LEARN & PLAY
Dinking for Beginners
A dink is one of the shots that makes pickleball different from many other racquet sports. It is soft, controlled and designed to make it difficult for your opponent to attack.
7 SEPT 2026 - 2 MIN READ
Scott · Pickled to Play
What is a dink?
A dink is a soft shot that lands in your opponent’s kitchen.
You’ll usually play it from around your own kitchen line after the ball has bounced.
The aim isn’t power. You’re trying to keep the ball low and controlled so your opponent can’t easily attack it.
The basic movement
Keep the technique simple.
Paddle in front
Relax your hand
Let the ball bounce
Contact it in front
Use a small movement
Gently lift the ball over the net
Recover and get ready again
Try it
Start with a partner and keep the pace relaxed.
Have your partner gently feed the ball into your kitchen.
Let it bounce and dink it back.
Do 5 each.
Try to make 3 consecutive dinks.
Then try for 5.
Count how many balls you can land in the opposite kitchen.
See if you can beat your best rally.
The goal is control and consistency, not speed.
Once that feels comfortable
When straight-ahead dinking starts to feel easier, try sending the ball diagonally across the court.
This is called crosscourt dinking.
You don’t need to master it yet. For now, just notice how the angle changes and keep the same soft, controlled movement.
Common mistakes
Swinging too big
Make the movement much smaller.
A dink only needs a gentle lift. A large swing makes the ball harder to control.
The ball keeps going into the net
Give it slightly more height.
You’re still aiming to keep the ball controlled, but you need enough margin to clear the net.
Reaching too far
Take a small step so your body is closer to the ball.
That will make it easier to stay balanced and control the paddle.
Why this matters
Dinking helps you learn touch, patience and control close to the net.
Instead of trying to hit through your opponent, you’re learning how to keep the ball low and make attacking more difficult.
It is a very different feeling from hitting a drive, and it is worth getting comfortable with early.
Remember
Soft hands.
Small movement.
Let it bounce.
Lift the ball into the kitchen.
Want to practise this on court?
Dinking becomes much easier to understand once you can feel the movement and practise it with a partner.
My beginner coaching sessions keep things simple and practical, so you can build confidence one shot at a time.
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