What is Dinking in Pickleball
Dinking is one of the most important skills in pickleball. It’s not just hitting the ball soft, it’s a tactical shot to control the pace, neutralize your opponent and get an advantage. If you want to play pickleball at a competitive level you need to learn how to dink.
Despite its simplicity dinking can be tricky and even experienced pickleball players make mistakes.
In this article we will cover the most common dinking mistakes, how to fix them and specific drills to develop your skills and get rid of these errors.
Whether you are a beginner or an advanced player, understanding these concepts and practicing the right way will improve your game.
The Dink Shot
1. Hitting the Ball Too Hard
The Mistake:Overhitting during dinks makes the ball pop up and gives your opponent an easy smash. This mistake is usually caused by lack of control, impatience or gripping the paddle too tight.
Overhitting is more common when players feel rushed or try to hit a winner instead of focusing on placement.
Why It Happens:
Impatience: Players try to end the rally too quickly instead of being consistent.
Grip Pressure: A tight grip reduces finesse and increases force.
Poor Technique: Relying too much on wrist action instead of arm movement.
Inconsistent Positioning: Being out of position causes rushed or harder shots.
How to Fix It:
Relax Your Grip:
Hold the paddle with a lighter grip pressure, often called “the handshake grip”. This reduces overhitting.
Proper Technique:
Use your arm and shoulder for a controlled shot instead of your wrist. A stable wrist helps with consistent dinks.
Compact Swing:
Keep your stroke short and controlled to not add too much power. Lift the ball gently over the net.
Stay Calm Under Pressure:
Remember the goal of a dink is to control and set up the point not to rush the win.
Drill: Soft Touch
Setup: Stand at the kitchen line with a partner or rebound wall. Place a target, like a towel or cone, in your opponent’s kitchen.
Execution: Hit soft dinks just over the net, targeting the opponent’s kitchen. Reduce paddle force.
Variation: Use a softer ball, like a foam or beginner ball, to hit even softer.
Progression: Increase rally speed, stay controlled at all times. Challenge yourself by reducing the margin of error.
Advanced Drill: Low-Spin Dinks
Setup: Use balls with different spin (e.g. topspin, backspin) fed by a partner or machine.
Execution: Hit each ball with minimal force, adjust your touch to neutralize the spin.
Goal: Be consistent with different ball speeds and spins without overhitting.
By doing these techniques and drills you will gain confidence in your dinking and reduce unforced errors caused by overhitting.
2. Bad Placement
The Mistake:Dinking without targeting specific areas of the court makes you miss opportunities or give your opponent an easy return.
Common placement mistakes are:
Hitting directly to your opponent’s paddle
Not hitting a dink to their weak side
Hitting dinks in the same spot all the time. Poor placement allows opponents to control the pace and set up an attack.
Why It Happens:
Lack of Focus: Players dink without a plan or intention.
Rushing the Shot: Impatience causes bad placement.
Overconfidence in Power Over Placement: Some players focus more on the dink itself than on where it’s placed.
Failure to Read Opponents: Not seeing the opponent’s positioning or weak side makes you miss opportunities.
How to Fix It:
Target the Backhand:
Most players are weaker on their backhand so hit to that side when you can.
Exploit Wide Angles:
Use cross-court dinks to stretch your opponent laterally and get them out of position.
Mix Up Placements:
Hit deep dinks and shorter ones to keep your opponent guessing.
Study Your Opponent:
Watch their positioning and movement. Adjust your placement to their weaknesses.
Margins:
Don’t aim too close to the lines; aim for consistent spots in the kitchen zones.
Strategically Placed Dink Shots:
Strategically placed dink shots will put your opponent in tough positions and give you the advantage.
Drill: Target Dinks
Setup: Place cones, towels or small targets in different areas of the opponent’s kitchen, including corners and sides.
Execution: Hit dinks to each target, alternate forehand and backhand. Focus on precision.
Variation: Add a scoring system, earn points for hitting specific zones and avoid the middle.
