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Pickleball Sport How to Think and Play Better

A tennis players approach to playing Pickleball

Contents

Pickleball Sport – An introduction

Pickleball Sport – Playing the game

Pickleball is not tennis – but so what!

What I promise you in this Pickleball Sport ebook

Pickleball – there is more than one way to play the

game

I struggled with the game of pickleball initially

Practice to get better- not hope to win the odds

Pickleball strategy – it wins games

My biggest gift to you

Playing safe will take on a whole new meaning

Pickleball the game – let’s start

Your serve is an opportunity

Serving Options

The 3rd shot difference option

Apply the heat from the Get-Go

A little bit on serving

When playing doubles, play doubles!

Who should hit a centerline shot?

Situational Awareness

Learn game strategy – know what shots you can play and when

Know that ball placement wins before pall pace

Use the soft shot infrequently when opportunity arises

Lob Shots, not very good very often but very good when played very well

Hitting between your opponents is always a good placement option

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Pickleball Sport – An introduction

Welcome fellow pickleball player and likely pickleball nut – said with affection of course. First up, what is

it About Pickleball that is more addictive than chocolate?

From my perspective and many 100’s of 1000’s of other players –

Pickleball Sport, it’s all about the game and the game is about fun,

friends, fitness, competition and personal challenge.

There is a movement in the world of sport around this funny

sounding game in the name of pickleball that has not been seen for

50 years.

If you don’t know anything about Pickleball Sport yet there is a fair

chance that you will want to if those that are introduced to it and

get hooked are any guide.

What is it about the Pickleball Sport that attracts so many people?

Pickleball is a fun

sport that combines

many elements of

tennis, badminton

and ping-pong and

can be played as

doubles or singles

either indoors or

outdoors on a

badminton-sized

court and a slightly

modified tennis net. It

has been said that

Pickleball and Tennis are as complimentary as horse and cart, wine and cheese and movies with popcorn

and is the most fun you can have with a paddle in your hand and a friend or handful of friends.

Who would have thought that such a great game is played with a paddle and a plastic ball with holes in

it like a whiffel ball.

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Invented some 50 years ago, it originally grew in popularity in the older generation because it was both

easy to play and did not require a high fitness level or great mobility to play and have fun. Today,

pickleball is attracting players in junior school and old folks homes and at all ages in-between. It is

rapidly becoming a recognized professional sport and this is attracting a new breed of competitor and

sporting enthusiasts.

Tennis, racquetball and ping pong players love the competitive nature of the sport and this has caused

an explosion of new court construction throughout the United States. According to the Sports & Fitness

Industry Association’s (SFIA) 2016 Participant Report, there are more than 2.5 million pickleball

participants in the United States.

One of the great things about Pickleball Sport is that it is

truly a game for all ages.

While tennis players find it easy to pick up, anyone who has

ever held a bat and ball in their hands will find Pickleball

really is a piece of cake to at first have fun playing and to

then quickly get competitive at.

The sky is the limit for those who wish to get really good at

this great game.

A pickleball court is less than half the

size of a tennis court and in fact is the

same size as a doubles badminton

court and measures 20×44 feet.

The net height is 36 inches at the

sidelines and 34 inches in the middle.

The court is lined similar to a tennis

court with right and left service courts

and a 7-foot non-volley zone in front

of the net (commonly and

affectionately referred to as the

“kitchen”).

The same court is used for both

singles and doubles play.

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A player will need a pickleball paddle, which is slightly smaller than

the head of a tennis racquet with a hand sized grip similar to a ping-

pong paddle but with the hand dimensions of a tennis racquet.

The first paddles were home made from wood, however today’s

paddles like the tennis racquet revolution have evolved

dramatically and are primarily made of lightweight composite

materials, including aluminum and graphite.

The hollow ball, about the size of a tennis ball is quite unique, with

holes in it like a whiffle ball. Different ball models, sizes and

composites are intended for indoor and outdoor play. Balls are now

available in all the colors of the rainbow however must be a single

whole color when used in tournament play to meet International

Federation of Pickleball (IFP) specifications.

