The Trick For Consistently Great Drives

Author

Shea Underwood
August 24, 2024

WEEK 30

Welcome back to the Road to Pro!

Here’s what I’ve got for you this week:

  • A strategy for better drives

  • A quick tip for knowing when to drive vs drop

  • A drill to help you master several key aspects of the game

This week Javier asked our featured question, so I’ll be sending him a new Selkirk paddle! If you want a chance to win a paddle, click on the button below to submit your pickleball questions. Anyone whose question is featured in my newsletter will automatically win a new paddle!

Now let’s get to it!

Q&A Spotlight

Don’t Kill My Drive

Where should you be aiming drives when both opponents are at the kitchen line?

Javier

Answer: Great question! For more consistent drives, it’s best to focus on where you’re aiming, rather than trying to hit the perfect drive. It’s common for players to see their opponents at the net and go for a fast, low drive that just skims over the net. But aiming for perfection doesn’t leave much room for error, and that often leads to shots that either go into the net or out of bounds.

Instead, try this approach: when you see both opponents at the net, aim your drive at the hip area on the paddle-holding side of the opponent directly in front of you. This spot is ideal because it forces your opponent into an awkward position, making it difficult for them to return the ball effectively.

Forehand gets jammed

The goal here isn’t necessarily to hit a winning shot with your drive but to force your opponent into making a weak return. By targeting their hip on the dominant side, you’re likely to make them either a) hit a weak forehand with their elbow too close to their body (see image above), which doesn’t allow for proper movement, or b) get caught with a "chicken wing" on their backhand (see below), which also tends to be weak. In either case, their return is less aggressive, giving you a good chance to hit a winning shot on the next play.

Chicken wing

By focusing on where you aim your drives when your opponents are at the net, you’ll naturally become more consistent and have a better chance of winning the point.

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Tip of the Week

License to Drive

You now know where you aim your drives, so here’s a quick tip on when to hit a drive:

If you're behind the baseline, it’s usually better to drive the ball rather than drop it. When you’re far back, you have a lot of ground to cover, so hitting a perfect drop can be tricky. However, a powerful drive can easily cover that distance, and if you aim for the right spot – like we discussed earlier – you can force a weak return from your opponent, setting you up for an easier drop on the next shot.

On the other hand, when you’re inside the court, it’s better to drop the ball instead of driving it. If you try to drive when you're closer to the kitchen line, it’s more likely to either go too high and out of bounds or into the net. By dropping the ball in this situation, you can smoothly transition up to the kitchen line and stay in control of the point.

Drill Highlight

Drive Me Crazy

For this drill, position yourself at the back of the baseline with your drilling partner at the kitchen line on the other side of the net. Begin by self-feeding a ball to yourself, and then drive the ball, aiming for the hip area on your opponent’s paddle-holding side to force a weak return. As soon as you hit that drive, begin moving in toward the net. When your partner sends the ball back, use that opportunity to drop the ball softly into the kitchen. Continue moving forward, making your way to the kitchen line and dropping the ball the whole way in. Once you’ve made it to the kitchen, reset the drill by moving back to the baseline and start the sequence again.

Drive when behind the baseline, and drop in transition

This drill is a great way to practice several key aspects of the game. You’ll work on hitting powerful drives aimed at a strategic location, you’ll practice drops from various distances from the kitchen, and you’ll focus on a smooth transition to the net, which is an essential skill for staying in control of the point.

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Videos You’ll Enjoy

  • If you haven’t already seen it, go watch my most recent video on YouTube where I give you an insanely simple way to improve your pickleball game.

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