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  • Advanced Pickleball doubles strategies used by Pro players

    Pickleball is arguably the one racket sports that gets more views and attention for its doubles format rather than singles, and yes we said’ ‘racket sports.’ Doubles pickleball opens the door to strategy, teamwork, communication, and that special kind of chaos that makes you laugh even while you’re scrambling for the next shot. It’s social, fast-paced, and incredibly rewarding once you begin understanding how two players can move and think as one unit. As a coach, I’ve seen so many players instantly fall in love with doubles simply because it adds layers to the sport that singles just can’t replicate.

    So let’s break it all down. How do you actually play doubles? What strategies matter most? And how do you become the kind of partner that people want to play with every time? Below, I’ll walk you through everything starting from rules, fundamentals, advanced tactics, all the way to mindset training, so you are always confident stepping onto the court with any partner you play with.

    Understanding the Rules of Doubles Pickleball

    The rules for doubles pickleball are very similar to singles, but there are a few extra details you need to know—especially when it comes to calling the score. In singles, it’s simple: your score first, your opponent’s score second. In doubles, we add a third number: the server position. Before every serve, the server calls out their team’s score, the opponents’ score, and whether they are server 1 or 2 for that rally.

    Throughout the game, both players on a team will get a chance to serve before a side-out occurs. That’s why identifying server 1 and 2 matters. The only exception is the very first service of the match where only one player serves at the start, and a fault immediately results in a side-out. After that, normal rotation takes place.

    It sounds confusing at first, but trust me, it becomes second nature. If you want to fast-track your comfort with doubles, a couple of private lessons or drilling sessions with a local coach can speed up the learning process, only for rules though. To get better and be more consistent you will still have to do drills regularly.

    Basic vs. Advanced Pickleball Doubles Strategies

    When you’re just starting out, your job is simple: get the fundamentals down. You don’t need stacking, crash & drive, or precision poaching right away. Start with consistent serves, cleaner footwork, and reliable shot placement. Get a feel for how the game flows with a partner precisely the timing, the rhythm, and the communication.

    But once those basics feel comfortable, that’s when the fun begins. Advanced doubles strategies like stacking, poaching, and patterned movement add a new dimension to your game. And when you and your partner finally sync up on these concepts? That’s when you start playing real doubles pickleball.

    Now without further adieu, let’s break down the core strategies you should focus on at each stage.

    Getting to the Kitchen Line Immediately After the Return

    The single most important strategy in doubles: advance to the non-volley zone (NVZ) as soon as you return the serve. Almost every high-percentage play happens from the kitchen line. If you stay stuck at the baseline, you’re playing defense the entire point and your chances of winning drop dramatically.

    Good teams sprint to the line together. Great teams know exactly why they’re doing it and even when to stay back, yes you read that right!

    Develop a Reliable Drop Shot

    The drop shot is the bridge between the baseline and the kitchen. When your opponents beat you to the NVZ line, a soft, controlled drop shot forces them to hit up on the ball and gives you time to move forward. A well-executed third-shot drop is often the difference between winning and losing against strong teams.

    Keep Your Opponents Pinned to the Baseline

    Just like you don’t want to stay back, your opponents don’t either. If you can keep them deep while you and your partner control the kitchen line, the point is already tilting heavily in your favor. Use deep drives, heavy topspin, and firm volleys to keep pressure on them and prevent them from advancing. Check out our article on the types of shot to learn how to execute these shots better.

    Aim for the Feet

    Simple but deadly. Shots at the feet force awkward upward contact, which usually leads to a pop-up—your opportunity to finish the point. Whether you’re driving, dinking, or countering, the feet are always a high-percentage target.

    Serve Deep & Consistently

    A deep serve buys you time. It pushes the returner back and prevents them from charging the kitchen too quickly. Instead of overhitting focus on depth, direction, and reliability.

    Stand Behind the Baseline on the Return

    Many new players stand right on the line and end up jammed or forced to backpedal. Standing a couple of feet behind gives you time to react, step into your return, and maintain balance. And remember you must let the serve bounce, so you don’t want to be standing too close to the baseline while receiving a serve.

    Hit Deep Returns

    A deep return of serve keeps your opponent back long enough for you to get to the kitchen line. It also makes their third shot tougher, forcing them into lower-percentage drops or rushed drives.