The IFP govern specifications for both balls and paddles used in competition.

Players also need a net similar to that used in tennis and of course appropriate footwear and clothing.

Footwear is a typical comfortable commercial sneaker and recommended clothing is simply sportswear

with little official restrictions.

Players in the USA, the place of exploding growth are spoilt for places to play with some 4500 locations

listed on the official pickleball website offering more than 15000 indoor and outdoor courts.

The game has grown to be so popular that pickleball tours are now a normal thing for many players to

enjoy both in the home of pickleball – the USA and an increasing number of overseas locations now

being available with its growing

popularity around the world. Some

of those locations being Canada,

India, Spain, Finland, France,

Belgium, New Zealand, Australia

(my home country) and Thailand –

my new holiday home.

Want to know more about

Pickleball Sport?

Then get involved, pick up a paddle,

challenge yourself and have some

fun – or at least first download the

ebook.

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Pickleball Sport – Playing the game

Playing Pickleball (the doubles game) is about doing a number of fundamental things well. Not just in

shot selection and execution but in game planning and play or what you could call strategy.

This book is not typical pickleball because I was not taught the game of pickleball by someone who knew

how to play it. I played pickleball based on a tennis background and in now playing the way I do and

comparing how I play to the way one might say a typical pickleball player plays the game – there are

obvious differences.

This is not saying that one way is necessarily better than the other because it is the application of the

skill and strategy that in the end counts. I can spot errors in the way I sometimes play the game and or

at least improvements in the way I should play the game and the same applies to the way I see the game

played. Any particular player (especially your partner) can influence the way a game is played (or at least

the way you play with your partner) and the better you are at the game you play, the more influence

you will have.

Pickleball is not tennis – but so what!

A key difference in the way I play and the way I see some of the top players play is with the short game

and percentage play. I play a tennis style type of game which is more akin to singles pickleball and is

about shot placement, pace,

execution and aggression while

some of the established picklers

play a dink patient game.

Yes it is correct to say that

pickleball is not tennis but it is not

correct to say that some of tennis

should not be infused with how you

play pickleball. I might add that I

practice as I want to play so that

one day I can play as I practice.

It means that I think when faced with a pickler who plays a dink patient game I in-turn will have to

modify my tennis style to accommodate. The typical short game is centered around the third shot

known as your third shot drop. Traditional short play effectively starts from this point.

A tennis influence starts at the serve. What is the best? Again, this is debatable because I have seen both

reap success. What I do know is that if I play a competent player from a tennis background and try to

engage them in the dink game, they simply don’t play ball. They see an opportunity and aggressively

take the shot so dinking them, unless you are more than perfect at this, it won’t win the game. So get

better at dinking might be the answer but having played with rated competent dinkers, this did not work

for them on a reliable consistent base either.

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I think from observation and experience, It also leaves a number of prior opportunities on the table that

are with the serve and the second shot. If there is a ‘best way’ to play then a little more or less of each

at times throughout a game would be an ideal game plan. - Yes this means that you might risk more if

you divert from a percentage style of dinking game to a more aggressive opportunity style of game but

that by default means you might win more also.

What I promise you in this Pickleball Sport ebook

I promise that this will improve your game without question if you implement just some of what you will

learn. If you then just practice like you would like to play so that you eventually play like you practice –

you will absolutely and definitely improve your game.

The results, or I should say the improvement that I have seen in my game, from the somewhat clumsy

standard of play and competency level I was at when I first started have been exceptionally pleasing if

I’m permitted to be a little understated here and this ever increasing enjoyment and challenge of the

game has now got me hooked on pickleball.

Pickleball – there is more than one way to play the game

I think the problem with any sport is that you can become

conditioned to a custom – or at least a style of play because

‘that is how it is played’. And even though we have seen

considerable change in the way pickleball is played since its

early days, I believe the future offers more change.

