Beach Korfball is a new and exciting discipline of Korfball played 4×4 on a beach-volleyball sized court, and is very popular among American basketball players during their offseason. Below are highlights from the US national team, as well as primary rule differences from basketball. 

Court and Equipment

• The court is 20m x 10m on sand (slightly larger than a beach volleyball court)
• The hoops are 3.5m (11.5 ft) high with no backboard, positioned 4m from the baseline
• The ball size and weight is in between a volleyball and a men’s basketball
• Shots are worth 1 point, except for shots taken beyond half court (6m from the hoop, similar to a HS basketball three-point line) and from the baseline corners – both of which are worth 2 points
• Penalty shots (like free-throws) are taken from the penalty line 3m from the hoop

Game Structure

• 4×4 mixed gender (two males and two females on a team); you can only defend your own gender
• Substitutions on the fly (substituting player must be completely out)
• Time is two 6-minute halves (12 minutes total; very quick games like 3×3 basketball)
• No shot clock, but teams must be actively attempting to score

Game Play

• No dribbling
• Number of steps: At a basic level, like basketball you get a pivot foot and ~1.5 steps (except a “step-through” is not allowed from a stationary position). 
• Minimal contact. No screens. No direct handoffs.
• No hitting the ball out of hands. 
• No double teams.
• Shooting form: In the US we use a standard “basketball-style” shooting technique, though most international Korfballers use a specific two-hand technique (in order to shoot quicker and from a longer distance)
• Closely guarded rule: the offensive player cannot shoot if the defender is a) within arm’s length, b) is between the offensive player and the hoop, c) is actively trying to block the shot. This is the trickiest rule! It is used to prevent very tall/big players from having an advantage. 
• Loose balls go to the person who first puts their hand on the ball

Have a basic sense of Beach Korfball?