8 Types of Pickleball Shots You Must Master

As a beginner pickleball player, you may feel overwhelmed with all the different types of shots you can make. Do I hit it high? Do I hit it low? Do I spin the ball? So many questions! never fear, we are here to help. In this blog post, we will break down 8 different types of pickleball shots that every player should master. 

The Lob

A lob in pickleball is used to push your opponents back and give you time to get into position. It is hit high into the air and land just over the net so your opponents have to backpedal to return it. This gives you time to get into position for the next shot.

The Forehand Groundstroke

This is a basic groundstroke that is hit with your dominant hand. You want to make contact with the ball in front of your body and finish with your arm extended out in front of you. 

The Backhand Groundstroke

Just like the forehand groundstroke, this shot is hit with your non-dominant hand. For most people, this will be their weaker hand, so the main goal is just to make contact with the ball and keep it in play.

The Overhead Smash

An overhead smash is one of the most powerful shots in pickleball. It is used when your opponent hits a weak shot that goes up high in the air. You want to make contact with the ball above your head and put all your weight into the shot. The goal is to hit the ball so hard that your opponent can’t return it. 

The Volley

A volley is a shot that is hit before the ball has a chance to bounce on the ground. This can be done at any height, but most volleys are hit when the ball is around waist height. Volleys are typically used when your opponents are far back from the net or if they hit a weak shot that goes up high in the air. 

The Drop Shot

A drop shot is a soft shot that falls just over the net and bounces lightly on your opponent’s side of the court. The main goal of a drop shot is to make it impossible for your opponent to return the shot without running up to the net, which opens up space for you to put away an easy winner. 

The Serve

The serve is how you start each point and can be one of the most important shots in pickleball. There are many different ways to serve, but all serves must be hit underhand and below waist height. After you hit the ball, it must bounce within bounds on your opponent’s side before they can return it. If they don’t return it or if they hit it out, then you win that point! game on!

The Return Of Serve

The return of serve is how you start each point after your opponent has served. There are two main types of returns -the slice return and power return. A slice return is when you hit the ball with underspin so that it bounces low and slow on your opponent’s side. A power return is when you try to generate as much power as possible and send the ball back deep into their court. Both slice and power returns have their place in pickleball, so try both and see what works best for you!

These eight pickleball shots are just some of many that exist but these ones are essential for any level player wanting to improve their game. Now get out there and practice! And maybe someday soon you'll be playing in tournaments against seasoned professionals. Games On!