Progression: Reduce the size of the targets or add movement to simulate game conditions.
When to Use a Dink Shot
3. Not Staying Low
The Mistake:Standing up too much during dinking makes you lose balance, control and reaction time. It leads to unforced errors as you’re slower to react to the ball’s trajectory.
This mistake gets worse in longer rallies when you get tired and standing close and staying athletic takes conscious effort.
Why It Happens:
Fatigue: Players straighten up as the rally goes on and lose their form.
Bad Habits: Some players develop the habit of standing up and can’t stay engaged in the point.
Lack of Awareness: Many players don’t know how important it is to stay low for control and reaction time.
How to Fix It:
Bend Your Knees:
Lowering your center of gravity makes you more balanced and stable.
Imagine sitting on an invisible stool to maintain the correct posture.
Weight on the Balls of Your Feet:
Staying on your toes allows for quicker side to side and forward/backward movement. Don’t let your heels drop.
Engage Your Legs:
Use your legs to generate power and absorb the ball impact, not your upper body.
Paddle at Knee Height:
Holding your paddle low forces you to stay in the correct stance and prepares you for low shots.
Staying low also helps you hit a dink volley better, with more control and accuracy.
Drill: Stay Low Rally
Setup: Partner up and stand at the kitchen line. Focus on staying low throughout the rally.
Execution: Bend your knees and hold your paddle at knee height. Track the ball and adjust your footwork to stay in position.
Variation: Add a visual or verbal cue to correct each other’s posture during the rally.
Progression: Add lateral movement by hitting angled dinks, both players will have to shuffle side to side.
4. Overreaching in the Non Volley Zone
The Mistake:Reaching too far for dinks results in off balance shots, missed opportunities and potential errors. When players overreach they lose their stability and can’t return the ball effectively or recover for the next shot.
This mistake happens when players don’t move their feet and instead rely on their arm and torso to reach for the ball.
Why It Happens:
Bad Footwork: Players don’t move their feet to the correct position and instead stretch their arm.
Impatience: Trying to hit a shot without being in position.
Lack of Awareness: Players may not realize they’re overreaching until the shot feels awkward or unstable.
How to Fix It:
Keep Your Paddle in Front of You:
Having your paddle in front of you keeps you balanced and ready to adjust quickly.
Step Forward with Your Feet:
Instead of leaning with your torso, take small steps to get closer to the ball.
Footwork
Practice footwork drills to develop quick and controlled movement to reduce overreaching.
Stay Balanced:
Keep your weight evenly distributed on both feet and don’t lean too far in any direction.
Use a Drop Shot:
Instead of overreaching, use a drop shot to make your opponent move and create an opening.
Drill: Paddle-Only Dinks
Setup: Play a dink rally with a partner, focus on minimal forward lean. Stand close enough to the kitchen line to not overreach but not so close to step into the non-volley zone.
Execution: Step into each shot with your legs and keep your paddle in front and use small quick movements to get to the ball.
Goal: Improve paddle control and good footwork habits.
5. Inconsistent Contact Point
The Mistake:Not meeting the ball at knee height results in floaty dinks that either go too high (inviting an opponent to attack) or drop into the net.
This inconsistency disrupts the rhythm of the rally and makes it harder to win points and control.
Why It Happens:
Bad Positioning: Being out of position makes players adjust their stroke mid-swing and results in inconsistent contact.
Lack of Focus: Not tracking the ball from your opponent’s paddle to your own.
Rushed Play: Impatience or hitting too quick makes you not set up for the perfect contact point.
How to Fix It:
Stay Low:
Keeping your knees bent helps you stay steady and meet the ball at the right height.
Position Yourself
Get into position as soon as you can to give yourself the best chance of consistent contact.
Watch the Ball:
Track the ball from your opponent’s paddle to your own to meet it at the same height every time.
Knee-Height Contact:
Meet the ball at knee height, the perfect spot for controlled and consistent dinks.
