate-guide-to-pickleball-paddle-construction : the face, the core (most often a honeycomb), the handle and its grip, the edge guard round the perimeter of the face, and the sweet spot. (4) A second maker's paddle guide, https://www.onixpickleball.com/blogs/learn-pickleball/pickleball-paddle-guide : face, honeycomb core, handle and sweet spot. Licence: own work

The drawing: Drawn for this site by script, 2026-09-24. Licence: own work

How it works

A pickleball paddle is a solid head, two face sheets over a core, usually a honeycomb, with an edge guard round the rim. The handle below it is wrapped in a grip.

Read the full guide

The size rules

The length may be at most 17 inches, and length plus width at most 24, edge guard and butt cap included. Thickness and weight are not limited. The paddle drawn is 16 by 7.75 inches.

Inside the head

Edge-on, the core shows as the middle layer between the two faces. The window cut in the face shows the same core from the front.

  • Replacing a grip? The rules allow grip wraps and a change of grip size, as well as edge guard tape.

Questions and answers

What are the parts of a pickleball paddle?

The face is the hitting surface. Under it is the core, most often a honeycomb. An edge guard runs round the rim. Below the head is the handle, wrapped in a grip. The sweet spot is the middle of the face.

What is the core of a pickleball paddle?

The layer between the two faces. Most paddles use a honeycomb because it is light and sturdy; the core's material and thickness change how the paddle plays.

How big can a pickleball paddle be?

Its length can be at most 17 inches, and its length and width added together at most 24 inches, including the edge guard and butt cap. There is no limit on thickness or weight.

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