How to dink in pickleball: grip, paddle angle, contact point, follow-through
Step-by-step guide to hitting a pickleball dink. Grip, paddle angle, contact point, and follow-through, with common mistakes and practice plan.
Step-by-step
- Set up at the kitchen line. Stand just behind the kitchen line, knees slightly bent, weight on the balls of your feet. Paddle in front of you at waist height, soft grip.
- Open the paddle face. Hold the paddle with a relaxed grip and an open face — about 30-45 degrees from vertical. The ball should leave the paddle with topspin, not float.
- Make contact out in front. Step into the shot and contact the ball in front of your body, around waist height. Reaching back or hitting from your side kills control.
- Push, don't swing. A dink is a controlled push, not a swing. The motion is from the shoulder, not the wrist. Think 'place the ball' not 'hit the ball'.
- Recover to ready. After the dink, return to ready position — paddle in front, knees bent, eyes on the opponent's paddle. The next shot matters more than the last one.
Common mistakes
- Looking at the opponent, not the ball. Eyes on the ball, always. The opponent doesn't move the ball — you do.
- Swinging too hard. These are control shots. Power is the enemy of accuracy here.
- Forgetting the recovery. The shot isn't done until you're back in ready position. The next ball is coming.
How long does it take to learn?
Most recreational players can pick up the basic mechanics in a single session. Consistent in-game execution takes 2-4 weeks of deliberate practice — drilling the shot 30+ times per session, 3-5 times per week. After that, it becomes a reliable part of your game.