For those who want to move their game forward, there is probably no better skill set than learning to play the “soft game” and, like it or not, dinking is a key component!
Joe Baker is back with another excellent video tutorial, Doubles Pickleball Strategy 201 – Dinking Strategy, about this essential skill. You can view it at the bottom of this post.
Here are some notes and things to watch:
Advanced Dinking
- Main Objective – Apply the maximum stress to your opponent’s team by making them “reach, move or scramble.”
- Shot Placements: Sideline, Middle or Cross Court
- Three main target areas:
- Sideline
- Middle
- Cross Court (preferred especially if you can get a great, sharp angled shot and force and error)
- Do NOT hit to the near opponent if you get drawn out of position near your sideline; especially to their forehand!
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Do NOT hit to the same sideline twice in a row.
Defending the Dink
- Link to your partner. i.e. move as a unit – together
- Getting out of “trouble” involves hitting cross court and into the kitchen<
- Use a surprise lob when you can catch your opponents off-guard
- Try to disguise your shots:
- Look one way and hitting the other
- Not signaling your intention until the last possible minute
- Wrong Foot your opponent, i.e. hitting in a direction from which your opponent was just leaving
Doubles Pickleball Strategy 201 – Dinking Strategy
This video is worth studying and watching a couple of times. There is no substitute for practice. Playing games, the experts repeatedly say, will not help improve your game as much as targeted practice.
If you haven’t seen Joe Bakers other pickleball videos, run, do not walk,to your nearest computer and view these:
Doubles Pickleball Strategy 101-How to Play Smart Pickleball, Ten Tips
Doubles Pickleball Strategy 102 – Smart Pickleball Vol. 2, Power