Easy Dinking: Simple Path to Pickleball Consistency
Easy Dinking: Master Controlled Shots for Winning Pickleball Rallies
I used to think that easy dinking in pickleball looked downright simple, almost silly, before I ever set foot on the court. Then I tried dinking against higher level pickleball players. In a flash, I understood why it’s considered one of the hardest shots to master: the margin for error is razor thin, and one small slip can turn a harmless dink into a dangerous pop up. Even pro athletes like tennis star Jack Sock say that dinking is among the trickiest parts of transitioning to pickleball. Below, I’ll show you three no fuss strategies to make your dinks easier, more controlled, and far deadlier for your opponents.
Why Dinking Matters
Before diving into the practical strategies, let’s talk about why easy dinking is so essential. Dinking is the soft, controlled shot you’ll use at the Non-Volley Zone (or “kitchen”) line to reset a rally or force an opponent into an error. Because it’s low over the net and usually shallow in the kitchen, the dink denies opponents the chance to smash or drive effectively. But miss by an inch, by popping the ball too high, and suddenly they can attack or around-the-post (ATP) you. When performed correctly, dinking keeps the rally under your control and sets up winning opportunities.
Strategy #1: Pinching for Pressure
Target One Corner
The first strategy for making your dinks easier is called pinching. I learned it by watching Tyson McGuffin apply pressure during matches. To pinch effectively, you and your partner should aim every dink at one corner of your opponents’ side, either the odd or the even side. This consistent targeting makes dinking simpler for you because you’re not changing directions. You’re zeroing in on one single spot.
To heighten the pressure, focus on hitting deeper dinks into that corner. If your dink lands shallow near the sideline, you risk giving up an ATP. Higher level pickleball players can angle around the post with ease if you fail to keep the ball closer to the baseline.
Hover Over the Middle
Once you commit to pinching one corner, you and your partner should hover near the middle of the kitchen line. This positioning drastically limits your opponents’ options. They’ll feel squeezed because:
- Hitting up the line at your partner is now easier said than done.
- Trying to go crosscourt or to the middle is more difficult because you’re ready to reach in and poach.
All this adds up to opponents feeling extra pressure, often resulting in rushed shots and pop ups. From your perspective, aiming consistently at that one corner is simpler than searching for new angles on every dink. Fewer decisions mean fewer mistakes, which makes easy dinking feel even easier.
How to Execute the Pinching Strategy
A step by step breakdown of how to execute the pinching strategy in pickleball, targeting a specific kitchen corner, maintaining central positioning, and applying pressure to force errors or set up winning shots.
- Choose a Corner
Select either the odd or even corner on your opponents’ side to target every dink.
- Hit Deep into the Kitchen Corner
Focus on placing your dinks near where the sideline meets the kitchen, aiming for depth to avoid easy ATPs.
- Hover Near the Middle
Position yourself and your partner near the center of the kitchen line, ready to take balls out of the air or poach wide shots.
- Maintain Pressure
Keep pinching that corner until your opponents pop up a ball or make a mistake, allowing you to smash or put the ball away.
Strategy #2: Defensive Dink or Off Pace Speed Up
Spotting the “Dead Dink”
My go to approach for simple, stress free dinking is the defensive dink, also known as an off pace speed up. Here’s how it works: you watch for a dead dink from your opponent, something that sits up without much spin, often a bit lob like off the bounce. Because it lacks pace and is coming at you gently, you have time to decide your next move.
Applying Half-Power
Instead of blasting the ball at 80% or more (the typical speed up power level), you’ll swing at about 50%. This moderate effort confuses your opponents because:
- They must choose whether to let it bounce, dink it out of the air, block into the kitchen, or counter with a speed up of their own.
- They have four possible decisions instead of just two, making an error far more likely.
Most opponents will reflexively try to counter or speed up your off pace shot. Since your half speed ball travels lower, they’re forced to hit upward. That typically results in a predictable pop up. You’re right there in perfect position to slam it back, finishing the point fast.
