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Third shot drop

Pickleball / Popular

Drop the third shot softly into the kitchen to take the net.

What coaches agree on

  • Aim your drop to clear the net by about a foot to a foot and a half and land in the back portion of the kitchen — that gives you margin for error while still forcing your opponent to hit up on the ball.
  • Hit the drop soft and slow rather than hard — a slower ball is easier to control into the kitchen and harder for your opponent to attack.
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  • Move your feet to get the ball out in front of your body, with your weight stepping forward into the shot.

Common mistakes

  • Snapping the wrist to add power instead of swinging from the shoulder and arm, which pops the ball up into an easy attack.
  • Taking a big backswing instead of a short, controlled motion with the paddle starting out front, which causes the ball to pop up or lets your opponent attack it.
6 Ways to Hit a Third Shot Drop
Intermediate

6 Ways to Hit a Third Shot Drop

Coach's take: If you only watch one drop video, make it this one - it tells you which drop to use when, not just one way to do it.

3.8
MASTER Your Third Shot Drop!
Intermediate

MASTER Your Third Shot Drop!

Coach's take: The spin myth-bust is worth the watch alone - a lot of players are told to slice this shot and shouldn't be.

3.5