Follow this short success checklist and watch your pickleball wins increase.

 
As we run into 2024, we all have the same goal.  We all want to improve our games and we all want to win more pickleball matches.

There are many great coaches out there, and they all have their favorite tips and tricks that they believe will help you be a better player.

But for almost 15 years now, we have stressed that it is the basics, and doing them well, that will propel you to more wins faster than almost any other teaching. 

So, as we do every year about this time, let's review these simple, yet effective training tips:

The Improvement Basics Checklist:

BASIC #1) Check your grip.  If you are popping too many balls up or hitting too many balls into the net, the simple fix may be in the way you are holding your paddle.  If you have a good high level player in your community, simply ask them to take a look at your grip.  Yes there are many grips, but if you default to the continental grip, AKA handshake grip, AKA the hammer grip where you hold the paddle as if you were going to use the side of the paddle to drive a nail, you will have a grip that will work anywhere, anytime, any place on the court. Your paddle face will be in good position for all your forehand shots and it will also have your paddle face in a good position for all your backhand shots.  Check that grip!

BASIC #2)  Check where your serves are landing.  Winning pickleball at any level starts with a nice deep serve.  Starting any rally with a serve that lands within 36 inches of the baseline will greatly increase your chances of winning that rally. We don't care how hard you serve or how much spin you want to try to put on the ball.  We are talking about a very basic fundamental which many people don't pay attention to.  So work on it.  
Check your serve depth.

BASIC #3)  Check where your service returns are landing.  Much like hitting a deep serve, hitting a deep service return will greatly increase your chance of winning rallies. Again, we don't care how hard you hit your return as long as you place it consistently within 36 inches of the baseline.  As a matter of fact, putting a little more loft in your deep return gives you more time to scamper to the kitchen line so you are ready for the next shot.
Check your service return depth.

BASIC #4) Check your sweet spot. What is the biggest difference between your average pickleball player and a great pickleball player???
It is that thing called consistency.  It is the ability to hit the ball consistently on the paddle's sweet spot and thus control the ball.  Focusing on the ball as it hits your paddle on the sweet spot is an often overlooked piece of the winning puzzle.  But it is a basic drill that you can work on anytime. It may not be easy at first, but force your eyes to follow the ball all the way to your paddle on every shot.  Doing this will help you hit that all important sweet spot more consistently.  More consistency means more wins. It's that simple.
If you need some help with hitting that sweet spot, the new Kill Shot Pro Hand-Eye Training paddle will give your consistency a boost.

So hit that sweet spot and watch your consistency sky rocket.