    Be Intentional With Your Positioning

    Great doubles teams don’t just stand in “their side.” They adjust based on opponent tendencies, partner strengths, and shot patterns. Sometimes that means shifting closer to the middle, shading toward a dangerous shot, or spreading wide to protect angles.

    Win the Race to the NVZ

    Back when I was new at Pickleball, a senior player would always tell me, “take control of the net, take control of the net,” at first I did not realise how important that it but later when I got to higher levels, I realized that almost all points are decided by which team gets to the kitchen first and holds it. So remember, tour mission: get to the kitchen early, make sure you’re partner gets there too, and stay disciplined once you’re in the NVZ.

    Third Shot Options: Drop or Drive

    Your third shot is your first tactical decision as the serving team.

    • Drop when the return is low, short, or when you want to advance safely.
    • Drive when the returner is out of position, when you see a backhand target, or when you want to set up a fifth-shot drop.

    Attack on the Fourth if You Can

    If your opponent fails to get to the kitchen line, the fourth shot can be a fantastic time to go on offense. Keep the ball low, find their weak side which is mostly a player’s backhand, and force them to hit up.

    Use Spin When Appropriate

    Adding topspin, backspin, or sidespin creates unpredictable bounce and trajectory. It doesn’t need to be excessive, controlled, consistent spin is more dangerous than flashy inconsistency.

    Attack the Middle

    Hitting down the middle creates hesitation, confusion, and miscommunication. It also provides plenty of margin for error. If you hear your opponents arguing about whose ball it was, you’re doing something right. Besides aiming for the middle is always a high percentage shot in comparison to aiming for the corners.

    Poaching With Purpose

    A poach is an aggressive move where you take a ball intended for your partner. It’s not about stealing, it’s about capitalizing on patterns. Great poachers communicate clearly, move decisively, and finish points efficiently. Poor poachers… well, they frustrate teammates.

    Stacking

    Stacking allows each player to stay on their preferred side of the court. Lefty/righty combos benefit most, but even same-handed teams use stacking to maximize forehands, protect weaknesses, and control the middle.

    Dinking with Patience

    Dinking is a chess match. You’re not just hitting soft shots you’re building patterns, targeting weaknesses, and waiting for the ball that sits even half an inch too high. Patience wins more dink rallies than power or skill ever will. As a pro tip I would suggest that not every high dink needs to be put away, bide your time and make the put away count the most.

    Keep Every Ball Low

    If you consistently send high, attackable balls, you’ll constantly be defending. A soft grip and clean technique help you keep the ball skimming just above the net.

    Pro/Advanced Tips for Playing Doubles Pickleball

    Improve Your Decision-Making

    Skill matters, but smart decisions win matches. Know when to attack, when to reset, and when to simply keep the ball in play.

    Accuracy Over Power

    You can’t overpower strong players, but you can outplace them. Hit smarter, make your opponents move around, once you tire them out you improve your chances to not only win the rally but even the entire match.

    Communicate Constantly

    Call “yours,” “mine,” “switch,” “no,” and “bounce.” The quieter the team, the more points they give away.

    Trust Your Partner

    Good teams back each other up. Great teams anticipate each other’s moves. You should be well aware of your partner’s skillset, for eg even if you are on the left side and your partner has a strong backhand let them pick the center balls, that way the opponent will always have to second guess their strategies.

    Read Out Balls

    Learning to let balls go long is one of the fastest ways to jump levels. Shoulder-high drives with pace almost always sail long so let them, by chance if it lands it, your opponent will still stop driving hard knowing you are up for letting high balls sail away.

    Move Together

    If your partner moves left, you shift left. If they move back, you do the same. Think of yourselves as connected by an invisible rope.

    Stay Patient

    The best players don’t rush. They wait for the right ball, the right moment, the right angle. Patience is a weapon.

    Should You Drive or Drop the Third Shot?

    It depends on the return. If it’s low and short, a drop is your best option. If it’s deep and gives you space to generate pace, a drive might create a pop-up or force an error. Your goal isn’t to hit a perfect shot—it’s to put your team in a better position for the fifth.

    How to Become an Ideal Doubles Partner

    Practice with your regular partner often, do match pattern drills, as that is where the real magic happens. Play with your partner often. Learn their habits. Celebrate their good shots, support them after bad ones, and stay calm no matter what. Body language matters do not slump, groan, or show frustration. Be the partner who lifts the team, not the one who sinks it.