Don’t break your wrist to have a consistent contact point and improve your dinking accuracy.
Drill: Controlled Drops
Setup: Have a partner or coach feed balls to you from the other side of the net, varying the speed, spin and depth of the shots.
Execution: Meet the ball at the same height every time, ideally at knee level. Adjust your position and stance to get consistent contact.
Goal: Build muscle memory to meet the ball at the right height.
6. Being Too Predictable
The Mistake:Repeating the same dink pattern makes it easy for your opponent to anticipate and counter your shots. Predictable dinking gives your opponent the advantage, they can position themselves perfectly or even set up for an attack.
This happens when players get into a rhythm or an offensive shot and don’t take risks with their placement or shot variety.
Why It Happens:
Comfort Zone: Players stick to what feels safe and don’t experiment with new placements or techniques.
Lack of Awareness: Not paying attention to how your opponent is reading your shots.
Over-Focus on Consistency: While consistency is important, it can be too monotonous and easily counterable.
How to Fix It:
Vary Depth:
Short dinks near the net and deeper dinks closer to the baseline.
Change Angles:
Cross-court dinks, straight dinks and sharp angles to keep your opponent moving.
Add Spin:
Throw in some topspin or sidespin to make them harder to return.
Use the Lob Rarely:
A lob over their head every now and then will surprise them and keep them from crowding the kitchen line.
Dink Battle:
Dinking with varied shots will keep them guessing and off balance.
Study Your Opponent:
Pay attention to their weak side (e.g. backhand) or positioning mistakes and adjust your shots to exploit them.
Drill: Random Placement
Setup: Have a partner or coach call out random targets, e.g. “left”, “middle” or “backhand”.
Execution: Hit dinks to the targets, focus on accuracy and control. Mix in cross-court and straight shots.
Progression: Add movement by having the feeder move between shots, so you have to adjust to their new position.
7. Panicking Under Pressure
The Mistake:In high pressure situations players often abandon their dinking strategy and go for riskier or more aggressive shots. This can lead to unforced errors or give your opponent an easy opportunity to attack. Pressure makes even experienced players go back to bad habits or lose their focus.
Why It Happens:
Nerves: Fear of making a mistake or losing the point makes players overthink their shots.
Fatigue: Long rallies can wear players out and make them more prone to panicking and rushing decisions.
Lack of Confidence: Without consistent practice players may not have faith in their ability to sustain a dinking exchange.
External Factors: The environment (big crowd or high stakes of the match) can add pressure.
How to Fix It:
Focus on the Process:
Focus on executing your strategy and controlling the shot, not on winning the rally.
Stay Calm:
Take a deep breath and reset your mind after each shot. Staying calm and focusing on a good dink will help you control the pressure during high pressure rallies.
High Percentage Shots:
Don’t go for the angle or aggressive dink under pressure, go for consistency and placement instead.
Build Confidence:
The more you practice under pressure the more you’ll be calm during matches.
Drill: Long Dink Rallies
Setup: Play a long dink rally with a partner, aim for 50 shots without an error.
Execution: Focus on consistency, staying calm and sticking to your strategy. If you feel yourself rushing, pause and reset your mind before continuing.
Goal: Train yourself to stay focused during long exchanges.
8. Lack of Communication in Doubles
The Mistake:Poor communication with your partner during dinking exchanges leads to missed shots, overlapping coverage or hesitation. Without clear communication doubles teams are more prone to errors especially when dealing with soft shots that land in no mans land (middle of the court). This breakdown in teamwork will disrupt your flow and give the other team an easy opportunity to attack.
Why It Happens:
Ambiguity in Responsibilities: Unclear roles lead to confusion on who takes the shot.
Lack of Verbal Cues: Silence between partners creates hesitation and last second decisions.
Pressure Situations: High pressure points make partners second guess each other’s decisions.
Mismatch in Playing Styles: Different court coverage or shot preference without prior discussion.