I would love for instance, a soccer team (football) to be

coached by an AFL (Australian Rules Football coach, which is

a fast, tough, full body contact sport) because I think the

change in style of play would be radical. No more fake

injuries or magic spray and more running, and lots of it.

AFL is a highly skilled body contact sport requiring

ambidextrous abilities in upper and lower body, something

totally different to the skill of soccer –(differentiating ‘soccer

football’ from the football of AFL) , and this difference and

the training that makes it from my personal perspective,

would show a positive game playing improvement.

And it is the same with pickleball. I come from a small club that most players don’t know anything

different to how they learn’t to play and they don’t play how you see most competent picklers play from

the home of pickleball (USA) on youtube. When playing against those that visit our club who do have a

pickleball background, they play more aggressively and with less dink and patience and regularly put

wins on the board against them.

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I struggled with the game of pickleball initially

I will say that I struggled with the game when I first started

playing – trying to play the game as best I could and it

really was a make it up as I go along game for a long time

before I started to get the “hang of it”; not only from a

hitting style of game but also a thinking or strategic style of

game.

Little did I know that I wasn’t really conforming to the

“way the game is traditionally played”.

And then when I then started to practice the way that I

wanted to play, my game become more the way that I

practiced.

Practice to get better- not hope to win the odds

When I practice play pickleball, I seldom play for per percentage wins, particularly at the start of a game.

There is nothing in my thinking and approach to playing that says, just get it in and let them make the

mistake. Yes there can sometimes be times to switch to this type of play, but rarely when I practice.

Why you might be asking? Because a tennis player does not say, never hit a ball close to the line because

it might go out. They actually aim to put it down the line, or deep as possible or to hit is hard as possible,

or to spin the ball to increase the chance of a winning shot. A tennis player can play with restriction, but

they are always aggressively looking to put a ball away – to make a winning stroke which may in-fact

take several shots to set up, a play that is often referred to as a rally.

Yes, picklers also want to make a winning stroke but a player with a tennis background always wants to

make it earlier and do it through any opportunity. I think tennis players apply more of a singles pickleball

game approach to the doubles game.

Pickleball strategy – it wins games

One big myth I will squash right here is that many will say that playing with better players makes

themselves better players. While that might be true with the motor actions of learning how to hit the

ball, it is limited if you also don’t learn many of the other fundamentals of the game including How to

Think and Play Better. Strategy is a big part of winning in pickleball.

My tennis approach and what I might describe as my non-traditional pickleball doctrine approach to

playing the game has definitely been core to improving my game. I hope that by the time you go

through “The Aim of the Game”, it radically improves your game also.

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My biggest gift to you

My biggest gift to you at this moment in Pickleball Sport however is to advise to simply train the way you

want to play. Be aggressive at the game. Take the shot. Essentially it says, who cares who wins the game

if you are training which by definition means you are learning to get better. You will go through a

learning curve and possibly a losing streak, but it is not forever. As you get better at what you practice,

you will find that playing it safe is not in fact safe.

Playing safe will take on a whole new meaning

Playing safe when serving a ball will not be lobbing

it center court to make sure you get it in so that the

opposition might make a mistake.

Playing safe on your serve will be about making it

as difficult as possible for the opposition player to

return so that you heighten the chance that the

opposition will make a mistake or even force one -

not hope for one.

If they do return your serve, your next shot will also

be about positive aggression, always looking to

make it as difficult as possible for the opposition to

play their shots through placement, pace and

thinking which refers to shot selection and game

plan or what is effectively strategy..

Add variety to your Pickleball Sport game

Just as what I call ‘traditional pickle play’ is important to your game, so too is a tennis style of play. You

might say a soft game and a hard game or a pickle and banger approach. Variety of skill set will set you

apart. When you can go from being a finesse dinker to a driving tennis style smasher, you will always

have the opposition wondering what you’re going to do next not only with shot play but with court

positioning and that becomes very much in your favour.

