Third Shot Thoughts

I had an interesting question asked today and that was, "You and your partner are at the baseline and both opponents are at the kitchen, how do you drive the ball through them?"

It was stated but this is the third shot strategy, so every time you are serving, you are faced with this situation.  So, let us reason a bit together.  And take under advisement the idea to "drive it through them."

You've got three basic options, drive the ball, drop the ball, or lob.  The idea of lobs came up and regular readers with already know that I'm not a fan of lobs.  If they outlawed them, that would be fine with me.  I think they upset the nature of classical PB game and are aesthetically upsetting to me.  I know that there are players out there who don't mind and even, relish, the idea of lobbing.  Well, we shouldn't shun them and we would like to the adult on the court, but still something ought to be done.  Perhaps a snide, "Nice shot partner" would work.  However if I am honest, I don't mind my partner lobbing, but I do mind the opponents doing it.  It's a vast streak of weakness in my character and I'll apologize here and now.

So we don't lob...  So drive or drop?  Well, for a long time I've been a dropper.  If I don't drop, then I'll hit a softish shot with a lot of top spin as it will be below the net when it's returned and that is really the key to a lot of shot choices.  If the opponents have to lift the ball over the net rather than being able to hit the ball flat or downwards, I'm very happy.  And I'm happy in that I can advance towards the net.  The game is played at the net and until you are there you are at a serious disadvantage.

Now, life pro tip, as soon as you see that the ball will bounce or the opponents will have to hit the shot from a low position, you want (must) move aggressively to the kitchen line.  If they hit a pop up, you can usually end the point by hitting the ball at their feet.  If they manage to dink, usually their best choice, then you will be in a position to dink it back.  (And if they hit it in the net, you are well placed to offer sympathy.)  This is really important and beginners don't see it or know it or look for it.  But this is the crux of pickleball, hit a soft or low shot and then get into an aggressive position at the net.

And where do we aim this soft shot?  Even if both opponents are at the net and ready, a shot that lands in the middle is very effective.  If you only hit the ball to the middle, you will do very well.  I probably hit 90% of my shots to the middle.  Beginner and intermediate players are horrible at covering the middle.  And if they are both there, frequently there is confusion about who will return the shot.  Since most games change partners every game, those details are never discussed.  

One more option and that is to hit the third shot hard, then drop the fifth.  I'm fine with this strategy and you will see that very frequently in higher level games and at the pro level.  But they always follow the hard third with a soft fifth.

I'll close with thoughts on driving the ball.  When you start playing, it's easy and fun to hit the ball hard.  And it will work very well until you run across 4.0 level players or racquet ball players, i.e., folks who can handle a hard shot.  At that point, the drives without a soft game will not work and you'll lose like crazy.  The soft game is not needed early on, but it's vital if you keep playing.  And one more point, hitting ball hard at beginners is poor sportsmanship in my opinion.  We are playing to have a good time and when players are nervous about being hit or hurt, then the drive is not the way to play.  It's also been my experience that bangers have too much power and very little control, which makes it possible to really hurt someone.  So play appropriately to your opponents, thank you, thank you very much.