Grass Volleyball: Rules, Court Size and Gear

Grass volleyball is outdoor volleyball on a lawn, usually played as doubles, triples or quads. Doubles and triples usually follow beach-style rules — the block counts as a touch, open-hand tips are illegal and a serve may clip the net — on a 16 × 8 m court. Bigger formats like quads and sixes often use a full 18 × 9 m court. Rules vary by event and country, so always read the tournament's rule sheet.

Common formats

Doubles, triples, quads, sixes

Short court (2s & 3s)

16 × 8 m

Big court (4s & 6s)

18 × 9 m

Typical net, men's & co-ed

2.43 m

Typical net, women's

2.24 m

Common grass rules

There is no single worldwide grass rulebook. Many events borrow FIVB beach rules for doubles and triples and FIVB indoor rules for bigger teams, then add their own changes. In the US, many events follow the AVP Grass Rulebook (or a club's version of it). The examples below come from that rulebook (2021 edition):

Doubles and triples

Grass 2s & 3s Quads, sixes & indoor

Grass 2s & 3s

Quads, sixes & indoor

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• Played on the short court, 16 × 8 m.
• The block counts as one of your three contacts.
• A serve that touches the net and goes over is legal (a “let serve”).
• No open-hand tips: you can't steer the ball over with soft, open fingers. Use a closed-fist poke, a roll shot, a “cobra” (fingertips held rigid and together) or a full swing.
• Setting the ball over the net with your hands must go straight in the direction your shoulders face (only Open level may “hand-set” over in AVP Grass rules).

Quads and sixes

• Played on the big court, 18 × 9 m.
• The block does not count as a contact (like indoor).
• A serve that touches the net is a fault in this rulebook.

Scoring: Sets can be played to 11, 15, 21 or 28 points depending on the event, always won by 2. Some local events still use side-out scoring (only the serving team scores).

Grass vs. beach vs. indoor

• Short court inside the big court

  Green: the short court for grass doubles and triples (same size as beach). Grey: the big court for grass quads and sixes (same size as indoor).

• Surface: Grass is firmer and faster than sand, so you can move and jump more like indoor — but the ball can skip on wet grass.
• Court: Grass 2s/3s use the same 16 × 8 m size as beach. Indoor and big-court grass use 18 × 9 m.
• Block: Counts as a touch on beach and in grass 2s/3s; doesn't count indoors.
• Tips: Open-hand tips are faults on beach and in most grass doubles; they're legal indoors.
• Sets: Beach (FIVB) sets go to 21, with a third set to 15. Indoor sets go to 25, with a fifth set to 15. Grass events pick their own target.
• Positions: Indoor teams have rotation (overlap) rules and a libero. Beach teams have neither, and the AVP Grass Rulebook sets only a serving order, even for sixes; grass events that borrow indoor rules for bigger teams may add rotation rules, so check the rule sheet.
• Local rules vary a lot. For example, some US city leagues play every format on an 18.3 × 9.1 m court, count no blocks and ban let serves. Read the rule sheet before your first match.

Court and setup

• Lines: Most events use rope or webbing lines staked into the grass. Lines are part of the court — a ball touching the line is in.
• Free zone: Leave clear space around each court. Under the AVP Grass Rulebook, players may not run into another court, even after hitting the ball.
• Net height: Adult men's and co-ed nets are usually 2.43 m; women's nets are 2.24 m. Youth divisions are lower — see Court Dimensions.
• Field check: Walk the court before play and flag holes, sprinkler heads and slopes.

What to bring

• Shoes: Turf shoes, trail runners or football (soccer) turf boots with no metal or hard plastic studs. Some players go barefoot on soft, clean grass.
• Ball: An outdoor (beach-style) volleyball — see Volleyballs.
• Net kit: A portable outdoor net system with boundary lines (if you're setting up your own).
• Sun and heat: Sunscreen, hat or visor, sunglasses, plenty of water and a shade tent.
• Extras: Towel for a wet ball, a spare dry shirt, light knee sleeves if you dig a lot (see Knee Pads).

Safety

Grass changes fast in heat and rain. Warm up before play (see Warm-Up), check the field for holes, and stop if lightning is nearby. Land on two feet with soft knees on uneven ground, and see Ankle Braces and Common Injuries if you've had ankle sprains.

Health note: General information, not medical advice. Young athletes should train under a qualified coach, and anyone with pain or an injury should see a doctor or physical therapist.

Watch: four ways to play triples defense

Video: Chandler North on YouTube. Learn Volley is not affiliated with this channel.

Deep dive: strategy for grass doubles

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With only two players, you can't cover everything, so serve receive usually splits the court down the middle and the non-passer becomes the setter. Because the block counts as a touch, blockers often pull off the net to dig instead. Without open-hand tips, shots like the closed-fist poke, the “cobra” (fingertips held rigid and together) and the roll shot over the block become your main tools. Serve tough: in doubles, making one player pass every ball tires them out fast.

Frequently asked questions