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Pickleball the game – let’s start

So let’s start at the basics with you as the player and game strategy. Your game strategy or what you

might say goal in the game is to get to and command the net, known as the kitchen line of course. It is

from this kitchen line that you will be in the position to win most points and if you win most points you

obviously win the game. How you get to that position however can vary.

The roadmap of your game starting from your serve, your return of serve –(when receiving of course), to

your 3rd shot and beyond is about aggression; no not in a negative way, but a positive way. It is about

maximizing your opportunity to win a play with shots, shot execution and shot plan or game strategy.

What is shot plan or game strategy? In short, it means that not every shot will be or needs to be a

winner. Game strategy includes setting up a point to win and that might mean the 2nd, the 3rd or even 4th

shot will be your winning opportunity. This is not about waiting for the opposing player to make a

mistake as is typically seen with the dinking approach to the game for example. This is about placing and

executing your shots to have your opposition play a predictable return that you will ultimately be in a

position to take advantage of to win the point.

Your serve is an opportunity

Let’s first remove some pretty ingrained thinking

straight off the paddle here about the pickleball

serve because it is a self-limiting self-fulfilling

prophecy to ‘normaldom’ to say, “just get it in, play

safe and hope they make a mistake”! That thinking

says that somehow the serve is more valuable than

any other shot that they may play. Yes it is

absolutely valuable but not for the reason that is so

often accepted when someone asks - "Why is there

not a smoking hot serve in Pickleball, like there is in

tennis?"

The reason given is because you only get one

chance when you serve. Ie- there is no double fault

option in pickleball like there is in tennis and they

will reason – don’t risk it - just get the ball in play.

My immediate response to that is, doesn’t every

shot you play have just one chance. Of course it

does. One chance and one chance only. I mean,

once you hit the ball you can’t have it back to hit

again so it follows that if you do not risk hitting the best shot you can in a serve, then you won’t risk

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hitting the best shot you can in game play. How on earth do you win with that approach and more

importantly how do you improve your own game when winning relies on your opponents to make a

mistake. The reality is that your pickleball progress will be slow.

Alternately, when you practice something that is at first difficult over and over again, you naturally get

better at it over time until it becomes reliably easy. That is just how the world works and it is definitely

how pickleball works.

The only way you will improve your game is to practice how you want to play so that when

improvement comes – you will play like you practice with far more predictability, ease and enjoyment

and I hope positive aggressiveness.

Does that mean you will never make a mistake? No of course not, but you will become a vastly better

player when you push your pickleball boundaries outside of the - don’t risk it - just get the ball in play

approach.

So back to your serve…

Serve deep – (predominately) to gain advantage. A deep serve keeps your opposition long and both

increases the difficulty for them to make a winning return and it gives you more time to see and receive

that return so that you can make the appropriate 3rd shot.

Serving Options

The 9 considerations to your serve, including serving deep in relation to and over and above a serve

that is simply hit into the centre of the receiving court with no aggression or utilization of serving

options to gain advantage are:

1. Deep

2. Pace

3. Placement

4. Spin

5. Drift

6. Drive

7. Loft

8. Keep it short- sometimes

9. Server position

Serve deep – as discussed above

Serving with pace or at least variation of pace increases the difficulty and predictability for its

return.

Serving with placement increases the difficulty of its return and can target an opposition’s

weakest point

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Serving with spin increases the difficulty of its return and without adjustment from the receiver

you can pre-empt its direction of return

Serving with drift increases difficulty of its return and coupled with spin can increase the

effectiveness of a serve

Serving with drive means to serve low just over the net and this increases the difficulty of its

return for most players and when used with another variable option such as placement, can

prove to be very effective

Serving with loft is not really a difficult serve to return but is a great option to use intermittently

and like all the other serves, when coupled with another serving option, its effectiveness can be

increased. You do this to both keep your opposition long, which is to say as far away from the

net or more accurately the kitchen line as you can and as previously stated, it gives you more

time to see and react to their return of serve with an appropriate 3rd shot.

