Tired of losing dinking rallies? Annoyed that you can’t consistently get the ball into the service court with an underhand serve? If you’re a beginner and struggling with some of the fundamentals of pickleball, stepping up your pickleball game is easier than you may think!

Try these 9 transformative tips on the court and watch your team’s score skyrocket!

Tip #1 - Use a Continental Grip

In a racket sport like tennis, several different grips on the pickleball paddle might be used during a match. On smaller pickleball courts, where the action can be quicker, there’s not much room to change your grip mid-return. So, we recommend new picklers use a continental grip for all shots.

A continental grip is a one-handed grip similar to a grip you’d use on a hammer. Your wrist should be parallel with the paddle, and your thumb to forefinger should form like a Nike swoosh when you look down at it. This provides plenty of flex and power without having to grip the paddle very hard.

Of course, if the continental grip doesn’t feel right after you’ve practiced, you can try out the eastern grip instead - here are the differences between continental and eastern grips.

Man using a Continental grip in pickleball

Tip #2 - The Power Game is A-Ok

There’s nothing wrong with choosing to play a power game in pickleball. If you’re someone who likes (and is especially good at) driving the ball down the centerline, then it’s perfectly fine to use that strategy during your matches. Sure, the other players will label you a “banger,” but what’s so bad about that?

If you are a power player, it would still benefit you to get some skills at the softer game or at least be able to change it up every once in a while to confuse your opponents. Imagine wearing your opponent out with drive after drive, then suddenly, when they least expect it, you lob a ball over their head to the baseline or dink a shot softly in their kitchen. Your opponent won’t know what hit them.

Tip #3 - Understand the Soft Game

If you’ve watched any pickleball matches, you may sometimes wonder why it seems like the players are hitting the ball so soft at one another, taking 10, 11, and 12 volleys every single point. Well, in pickleball, the soft game matters, and there is much more going on than meets the eye.

This strategy relies heavily on positioning, well-placed shots, and waiting for your moment to strike. Whereas a banger tries to score on almost every shot, a soft game player is focused on finding the winning shot and forcing their opponent to play defensively and make a mistake.

Unlike some other sports where you only have to focus on offense or defense, there are typically three scenarios you are in during a pickleball point:

Attacking
Defending
Neutral

Attacking means you are aggressive and trying to score a point against your opponent. Defending is when you are trying to prevent your opponent from scoring a point; often, these are shots designed to get the ball back over the net or help you get into a better position. While a neutral shot can score you a point, it is more designed to help you or your partner reset their position, get up to the NVZ line, or simply extend the match until a better opportunity arises to be aggressive.

So, understanding these different elements of the soft game, even if you are a power game player, will go a long way toward helping you win more pickleball matches.

Tip #4 - Attack Balls Down At Your Opponent Instead of Through Your Opponent

When an opponent stands directly in front of you, hitting the ball right at them is tempting. If you do this, what typically happens is that the player will have an easy, defensive return because players like to keep their paddles in front of their bodies.

Instead, a better strategy is to focus on hitting the ball down towards your opponent’s feet or on either side of them. This forces your opponent to go down low to get the ball and potentially puts them in an awkward position on the return. Causing your opponent to be off-balance is always a smart play.

Tip #5 - Have a Strong Paddle Ready Position Up at the NVZ Line

The pace can move fast and furious at the non-volley zone (NVZ) line. So you need to be ready at all times. Typically, there are three positions where players should keep their paddles in relation to their bodies.

Position one has the paddle around the 12 o’clock position (compared to your chest and head), and the face looks left and right. With a backhand, position two is having the paddle handle around the 9 o’clock position and the face open in front of you. The third position has your paddle slightly higher, around 10 or 11 o’clock.

When discussing “paddle ready,” we typically want players in this third position. This is a position that allows you to quickly react across your body or left and right to fast-paced volleys. Most of the time, your shots at the kitchen line will be using the backhand, and this is the position that will help you win more of those volleys.

Tip #6 - Practice Compact and Short Strokes

If you come from a tennis background, you may be used to big, loopy swings from the tennis court. While there will be time for those types of swings on the pickleball court, most of your shots need to be short and compact. This is because the ball will come back so much faster at you in the game of pickleball than it does in tennis. With a short stroke, you can get back in a ready position much quicker.

Tip #7 - Always Be Ready for the Fast Ball

You have more time to react to a dink, lob, or softer shot than you do a fast drive shot. Therefore, it’s best to always be ready for a ball to come at you with speed. By being ready at all times, you can react quickly and make a better return.

Tip #8 - Let the Ball Come to Its Apex

Playing the ball right after it bounces can force you into making bad shots. This is because the ball is still spinning and has a lot of momentum, so if it strikes your paddle at the wrong angle, your shot will end up too high or too low.

Instead, it’s best to observe the bounce rule, let the ball bounce, and reach the apex (the height of its bounce) before striking the ball with your paddle. At the apex, the ball has lost much of its speed and spin and provides a target that you can strike solidly and put your own spin on.

Of course, there will be times when you have to hit the ball immediately after the bounce or on a volley, but when you can, always let the ball come to its apex before striking it.

Tip #9 - Be Patient

The final tip is to be patient. Long rallies don’t happen at every single point, but they do happen often, especially during professional matches. As an amateur player, you may wonder why. Mostly, it’s because pros understand that waiting for the right moment can often be the difference between winning or losing a match.

Patience is the key. You must focus on putting yourself in the right position for each shot and hitting balls that force your opponents into bad positions. Sometimes, this takes time. Instead of focusing on scoring the current shot, you may want to practice building up to a game-winning shot.

Final Thoughts

Pickleball players who wish to improve their game and someday compete in tournaments should follow these transformative tips. Once you know the basics of how to play pickleball along with the official rules, practice the fundamentals until they are second nature, and then try out more advanced drills.

To see some of these tips in action, check out this video from PrimeTime Pickleball YouTube Channel.

9 Transformative Tips for Improving Your Pickleball Game

FAQ’s

What are the Rules for Pickleball?

While pickleball was originally invented on Bainbridge Island, Washington, in the backyard of the Pritchard family in the 1960s, the official pickleball rules are made by the governing body for pickleball - the USA Pickleball Association. You can find a downloadable rulebook here, or check out a rundown of the most important pickleball rules here.

How Many People Can Play Pickleball?

The fastest-growing sport in America is typically played with an even number of players - usually two single players on either side of the court for singles matches or two teams of two players each for doubles matches. No more than four people are allowed on the pickleball court at any given time.