Whether you’re a seasoned pickleball player or a beginner, mastering the art of dinking is an essential part of mastering your pickleball game.

Yes, we all love to hit the ball hard, from ground strokes to volleys, when we hit the courts.

Who doesn’t love the WHAP!, BANG!, and SMASH!?

But I love the dink game. Everyone up at the non-volley zone line playing a cat and mouse chess game.

Mastering this soft touch, placement, and finesse shot will add so much fun to your game and increase your level of play.  

Here are a few basics to work on to perfect your dink game:

Soft Hands: On a scale of 1-10, the pressure when holding the grip (with 10 being the tightest) should be at a 3. You should hold a handshake grip (continental if you’re a tennis player). The dink is a precision and controlled shot. You want to control the speed, height, and placement of this shot.

This is where I recommend taking a clinic or lesson, as a pickleball coach will teach you the proper technique and get you dinking well in no time.

Patience: Dinking is not about speed. It’s about focus, placement, and who will miss or attack.

Don’t attack (speed up) too soon when the ball is very low or pushing you out of position. Be patient and focused when in a dink battle. It’s really fun and rewarding to win a dink point.

Placement: Once you learn to dink, the fun begins. Your dinks should be placed at your opponents’ feet, or to either side of them, to get them off balance and create openings or pop-ups (hitting the ball higher up over the net).

Now it’s time to attack/speed up the point!

Consistency: Consistency is the most important aspect of most sports. If you want to become a good pickleball player (and dinker), you have to practice, practice, practice – and not just play games.

Go out with a friend and dink 10 balls crosscourt without missing on both forehand and backhand sides. Then dink one ball to the left foot then to the right. Once or twice a week for 15 minutes before you play your game will get you dinking consistently with accuracy.

Anticipation: In your next practice session, you want to learn to watch your opponents’ movements and paddle. Watch the paddle face as it contacts the ball. You’ll be able to start to see where your opponent is hitting sooner, and if they are going to speed the ball up.

It’s also crucial to get in an athletic stance when at the kitchen line. Feet wider than your shoulders, knees bent and on the balls of your feet. And of course, paddle up in front of you and slightly below your waist. This will all help prepare you to begin to anticipate your opponents’ next shot.

Dinking is such a fun part of playing pickleball. With practice and persistence, your dink game will improve and you’ll be having even more enjoyable games. See you on the courts!

Visit our Coaching Directory and contact a local coach for more information and rates for private or group pickleball lessons.