Strategy #3: “AL Dinks” for Consistency
Stepping Off the Kitchen
Finally, if your dinks aren’t landing where you want (maybe you’re having an “off” day), use what I like to call AL dinks. Anna Leigh Waters often stands slightly off the kitchen line, somewhere between midcourt and the Non-Volley Zone, to find her range. From there, you can dink with added safety. By being a step or two behind the line, your dinks have more room to land without going too high. If the ball lands short in the kitchen, step forward, dink it gently, and then move back.
Set Up Sneak Attacks
Stepping back also lulls your opponents into hitting dinks toward your feet. Over time, they’ll begin popping the ball up more often because you appear farther off the net. That’s when you sneak in and take the ball out of the air for an aggressive putaway. AL dinks not only reduce your own errors, but they also catch unsuspecting opponents off guard, setting up winning shots.
An Essential Drill: “Dink, Dink, Boom”
Why This Drill Works
I learned this drill from watching a video tutorial by pro player Jill Braverman. She calls it “dink, dink, boom”, and it blends repetition with real match pressure to supercharge your dinking skills. You and a partner dink crosscourt. The only way to score a point is by speeding up the ball out of the air down the line, not crosscourt. If you miss your speed up, it’s a wash, and you keep going. If either of you misses a dink, it’s also a wash.
Hitting the Front Half of the Kitchen
Because you only score by successfully speeding up out of the air, you’ll quickly see if your dinks are landing too high or too far back. A consistently good dink should land in the front half of the kitchen. That’s the area closest to the net. Although it’s fine to mix in deeper or even slightly beyond the kitchen line dinks in a match, your control will skyrocket if you can reliably place that soft dink right near the net.
Try this drill for at least 30 minutes, and you’ll notice your margin for error tighten. That’s because you’re combining precision with the stress of anticipating speed ups. Next time you play a real match, you’ll dink with complete confidence, and watch your opponents struggle to keep up.
Whether you’re a beginner trying to land just one consistent dink or you’re an advanced player refining angles and transitions, these structured drills ensure you build better habits.
Top Tips for Mastering Easy Dinking
| Strategy | Key Benefit |
|---|---|
| Pinching | Applies constant pressure by targeting one corner, forcing errors. |
| Off Pace Speed Up | Confuses opponents with a gentle half power shot, creating pop ups. |
| AL Dinks | Improves consistency by letting you stand off the line and sneak in for attacks. |
| “Dink, Dink, Boom” Drill | Builds precision under pressure, reinforcing low, controlled dinks. |
Easy Dinking Questions
Many newcomers see dinking as a simple tap but soon realize the margin for error is tiny. A slight misjudgment can send the ball high, inviting an opponent’s attack. Practice is essential for building controlled, consistent dinks.
Pinching aims every dink into one corner and forces opponents into tight angles. This strategy reduces your errors while pressuring them to pop the ball up or hit it out of reach, often resulting in a quick putaway.
An off pace speed up is a half power shot you use against a ‘dead dink.’ It catches opponents off guard, forcing them to choose among four different responses, often leading to a pop up or error.
Standing a step or two behind the Non-Volley Zone gives you more room to control the ball. If your dinks are off that day, stepping back helps you find your range, lowers your error rate, and sets up sneaky putaways.
Solo drilling with a wall or ball machine can help, but game like scenarios with a partner are ideal. Drills like ‘dink, dink, boom’ or specialized training in apps can build real match confidence and consistency.
Easy Dinking
Looking to refine more pickleball shots beyond dinks? Check out our in depth guide on improving your skills for tips on every stage of development. You can also learn more about top performing paddles by exploring our pickleball paddle reviews.
For official rules, tournament updates, and additional resources, visit the USA Pickleball website, an authoritative source for everything related to the sport.
Dinking doesn’t have to feel impossible. By pinching one corner, using off-pace speed ups, stepping back for Al dinks, and practicing with game like drills, you’ll soon experience consistent, low dinks that push your opponents to the edge. Ready to keep improving? Explore more articles on PickleTip.com, subscribe to our newsletter, or share this article on social media. Each new technique you add brings you closer to the level of play you’ve dreamed about. It’s time to take the next step in your pickleball journey!