Keep it short sometimes – means just that. If you have a player that has adjusted to your hot

serve length, a great serve to throw into the mix is a short one. It can be very affective to those

that are less nibble or unsuspecting of this serve and for those that are nimble, it keeps them

honest.

Server Position means to use the full width of the serving square to vary your angle and play

with your receivers mind so that they don’t know what is coming next. You can create great

angle when serving to a left hander from right to left for example with a ball served from close

to the side line to the far left corner. You can then vary this after one or two serves and aim just

inside the “T”. Yes this is a more difficult serve but often very effective when executed.

The 3rd shot difference option

Here presents a major 3rd shot difference to the dink game

The typical pickler has been trained or indoctrined to dink their third shot into the kitchen so that they

themselves can get to the kitchen line just like the opposition would be (or are attempting to be) at the

other side of the net. However, if you have served long to make it as difficult as possible for your

opponent to return your serve, you increase the chance that they will NOT play an ideal 2nd shot, which

we will cover in a moment.

This will therefor likely keep at least one or both players long. If both are still long then your 3rd shot

should not be into the kitchen but to the weakest link of the longest player. If only one player is short

still aim to return the play to the longest player unless you see obvious advantage for not doing so. –

However let’s cover the 2nd shot before we continue…

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2nd shot return of serve

The return of serve again, should be long and while all the hitting options available for your serve should

be considered, particularly if the serve has not been made difficult for you to return. Remember this,

your goal in the game is to get to and command the net, known as the kitchen line of course because it

is from this kitchen line that you will be in the position to win most points and if you win most points

you obviously win the game. Your strategy to achieve this goal has various options and are mostly

presented to you in real time which makes it necessary to think on your feet in how the game is being

played.

So, an effective return of serve would be to loft the ball long with no pace. You could apply various shot

options of course like spin but a long lofted (slow) return with placement is a great return of serve shot.

The loft gives you precious time to get up to the kitchen and placement of that lofted shot should target

the weakest link in the opposing players. A great place to aim initially is the backhand side of the servers

centre line “T”.

A better shot then depends on what the opposition’s weakness is. For many players this is their

backhand so for a right handed receiver on the right side of court, your return ideally should be long and

to the left of the centre line just enough to not only try to confuse who might hit the return but to also

target the servers back hand enough to have them play or put player two out of ideal position should

they take the shot.

Should the right handed serving player be left of court you could choose between two obvious choices

being long and to the left of centerline still – attacking the partner #2 backhand or indeed to the servers

left corner court attacking their back hand. The option to attack the player #2 backhand is open at any

time but one could argue that the non-serving player is set ready to receive a return – in not having to

serve. Obviously the more mobile the server, the less this could be an advantage.

3rd shot difference continued

So if the 2nd shot (return of serve) is not ideal (long), then by chance or default this will be returned

center court and short in length not allowing the player to advance to the kitchen and giving rise to a

great opportunity for you. Your goal is to keep them long with this shot by hitting to the longest player

remembering and planning your game strategy and therefor choice of shot.

Again, your game plan is about setting up a point to win and when you have the opposition long and you

are at the kitchen, your chance to win the point dramatically increases even though it might take 1, 2, 3

or even 4 shots to do so.

They either have to get a great driving shot past you, at you or to land one on or near your toes, lob a

shot behind you or perfectly dink into the kitchen, to stay in the point, all of which have varying degrees

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of difficulty that you are more than happy not to be in a position of on a pickleball court at any time if

you can avoid it.

Again, this emphasizes the value in keeping your opposition long with the various long shot options

while you occupy the kitchen line. If they fail to execute any of the viable shots to stay in the point then

expect a shot that is less than perfect to come back at volley height for you to win the point with from

the kitchen line.

