How to dink in pickleball, with drills
How to hit a steady, low dink, when to use it, and three dinking drills you can run alone or with a partner, from beginner to 4.0+.
For players rated 2.5+
When to use it
A dink is a soft shot from at or near the kitchen line that lands in your opponent's kitchen. Because it bounces low and short, it is hard to attack, so it is how points at the net are played until someone hits a ball too high.
Dink when you and your opponent are both at the net and the ball is below the height of the net. The aim is not to win the point with the dink but to make the other side hit up, so you can attack their mistake.
1.Wall dinks
Solo2.5–3.0Builds a short, repeatable stroke from the shoulder with a firm wrist.
- Put a strip of tape on a wall at 34 inches, the height of the middle of the net, and stand about 7 feet away.
- Dink the ball softly so it hits just above the tape and bounces once before you hit it again.
- Keep your knees bent and the paddle face slightly open. Lift with your shoulder, not your wrist.
Reps: 3 rounds of 30 in a row; restart the count when you miss
2.Cross-court dink rally
With a partner2.5–3.0Trains the cross-court dink, the safest dink because it travels over the low middle of the net.
- Both players stand at the kitchen line, diagonally opposite each other.
- Dink cross-court only, aiming for the kitchen in front of your partner.
- Count rallies. Any ball that lands outside the kitchen or would be attackable (above net height) ends the rally.
Reps: Play to a rally of 25, then switch diagonals
3.Dink to attack
With a partner3.5Teaches you to recognise the ball you can attack and the one you can't.
- Dink straight ahead with your partner.
- Either player may attack any ball that bounces above net height; the other tries to block it back low.
- Score a point for a winning attack and a point for the defender if the attack misses or is blocked back unattackable.
Reps: Games to 11, switch sides after each game
Watch it
Common mistakes
- Standing up straight. Bend your knees and get low so your paddle is under the ball.
- Flicking the wrist. A wristy dink varies in height; swing from the shoulder.
- Aiming too close to the net. Aim for the middle of the kitchen; the margin is bigger than it looks.
- Backing away from the kitchen line between dinks, which turns easy dinks into hard half-volleys.
What to work on at your level
| 2.5–3.0 | Get it over and into the kitchen, every time. Height over the net does not matter yet. |
|---|---|
| 3.5 | Keep it low, add cross-court dinks, and recover to ready position after each one. |
| 4.0+ | Move your opponent: dink to the feet, wide to pull them off the court, and change pace before you attack. |
Paddles that help
Dinking rewards a soft, controlled feel, so paddles with a thicker core and a forgiving face make it easier to keep the ball low.
Best Pickleball Paddles for Dinking and the Soft GameCommon questions
- What is a dink in pickleball?
- A soft shot hit from near the net that lands in your opponent's kitchen. It bounces low, so it is hard to attack.
- Should I dink cross-court or straight?
- Cross-court is safer: the net is lower in the middle and the ball has more court to land in. Straight dinks are useful to change the angle once you are consistent.
- Can you volley a dink?
- Yes, if you are outside the kitchen. Volleying a dink (a dink volley) takes time away from your opponent but is harder to control.
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