Thrown Paddle Is a Fault: You Must Have Possession of the Paddle at Contact

Summary

Aylex Pickleball Academy: throw your paddle at the ball and you lose the rally. USA Pickleball Rule 12.B says you must have possession of the paddle when you hit the ball. If you don’t, it’s a fault, and a fault loses the rally.

You can hold the paddle with one hand or both, and you can switch hands anytime — you just can’t let go of it. Even if a thrown paddle hits a perfect winner, it’s still your fault.

Key takeaways

• You must have possession of the paddle at contact (Rule 12.B)
• One hand, two hands, or switching hands is fine — letting go is not
• A thrown-paddle “winner” is still your fault

Action items

• If a ball is out of reach, don’t throw the paddle at it — accept the miss
• You can switch hands on a stretch; you cannot release the paddle