    Remember Doubles isn’t just about great shots it’s about great energy.

    Final Thoughts

    Doubles pickleball adds strategy, teamwork, and fun to every match. Whether you’re learning the basics or stepping into advanced tactics like stacking and poaching, every layer you add makes the game richer. So grab a partner, hit the courts, and start building the kind of chemistry that turns rallies into highlights.

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  • How to play Pickleball

    How to play Pickleball

    Pickleball has arrived and who’s to say it will not be an Olympic sport soon? Having said that, get ready to learn how to play pickleball. 

    This guide on how to play pickleball covers all the rules of pickleball that are followed in professional tournaments, so as a total beginner, this is the stepping stone that will get you ready to hop onto the pickleball court, and for a pro pickleball player, this guide is a good read to know about the latest rule changes of the most entertaining sport out there.

    First things first, the essentials, what you need is a set of pickleball balls, a good pickleball paddle (this is absolutely important as it will play a major role in convincing you if pickleball is the sport for you or not), and lastly finding a pickleball court near you. 

    The best way to start playing pickleball, in my opinion, is to play a doubles match with people of similar level as you, if you do not have that, you can always join a beginners pickleball clinic to learn the basics, where you can also try of equipment on rental basis if you’re not ready to invest in gear yet.

    How to play pickleball

    Imagine a tennis court net on a badminton court and you have a Pickleball court ready. The official measurements of a Pickleball court is  (20′ x 44′) with a net height of 36″ at the sidelines and 34″ at the center. From the net, there is a non-volley zone at each end of the court (better known as the kitchen) where players cannot hit volleys (a shot hit out of the air), if a played does so, its considered a foul and the opponent team is rewarded a point. The non-volley zone measures at 7’ on each side.

    Now lets learn about the 7 major rules of pickleball that are followed in official tournaments, but before I begin, let me tell you that these rules are more doubles game focussed (2 players each side) so for all you singles enthusiast check out my detailed article on how to play singles pickleball, and gain some bragging rights in your local tournaments when you step on court as a singles player, with that being said lets take a look at the rules: 

    Rule #1: each rally begins with a serve

    The player standing on the right side of the court starts a pickleball game by serving. A serve is always done in toward the opponent standing in the diagonal court. A serve is how each point or rally is started. 

    There are two ways to do a legal serve , 1. Hit an underhand forehand or backhand after the ball bounces, or 2. Hit an underhand volley serve by hitting the ball right after you release it.  In both instances you have to make contact with the ball below the waist. 

    You also have to keep in mind certain aspects while releasing the ball to avoid a foul serve, read my guide on how to do a legal serve in pickleball to know more.

    Rule #2: the ball must bounce once on each side before either team can volley

    A volley in pickleball is when a player decides to hit a shot before the ball bounces. In a rally, all players need to let the call bounce once of each side of the court before deciding to start vollying. This rule is famous called the “two bounce rule” By professional pickleball organizations.

    So, always remember to stay behind the baseline when your partner is serving, a lot of beginners including myself have been caught  reacting with a volley to the opponents return of serve. 

    This rule is specifically designed to avoid a “serve and volley” Scenario, as it would give an unfair advantage to the service team who can easily rush the net as a pickleball court is small in comparison to a tennis court

    If you are looking to learn new vollying techniques, then check out my guide on how and when to volley in pickleball

    Rule #3: each point continues until a fault

    A play begins with a legal serve and continues until a rally is won by either a ‘fault’ being committed or if a player hits a winning shot. There are four faults that end a point in pickleball:

    An illegal serve: If a service is done with the paddle tap upwards and above the waist, or the serve lands in the kitchen (including the line) or beyond the baseline and sideline.

    The ball lands out of the playing area (outside the sideline or behind the baseline).

    The ball crashes in the net and falls on your side of the court.

    The ball bounces twice on one side before the player can return it.

    Rule #4: Volley shots are not allowed in the kitchen area

    Kitchen or non-volley zone in pickleball measures 7’ zone on each side of the net. A player cannot  hit a volley if any part of their body enters the kitchen (stepping on the kitchen line is also considered a foul). For a player to hit a successful volley, they must also ensure that they do not let their momentum carry them into the kitchen after smashing a volley.