Apply the heat from the Get-Go

Can you now see the futility of serving advice that says, don’t risk it - just get the ball in play? A ball that

is served to a tennis trained player with no heat on it will have a tendency to immediately come back at

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you with heat applied and now you are immediately into playing shots with some sort of risk attached.

From my perspective, apply the heat from the get go and win more points.

A little bit on serving

Question - Can you learn to serve well using all of the 8 stated options? Sort of a silly question when you

think of it now isn’t it. It’s the same as if the question was; “can you learn to hit better pickleball shots if

you practice them”? – Absolutely you can of course! And a serve is a pickleball shot so yes, you can learn

to serve well using all of the 8 stated options – plus some you might like to add with some practice.

How to serve low and hard

How did I find out that I could hit a hard low serve and how hard I could actually hit that serve and still

get it in? By grabbing a bucket of balls (by myself), going to the service end of a court and seeing how

hard I could hit the ball and still get it in. Very soon this taught me the correct position and height to hit

the ball and with what sort of heat- (how hard). With even more practice it then taught me how far back

(if at all) I should stand from the service line and with even more practice again came the application of

spin, drift and placement to the drive serve.

How far back should you stand to receive the serve?

You must allow enough room (with time to move to a suitable hitting stance) for the ball to bounce into

the full length of the court before you hit it. With any serve it is easier to move forward quickly than it is

to move back quickly so an ideal position is about 1 to 2 feet back from the baseline. You might increase

this a little but not a lot for a fast server just in-case a fast server decides to serve one very short.

Standing 2 feet back from the base enables you to quite easily take a step back if required to a long fast

serve and moving two or three steps forward to cover shorter serves is easily doable.

Don’t be afraid to keep the opposition honest

I often see a player creep over the court to a dominant central position either in eagerness or

confidence to hit the next ball. Sometimes this is even a lack of faith in their partner and sometimes it is

in reaction to my game plan which is to attack the weakest player and ideally attack the weakest link of

the weakest player.

This opens up their side line that just begs for a ball to be played there. Is a sideline harder to hit than

the center of the court. Statistically yes but the reward for doing so when someone has moved a tad too

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far out of ideal position can come quickly and decisively. If by chance they do return the ball, you will

likely be rewarded with a nice volley to put away and therefore winning the point anyway.

When playing doubles, play doubles!

Doubles play is not played with a “this is

my side, that is your side” approach.

Rather, any shot should simply be

played by the best positioned player or

player who nominates to take the shot

in real time because they feel they can

make the best shot.

This requires great understanding and

good communication. A player should

hear a definite “yours” or “I got it” – whatever it is that you say to communicate the same thing, and it is

always good of the other player to confirm the play such a reply to “I’ve got it” might be – “all yours” or

“go for it” or whatever it is that you say to communicate the same thing.

This becomes really beneficial when ball is close to both of you. If I call “mine” and I hear “yours” or “go

for it”, I know that I can swing and you know to get out of the way of my bat and it’s follow through. So

often I have seen and heard players say, “I was going to but though you were too close” – or similar.

Communication is very important for good doubles play.

A couple of things you also need to think about is what happens after you take the shot. Will it leave you

out of position? And, will your partner (or you) cover you, or you them for taking the shot.

In the end it is about winning the point, not about who’s side of the centre line it is on. While you may

not be the one taking the shot, you are not out of the point. Your responsibility is to continue to read

the play, cover your partner and be in the best position you can be for the return of shot.

Again, the game is doubles play and requires each player to play doubles, not two singles games being

played side by side.

Who should hit a centerline shot?

It’s a fallacy to think that just because a ball is hit down the centre line that the forehand player should

take the shot because they will naturally have the stronger shot? Why? Because not every shot requires

strength and some people can actually play a better placement shot with their backhands. Personally I

like the opportunity to hit a backhand because it automatically opens up my natural spin return that I

love to play.

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So who should hit the centerline ball – again, the best positioned player or player who nominates to

take the shot in real time because they feel they can make the best shot – at that time.