How to Fix It:
Define Roles:
Before the match define specific roles. For example the forehand player takes the middle balls.
Use Verbal Cues:
Call out “mine”, “yours” or “help” on every shot. Consistency during practice will help both partners be ready for the soft shot and reduce errors.
Stay Positive:
Encourage your partner and stay positive after mistakes. Blame free communication helps with teamwork.
Positioning Awareness:
Stay spaced with your partner to avoid crowding or gaps.
Drill: Doubles Coordination
Setup: Play a doubles match with only dinking exchanges. Partners communicate verbally for every shot, especially on middle balls.
Execution: Call out every shot to avoid hesitation and keep both players engaged and aware of their roles.
Goal: Develop a habit of communication and teamwork.
9. Ignoring the Net Height
The Mistake:Players don’t account for the different net height—lower in the middle and higher at the sides—which increases the chances of unforced errors. Shots hit too low on the sides will hit the net and shots hit too high in the middle will float high and give the other team an easy attack.
Why It Happens:
Lack of Awareness: Players don’t consciously adjust their shots for the shape of the net.
Poor Targeting: Hitting the ball over the net without considering the optimal height and trajectory.
Misjudging Trajectories: Not adjusting paddle angle and swing path for different net heights.
How to Fix It:
Cross Court Dinks:
Use the lower middle of the net when dinking diagonally, you have more margin for error.
Adjust Paddle Angle:
Tilt your paddle up for low dinks and down for higher trajectories to avoid mishits.
Be Aware of Margins:
Clear the net by a few inches especially near the sidelines where the net is higher.
Use Visual Targets:
Pick a spot on the other side of the net to aim for, keep the shot low but safe.
Aim for a Soft Shot:
Aiming for a soft shot will clear the net and keep the ball low and hard for your opponent to attack.
Drill: Cross Court Dinks
Setup: Stand diagonally across the net from your partner or coach.
Execution: Hit cross court dinks, clear the middle of the net where it’s at its lowest point. Adjust your trajectory to keep the ball low but safe.
Goal: Build precision, consistency and awareness of the net’s height advantages in cross court exchanges.
10. Ignoring Defensive Dinks
The Mistake:Many players focus too much on aggressive dinking strategies, trying to make the opponent make mistakes or set up a put away shot and forget to use defensive dinks to reset the rally. Neglecting defensive play leads to rushed shots, unforced errors or giving the other team an easy attack.
Why It Happens:
Overemphasis on Offense: Players feel they need to control the point aggressively even when they are out of position.
Lack of Confidence: Defensive dinks can feel passive so players avoid using them.
Impatience: Trying to end the point quickly instead of neutralizing the other team’s advantage.
How to Fix It:
High Soft Dinks:
Higher trajectory gives you time to recover and forces the other team to hit up on their next shot, reduces their attack.
Control the Rally:
Keep the ball in play and regain control instead of going for a winning shot.
Balanced Approach:
Mix defensive and offensive dinks based on the situation of the rally, use defensive dinks to reset when needed. Defensive dinks is a very important shot to master, it can help you get back in control of the rally.
Position Yourself:
Stay low and balanced even during defensive play to be ready for the next shot.
Drill: Defensive Reset
Setup: Play a practice rally with a partner where one player starts with aggressive dinks and the other resets with defensive dinks.
Execution: Hit controlled high dinks that land deep in the kitchen, neutralize the aggressive pace. Switch roles after a set number of points.
Goal: Build confidence in using defensive dinks in high pressure situations.
Conclusion
Dinking is a key skill that separates good players from great players in pickleball. By knowing and fixing the mistakes—and incorporating these drills into your practice—you can take your pickleball to the next level.
Consistency, patience and purposeful practice is the key to master the art of dinking and get an edge on the court. Master the art of dinking and you will have a big advantage on the pickleball court.
Use these and other pickleball drills in your regular pickleball training and see your dinking skills become a powerful tool in your pickleball toolbox. Happy dinking!