    The only time you can step into the kitchen to play a shot is if the ball bounces in the kitchen. For eg: You can hit a shot in the kitchen if your opponent hits a short shot that touches the white tape of the net and lands in the kitchen area of your court.

    Rule #5: you only win points on your serve

    This scoring method is used in official Pickleball tournaments, as per this rule only the team that serves can win ponts and if the other team wins the rally they do not get a point but are awarded a break of serve. In doubles format, a non serving team has to achieve a break of service twice, as both opponents are required to serve.

    A team that is serving has to switch sides (left and right) between their partners and serve to the opponent standing in the diagonal court at the start of every rally.

    The referee calls “point” if the rally is won by the serving team or calls “side out” if the rally is won by the non serving team.

    Note: Since the beginning of 2025 , talks of rally points ( points regardless of which team serves) have been discussed citing reviews that it makes the game shorter and more exciting. If this rule is is made official, I will have it updated here.

    Rule #6: the correct score must be called before serving

    In pickleball you’ll often hear referees of players calling out three numbers before serving, which goes like “1-4-1”. Here’s what each number means:

    First Number

    serving team’s score

    Second Number

    Receiving team’s score

    Third Number

    Serving order of servers team, first server (1) and second server (2)

    ChatGPT said:

    Let’s say the score is 3–3. If you’re serving first, you’ll call out “3–3–1” — the last number shows you’re the first server on your team.

    If you lose the rally, the serve doesn’t switch sides yet. Your teammate now serves and says “3–3–2.”

    If your partner also loses the rally, that’s called a side out — meaning your team has lost both serves, and now your opponents get to serve. They’ll start their turn by calling “3–3–1.”

    There’s one special case: at the very start of a game, the first server calls “0–0–2.” This is because the serving team only gets one serve at the beginning, since they already have the first chance to score points.

    Rule #7: first team to 11 points wins—but you must win by 2

    By applying the above 6 rules, a game continues till one team reached 11 points. A total of 2 games of 11 points are to be won by one team in order for them to be declared the winner of the match. 

    If both teams reach 10 points each, the winner is declared by a difference of two points (popularly known as deuce). So the next time you see a 17-15 score line or a 23-21 scoreline know that, that was a quite exhilarating game.

    Also Read: What are the 5 basic rules of Pickleball

    What you need to play pickleball

    What equipment and gear is required to play pickleball

    First things first what you need is a partner or 3 others if you wish to start playing doubles. 

    Now comes the question of clothing, what do you wear? 

    While a basic non marking shoes paired which a sweat restantant tshirt and track pants/shorts is all you need to step on to the courts, I would recommend that you do invest into pickleball specific clothing, doing so would give you an additional confidence and sense of enjoyment on the courts. 

    Pickleball gear: while optional, I wou still recommend you get your own pickleball paddle and balls. However, most pickleball courts do offer paddles and balls on rental basis. 

    Last but no the least a pickleball court with accurate markings.

    Pro Tip: Choosing a paddle that suits your game is one of the most difficult things to do given the number of paddle options available in the market. You may see the pro’s applying tapes, using different grips, and even speed caps to know more about paddle modifications you can check out this ‘how to upgrade my paddle guide,’ now coming back to investing in a paddle, it is not cheap so to get a better idea on which paddle is best for you simply take this 15 second paddle buying quiz.

    How to set up a pickleball court

    If it is just an empty space, then you can check out this guide to learn the accurate measurement of a pickleball court, but in most instances, a court is already prepared with lines.

    With the growing buzz around pickleball, courts with permanent lines have become way more accessible, but you’ll still need a net as most courts do not install them. For such instances, I would recommend investing in a portable net which are easy to install.

    Types of shots in pickleball

    Knowing the names of shots in pickleball gives you a mental advantage over your opponents, as you would look well versed with the knowhow’s of the game.

    Drives: The shot that you hit with power after the ball bounces is called a drive, as the goal is to drive the ball with power. A drive is mostly hit on the forehand side but having a backhand drive would help you tremendously in tournaments.

    Drop Shots: A drop shot is your get-out-of-jail card when you are stationed at the baseline and want to make your way to the kitchen. A good drop shot execution is when the ball lands in the opponents kitchen and forces them to play a shot of the bounce. 

    Dinks: Dinks and drops are often looked upon as a same shot, however there is a main differentiator. The purpose of hitting a dink is to land the ball extremely close to the net in the opponents kitchen area. This shot is used to invite the opponent into the kitchen and hit a similar dink return for which you will be ready and can charge to hit a speed up. 