Situational Awareness

Way too many players lose mental track, special or situational awareness of where they are when a ball

is hit at them and will hit a ball regardless of the flight path of the oncoming ball and where they are

standing on the court. Court situational awareness comes easy to some but not to others and if you are

in the second group, this is something you will have to simply remind yourself of or ask to be reminded

of (leave it!!!!) every time you go on court until “Court situational awareness” comes to you.

Hitting a ball that would have gone out of bounds extends a rally that you might go on to lose. Do it

often enough against good players and they will progressively capitalize on your unforced errors until

they win because you lost.

Learn game strategy – know what shots you can play and when

You might have picked up by now that I am not a typical pickler. Because I train the way I would like to

play, I do not avoid low percentage shots but I try to be selective when I use them. Why, because

sometimes I win (ideally more often than not) and in that process my opponents will know that I will go

for something that other players may not.

I like to play proactively, not reactively and if you find that you are being reactive to the way a game is

played, it might be time to change it up and take some chances. Again, when you train the way you want

to play, you can practice an intelligent low percentage shot as often as you like.

No it is not an oxymoron, a low percentage shot is not necessarily a bad shot. A low percentage shot

might be a great shot that is hard to execute and it is only by getting better at it will it become a shot

that you win more times than you lose. Be sure not to practice bad shots however. A bad shot will

always be a bad shot no matter how much you practice it. When you practice, you will know what you

are capable of and not capable of.

Know that ball placement wins before pall pace

When a hard fast ball is hit at you, you at least have a chance to return it because it is within paddle

reach. However, when a ball is hit beyond your reach, you will never get it back. Is that convincing

enough to use ball control and placement before simply hitting it hard?

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Use the soft shot infrequently when opportunity arises

If you are a dominant power player, your opposition will soon adjust to your play and good players will

counter you with soft dinks and well placed volleys. You need to mix and match your play with variety.

Just when you think they have got your measure of power, pull out a soft dink or two. It will keep them

having to guess what is coming and that all by itself is often a point winner.

Lob Shots, not very good very often but very good when played very well

Lob shots from the rear of the net are in essence “hope to get out of jail shots” that are reactive. Lob

shots from the kitchen or close to it are proactive and much easier to hit effectively.

The trajectory to get a lob shot over your opponents head and have it land in court from the kitchen

area is a much higher percentage shot than when made from the rear of the court. It also gives far less

time for your opponents to retreat and react appropriately with a good return shot.

So be aware that lob shots are rarely a winning shot but the best percentage position from which to hit

one comes the closer you are to the net.

Hitting between your opponents is always a good placement option

A mid-center shot between two players can confuse them as to who should take the shot however if

they close the gap too much and have established good communication about who takes the middle

shots, look for placement down the sideline. Winning a point or two down one or both sidelines

generally opens the middle up a little as the players become aware that they also need to cover the

sideline passing shot.

Pickleball is about stroke play, strategy and variety. You need to keep your opposition guessing. If your

opponents have gotten used to you serving with pace or putting putting spin on the ball, start hitting

soft loopy serves or shirt direct shots or shots with opposite spin. If they’re ready to dink, use a lob to

send them back. If you’ve been returning the traditional 3rd shot drop, think about a driving return down

the back hand side. Mix it up, hit the ball as you see it and add the variety to your shot if you are

positioned to do so.

Adjusting your technique, your strategy and stroke play with what the opposition might perceive as

random variety, will always ensure you have the edge.

In summing up – just a quick sign off to say…

I trust that you have enjoyed Pickleball Sport and that you have gleaned a little gem or gems from it and

you not only continue to have fun at Pickleball but you are better off for having read about my approach

and love of the game in this ebook.

18

Please share out registration email page so that others can get a copy of Pickleball Sport and so that we

can keep in-touch with a growing number of picklers where ever they are in the world.

The page link to share for the Pickleball Sport ebook is this one:

http://www.YesPickleball.com/pickleball-sport.html

Thank you in advance

Regards Tom