By Jim Carella, Director of Pickleball, TPC Sugarloaf
1. MASTER THE BASICS FIRST
Learn how to serve consistently — underhand, diagonal, and with control. Once you have accomplished a consistent serve, you can move on to depth and direction.
Focus on dinking (soft shots near the net). This is key to winning longer rallies.
2. GET TO THE KITCHEN QUICKLY
After returning, move up to the non-volley zone (NVZ or “the kitchen”) as quickly as possible. Being at the net gives you a huge advantage in controlling the pace and angle of shots. Once you have served and hit your next shot, it is time to move up to the NVZ.
3. KEEP YOUR PADDLE UP
Always have your paddle in a ready position (waist, toes, face):
- When at the baseline, keep your paddle at waist level.
- In the transition zone (“no man’s land”) keep your paddle at your toes.
- When at the net, having your paddle at your chest or face helps your reaction time and prepares you for volleys.
4. USE THE SOFT GAME STRATEGICALLY
Don’t try to blast every shot — soft, controlled dinks can force your opponent to make mistakes. Mix up speeds and placements to keep them guessing. By mixing up your speeds, it makes you much more unpredictable and difficult to play.
5. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR PARTNER
In doubles, clear communication is crucial — call your shots. Develop strategies together (e.g., who covers middle balls or lobs). Verbal communication is vital with balls down the middle.
6. AIM FOR THE OPPONENT’S FEET
Especially when at the net, hitting the feet makes it hard to return the ball effectively. Keeping the ball low towards your opponent’s feet will help your team take control of the point.
7. WORK ON FOOTWORK
Always be on your toes, ready to move laterally or forward. Good footwork creates better balance and shot execution.
8. USE SPIN WISELY
Adding topspin or slice can make your shots harder to read and return. Practice controlled spin in both serves and returns. Changing up your spins makes it much more difficult for your opponents.
9. DON’T RUSH THE SERVE OR RETURN
Stay calm and focus on placement over power. Deep serves and returns give you more time to prepare for the next shot.
10. PRACTICE WITH PURPOSE
Don’t just play games — spend time drilling specific skills (e.g., dinking, third shot drops, lobs). Try targeting specific areas of the court for more control.
Stand in the most uncomfortable spots, like the transition zone, and practice your resets and defense.
11. THIRD SHOT DILEMMA
Which shot should you use — a drive, a drop, or a hybrid of the two?
- Drive a short, attackable return.
- Drop the third shot when the return forces you back.
- Use a hybrid shot, which is a combination of the drive and drop shot utilizing top spin to help the ball have shape and dip over the net. The hybrid is hit at 70-percent speed and will help disguise what you are hitting.
12. BE A GOOD PARTNER
Communicate often. Don’t coach but encourage. When communicating, it’s “We can” and “Let’s do this!” Remember, you’re a team!
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