    Volleys: A volley shot is when you hit a ball out of the air before it bounces. You cannot hit these shots when you step inside the Kitchen.

    Lobs: A lob shot is when you hit the ball high in the air, normally it is played when the opponent is in the kitchen and to catch them off balance, but it is also used to defend heavy smashes coming your way.

    Overheads: An overhead shot is similar to badminton smashes, as the goal is to contact the ball at its highest point and smash it at your opponents feet or away from their strike zone.

    How to serve in pickleball

    A serve is the first shot of every Pickleball rally. As per the USA Pickleball Official Rules, you need to follow these pointers to execute a legal serve:

    • To execute a volley serve correctly you need to swing with an underhand stroke and make contact with the ball below the waist before the ball bounces.
    • You have to move your arm in an upward arc while making contact with the ball.
    • You cannot hold the paddle in a straight position while serving, meaning the paddle head will always have to face side ways or downward while serving. As long as the paddle head is not upwards you can use a backhand or forehand stroke in your serve.

    Update: Since 2021 both “volley serves” and “drop serves” are deemed legal as per USA Pickleball guidelines. Meaning you can execute a serve after dropping the ball and letting it bounce, (Multiple bounces are so far considered legal)

    Where to serve in pickleball

    In doubles pickleball, you always serve to the court diagonal from you. The ball must go completely past the kitchen line and land inside the area between the sideline and baseline. It’s okay if your serve lands on the baseline or sideline, but it can’t touch the kitchen line.

    Where to stand when serving

    When serving in pickleball, you must stay behind the baseline — your feet can’t touch the baseline or sideline while you serve.

    As the serving team, stay behind the baseline until after the third shot has been hit. If you rush toward the kitchen too soon, you might break the two-bounce rule.

    Tip: The returning team can use a “one-up, one-back” position. Since the serve has to bounce on their side first, this setup helps them move in quickly and start volleying after their return.

    Serving strategies

    Serving is the way to start a Pickleball rally which puts the server in a good position to command and possibly win the point on a serve itself (Called an Ace). Master these three key strategies to upgrade your pickleball serve from beginner to pro level.

    • Push it deep: By serving deep you can push your opponents behind the baseline which gives you time to come towards the kitchen line which will allow you to hit easier volleys and dictate the point.
    • Find your opponents weakness: Once you analyse which is your opponent’s weaker side (Forehand or backhand) you can target that side with your serve which will bring about more errors or a lofty return from your opponent. 
    • Spin it to win it (advanced): This is the most effective way to gain some easy points. Once you are comfortable with your serving routine, start practicing the art of applying spin to your serves. A spinny serve lets you catch your opponent off balance which will result in more unforced errors. 

    Learn more about pickleball serving rules

    What is an illegal serve in pickleball?

    If any of these below mentioned serving rules are not meet then the serve is considered illegal:

    • A serve is always supposed to bounce in the diagonal box, it can touch the baseline or sideline but must cross the kitchen line.
    • The server must stand behind the baseline while serving
    • Only underhand serves are allowed in Pickleball
    • The first serve is always done by the played standing in the even point side of the court and once their serve is broken the other player has to take over for the second serve.

    Types of serving mistakes

    While serving you need to be aware of these mistakes as they will lead to a faul and as a result award your opponents a very easy break of serve.

    Foot Faults

    The server’s foot touches the baseline or sideline while making contact with the ball on a serve.

    A Pre Spun Serve

    The server rotates the ball with his hand and then hits the spinning ball for the serve.

    Hitting The Net

    The ball hits into the net and falls back to your side of the court or lands in the opponents kitchen area which includes the kitchen line. If it hits the net but still lands in the correct service area, then it is considered a ‘let’ (earlier was considered a legal serve).

    Missing The Serve

    The server hits the serve outside the baseline, or not to the correct side.

    Also Read: What are the different types of serves in Pickleball

    How to start a game & keep score

    The Game of Pickleball starts with a serve — but who serves first? According to the USA Pickleball rulebook, any fair method can decide it. You can flip a coin, or follow local rules (some courts always have the north side serve first). Just agree on a method before starting.

    Once the serving side is chosen, the player on the right side of the court serves first. They’ll call out the score as “0–0–2.” Both teams start with zero points, and the “2” means the starting team only gets one serve to begin the game.

