Pop… pop… pop…
That soft, rhythmic sound is the true heartbeat of high-level pickleball. It’s not the loud smack of an overhead smash or the thwack of a powerful drive. It’s the sound of patience, of strategy, and of the most important shot in the game. If you’re new to the sport, you’ve heard the term and probably wondered, what is dinking in pickleball?
Understanding the dink is the single biggest step you can take from being a beginner to becoming a competitive player. It’s a shot that defines the sport’s unique strategy. So, what is dinking in pickleball? It is a soft, controlled shot with a gentle arc, hit from at or near the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ) line, designed to land in your opponent’s NVZ (also known as the “Kitchen”).
The Simple Definition: What is Dinking in Pickleball?
A dink is a specific tool. It is not an attack. It is not a power shot. It is a shot of finesse.
The primary purpose of dinking in pickleball is to neutralize the rally. You hit the ball in a way that makes it un-attackable for your opponent. A perfect dink lands softly in the Kitchen, forcing your opponent to let it bounce. Because the ball is low and has little pace, they are forced to hit their next shot in an upward motion, preventing them from smashing it back at you. This entire exchange is the core of what is dinking in pickleball.
This “dink rally” can continue for many shots, with all four players standing at the NVZ line, patiently tapping the ball back and forth, waiting for one person to make a mistake.
Why Dinking is the Soul of the Game
The entire concept of what is dinking in pickleball exists because of one rule: the Non-Volley Zone. This rule is so foundational, it’s covered in detail in every Complete Pickleball Play Guide: Origins and Official Rules.
The 7-foot area on either side of the net is a no-volley zone. You cannot hit the ball out of the air (a volley) while standing in it. This rule is the genius of pickleball. It prevents players from simply crowding the net and smashing everything.
This is where the dink becomes a weapon. A well-executed dink shot forces your opponent to make a difficult choice:
- Let it bounce: They must do this if the dink is low enough. They then have to hit a low ball up and over the net, giving you another chance to control the rally.
- Try to volley it: If they misjudge the dink and step into the Kitchen to hit it out of the air, they commit a fault and lose the point.
The strategy of dinking in pickleball is to use patience as an offensive weapon. You are not trying to hit a winner. You are trying to force your opponent to hit a loser—specifically, to hit the ball too high (a “pop-up”) so that you can then attack it. Understanding this mindset is central to understanding what is dinking in pickleball.
How to Execute the Perfect Dink Shot
Knowing what is dinking in pickleball is one thing; doing it is another. Most new players struggle because they are used to swinging hard. Dinking requires unlearning those habits.
1. The Stance and Grip
Get low. Bend your knees and get your body down to the level of the ball. You cannot dink effectively while standing straight up. Use a light, continental grip (holding the paddle like a hammer). Your grip pressure should be soft—like holding a small bird.
2. The Motion: A “Lift,” Not a “Swing”
The most common mistake is swinging the arm. A dink is a push or a lift, primarily from your shoulder and legs.
- Keep your backswing very short.
- Contact the ball gently in front of your body.
- Keep your wrist stable; do not flick it.
- The paddle face should be slightly open (angled upwards).
- Follow through gently in the direction you want the ball to go, as if you are carrying it over the net.
This soft touch is the “how” of what is dinking in pickleball.
The Strategy: Beyond Just Getting it Over
Once you can consistently dink, the next phase of what is dinking in pickleball is learning where to place the shot.
- Cross-Court Dinking: This is the safest and most common dink. The net is lower in the middle, and the diagonal distance is longer, giving you more margin for error.
- Aiming at Feet: The most effective dink lands right at an opponent’s feet. This makes it incredibly awkward for them to return, often causing a pop-up.
- Dinking to the Middle: In doubles, dinking down the center line between your two opponents can cause confusion about who should take the shot.
True dinking in pickleball is a chess match. You are moving the ball around, probing for a weak spot, until your opponent hits a bad shot that you can put away.
Common Dinking Mistakes to Avoid
When players first learn what is dinking in pickleball, they make consistent errors. Here are the most common ones.
Mistake 1: “Popping the Ball Up”
This is the cardinal sin of dinking. It happens when you hit the ball too hard or with too much upward wrist action, sending it high enough for your opponent to smash.
- The Fix: Soften your grip and use your shoulder, not your wrist. Bend your knees lower and lift.
Mistake 2: Hitting Dinks into the Net
This comes from fear of popping it up. The player hits the ball too flat or stabs at it.
- The Fix: Trust the shot. Get under the ball and ensure you are lifting it with a slight arc. A dink must have an arc to be successful.
Mistake 3: Impatience
This is the hardest part of what is dinking in pickleball. After three or four successful dinks, players get bored and try to attack a ball that is too low. This almost always results in hitting the net or popping it up.
- The Fix: Embrace the patience. Learn to love the dink rally. Understand that the goal is not to end the point, but to win the point, even if it takes 20 shots.
Drills to Master Your Dink
You can’t learn what is dinking in pickleball by just reading about it. You need muscle memory.
- Solo Wall Drill: Stand 7-10 feet from a solid wall. Put a piece of tape on the wall at net height (34 inches). Practice dinking against the wall, trying to make your shot hit just above the tape and land softly at your feet.
- Partner Dink Game: Stand at the Kitchen line opposite a partner. Play a game to 11, but the only legal shot is a dink into the opponent’s Kitchen. If you hit it high or hard, you lose the point. This drill forces you to learn consistency and placement.
Mastering what is dinking in pickleball is your ticket to controlling the game. It is the foundation of all advanced strategy, a test of patience, and the most rewarding shot to perfect.
