Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate pickleball player, learning the kitchen is the fastest way to elevate your game. Pickleball dinking isn’t just about tapping the ball over the net; it’s about understanding which shot to hit and — more importantly — when to hit it.
In this guide, we break down the five essential dinks that will help you control the pickleball court, keep your opponents off balance, and reset the point when you’re in trouble.
1. The Top Spin Dink (Offensive)
The top spin dink is the pickleball shot everyone wants in their arsenal. By applying forward spin, you allow the ball to arc over the net and dip quickly into the kitchen.
- The Benefit: It allows you to put more pace on the pickleball without it sailing long. Because of the spin, it bounces faster toward your opponent, forcing a difficult response.
- The Technique: You must contact the ball below its "equator" to create an upward brushing motion.
- When to Use It: Don't try this on every shot. You need to be well-positioned and wait for the ball to reach its apex (the highest point of the bounce) to get under it successfully.
2. The Slice Dink (Tricky/Offensive)
While often viewed as defensive, the pickleball slice dink is a powerful offensive tool that uses backspin to "freeze" the ball or make it skid upon landing.
- The Technique: Instead of a simple chopping motion, use a "high-to-low-to-high" cupping motion. This creates backspin while ensuring the ball clears the net.
- When to Use It: This is the perfect choice for balls caught outside your body or outside your primary contact zone. It is much harder to execute if the ball is directly in front of you.
3. The Lift or Reset Dink (Defensive)
Pickleball isn't always about being aggressive. The lift dink is a defensive necessity used to neutralize a point when you are out of position.
- The Goal: The primary objective is to make the ball bounce in your opponent's kitchen. A "bad" lift dink stays high enough for an opponent to volley it down; a "good" one forces them to hit upward.
- When to Use It: Use this when you are compromised — such as when you are pulled wide, pushed off the line, or reaching for a ball traveling behind you.
4. The Pressurized Volley Dink (Offensive)
If you want to take time away from your opponent, you need the pressurized volley dink. This is an aggressive move where you take the ball out of the air.
- The Technique: Generate the movement from your shoulder rather than your wrist for better leverage. Aim to contact the ball under the equator to add a little top spin.
- When to Use It: Only attempt this on balls traveling at or above net level. You also need the ball to be traveling deep enough toward your body so that you have the leverage to direct it; if you are reaching too far forward, you lose control.
5. The Short Hop Dink (Emergency Bailout)
The short hop is the pickleball shot you never want to hit, but absolutely need to know.
- The Purpose: This is your "emergency bailout" for when you are caught off guard and a ball lands right at your feet.
- The Technique: Open your paddle face, stay low, and focus on absorbing the pace of the ball to simply "bump" it back over the net.
- When to Use It: Use this only when you are surprised or unbalanced and need to survive the point to find your positioning again.