    After that first “side out,” each team gets two serves — one per player — before the serve switches sides again.

    Remember: a side out happens when the serving team loses both serves. Then it’s the other team’s turn to serve.

    There’s a lot to take in here, so let’s recap how to start a pickleball game:

    • Decide the starting team based on local rules or a coin toss.
    • The player on the right side of the court serves first.
    • The first server announces “0-0-2” as the starting score.
    • Players serve (out of the air or off the bounce) to the diagonal side
    • If the service is “good”, play continues.
    • After the first point is over (if won by the serving team), the next serve is hit from the left side of the server’s court. Points then alternate from left to right until the serve “sides out”.

    Learn more about how pickleball scoring works

    What is the two-bounce rule in pickleball?

    The “two-bounce rule” means that the ball must bounce once on each side after a serve before any player can volley the ball out of the air.

    Let’s use doubles as an example. When a player serves the ball, and it lands in their opponent’s court, that counts as the first bounce. After the opponent returns the ball, the serving team must wait for the ball to bounce again before hitting it.

    This means players can only “volley” the ball once the two-bounce rule has been fulfilled. If a player is standing close to the net before fulfilling this rule, they cannot legally hit it out of the air.

    So, it wouldn’t make any sense for the serving team to start at the kitchen. You should only start at the kitchen if you’re on the receiving team but not currently receiving the serve. This is because the ball will always have bounced twice before ever being hit to you.

    Once the two-bounce rule is fulfilled, all players are free to move to the kitchen area and begin volleying. This is often the most strategic place to be in pickleball.

    How to play pickleball doubles

    Pickleball doubles involves two players on each team and is by far the most popular way to play pickleball. Here’s a quick guide on where to stand:

    Since doubles is the most common variation, all the rules I’ve discussed so far apply here unless otherwise mentioned. This goes for things like serving, scoring, volleying, and the two-bounce rule.

    Learn even more about pickleball doubles rules

    How to play pickleball singles

    Doubles is the most popular format to play pickleball, but you can also play singles — one player on each side instead of two. The game works almost the same, with just a few key differences.

    Main Differences in Singles

    • The serving side after a side out depends on the player’s score.
    • The score call has only two numbers: your score first, then your opponent’s.

    Key Scoring Rules for Singles

    1. Each game starts with the serve from the right side.
    2. If the server wins the rally, they move to the left side to serve next.
    3. If the receiver wins the rally, no one switches sides.
    4. The server keeps serving (alternating sides) until they lose a rally.
    5. There’s only one serve per turn once the server loses a rally, it’s a side out, and the opponent serves next.

    Which Side to Serve From

    • Serve from the right side when your score is even (0, 2, 4, etc.).
    • Serve from the left side when your score is odd (1, 3, 5, etc.).

    Other than these small changes, all the usual pickleball rules — serving, faults, lines, and the kitchen — stay exactly the same as in doubles.

    Can you play pickleball by yourself?

    While it goes against the whole essence of Pickleball, you can indeed play Pickleball alone, the advantages of doing so include fast hands, improved hand-eue co-ordination, more confidence in approaching the kitchen, and turning your weaknesses into your strengths. Don’t know where or how to start solo? Then check out our guide on the best solo pickleball drills that you could even do in your bedroom giving a whole new meaning to Tyson McGuffin’s “Bedroom Cardio” quote.

    Here are the top three ways to get maximum value from solo pickleball sessions: 

    • Practice Wall:
    • You don’t need fancy equipment — any solid, upright surface such as a garage door or a sturdy wall works perfectly. Repeatedly hitting the ball against it is an excellent way to sharpen your precision, control, and reaction time.
    • Many players like to place a temporary net or tape line to ensure their shots stay at the right height. You can also draw or tape on specific targets, or hang a dedicated dink pad to simulate real play.
    • Rebound Net:
    • A rebound net is another great option for practicing alone. It returns the ball to you, helping simulate a rally with an opponent. These nets can be easily set up in your driveway, backyard, or even indoors. By adjusting the angle, you can change how the ball rebounds, giving you a variety of shot types to practice. Plus, they’re much quieter than hitting against a wall — ideal if you want to keep the peace with your neighbors.
    • Some players like to place a temporary net or draw a line across the wall to check that their shots stay at the right height. Others add taped targets to aim for, or hang a specialized dink pad to create a more realistic practice setup.
    • A pickleball machine: This is a cheat code that almost all the pro’s use, be it any match situation on any angle of the court you can practice a shot for every situation multiple times until it becomes first nature to you. So while investing in a pickleball machine is the most efficient way of getting better quickly, it can also be an expensive investment and not to mention take up real estate space at your home or garage so only go for it if you are fully committed to mastering the game

    One of the best pickleball machine’s to exist is The Erne that is able to hold more than 150 balls and can be programmed and operated via through its app which you can download on your phone. The app has in-built drill routines along with the option to add customized routines

    Tips for pickleball beginners

    As a beginner who’s just started playing pickleball, you could rapidly improve your game by following these tips: 

    • Take control of the kitchen: Once you hit a deep serve return, you are at an advantage as you have enough time to make your way near the kitchen line. A lot of beginners including the Tennis pros tend to stick to the baseline, which gives the opponent the advantage of taking control of the nets.
    • Pickleball is all about fast hands, once you’ve stationed yourself at the kitchen line, hold your paddle near your chest height with your arms stretched out, this is called a ready position which will help you take more balls out of the air and force your opponents into hitting an easy return.
    • Tight is not always right! Well atleast in pickleball, a lot of beginners tend to squeeze onto the handle while hitting a touch shot which is completely wrong as you will end up hitting one too many pop ups. What you want to be doing is loosen your grip, this will give you that smooth touch shot which will force your opponents to hit a dink reset.
    • Its all in the shoulder: With the aim to hit an over ambitious dink Beginners tend to flick their wrist on all touch shots—especially dinks, but doing so just generates extra pace on the bal which results in a pop up or the ball going out of play. To hit a precise dink you need to keep your wrist completely still and only let your shoulder rotate your arm.  Don’t be shy to follow through after making contact with the ball which will help you place your dink where you want it to go.
    • Drop it low: If you wish to hit a deep return or a drive with pace what you need to be doing is slightly bending your knees. This slight squat position combined with a spilt step routine will provide a stable base and keep you ready to hit all your shots with an added zit to them. Split stepping is honestly a cheat code which is a foundation of every pros game, so ive curated a detailed guide on what is a split step to help you inculcate this routine to your game
    • Lobs are for bob: Bob loves to lob his way while transitioning to the kitchen area, only to get smashed 9/ out of 10 times, bob will remain a beginner if he continues to do so, dont be bob.  While pro’s are not completely against lobbing, it is a low-percentage shot, by simply deciding to replace your lob shots by dinks you will start winning more points and over a period of time dinks will come naturally to you.
    • Patience is key: Regardless of the level of your opponent you do not want to use extra power on all your shots, instead construct the point find the right opportunity and hit a power shot when your opponent offers a pop up.
    • Be a master of the drop: While the Third shot drop shot is not as popular as it used to be, it is still the greatest weapon to have in your array of shots in pickleball. A drop shot is easy to hit but difficult to execute to perfection , hence to master it you need to practice it daily either with a coach, drilling partner or a pickleball machine.
    • Deeper is always better: You can push your opponents behind the baseline by simply returning deep or serving deep, this will let you take control of the kitchen area and set you up to hit a winning volley.
    • Practice makes you perfect: Like any other sport, you need to practise to get better. Beginners often end up skipping drilling sessions and directly playing matches. In drilling sessions you can specifically work on your weak areas which will give you the confidence to apply those shots the next time you play a match.
    • Paddle does make a difference: One could not emphasize enough on the wonders a good paddle would do to your gameplay. You do not need to buy the super expensive paddles, but find the one that suits your game the best, to simplify this we have curated a paddle quiz, take it to get a better idea of which is the best paddle for you 

    Bottom line

    All in all, if you have made it till here, you are already in love with Pickleball and are looking to play it as its meant to be played with the correct rules. So to summarise all that we have learned from this guide, here are the main rules that you need to keep in mind. You can screenshot this paragraph if you wish to access it quickly while on the courts: 

    1. An underhand serve is the first shot of every Pickleball rally  (forehand or backhand).
    2. The two-bounce rule must be followed before either team starts engaging in volley shots.
    3. A point is continued to be played until an error is made by either team
    4. The kitchen area including the kitchen line is a no volley zone, Period!

    Now without further adieu, Let’s play Pickleball!