Member Training Tips

Apr 25, 2025

How to Create Topspin Drive and Driving to get out of trouble

Tip 1: Topspin drive

Pace doesn’t phase strong players. That is a universal truth in pickleball. The stronger your opponents, the less likely it is that you will beat them simply by hitting hard. That’s where topspin comes into play on the third shot drive, and in high level pickleball, spin is even more important than speed. In fact, a topspin drive hit at 50% pace can be even more effective than a flat drive hit at 90% pace! This is because topspin makes the ball go down, so when you hit a topspin drive, your opponent is more likely to contact it below the net. When your opponent contacts the ball below the net, they have to hit up on it, giving you a potential shake and bake opportunity at best, or at worst an easy opportunity to transition to the kitchen. Here are some key tips to keep in mind when executing a topspin drive:

  1. Swing from low to high. The only way you can generate topspin is if you swing from low to high. To maximize this, bend your knees to get under the ball and drop the tip of you paddle before contact.
  2. Finish with your elbow above your paddle. This will help you ensure that you are swinging from low to high and allow you to brush up on the ball for maximum spin.
  3. Take some of the pace off. Swing at 50-60% of your maximum power. This will allow you to focus on spin rather than pace.
  4. Relax your arm. The more relaxed your arm is, the more whip you’ll get with your paddle, and the more whip you get, the more spin you can impart on the ball.

Tip 2: Driving to get out of trouble

It’s no secret: pickleball is getting faster. In the past, the general teaching had been to always hit the ball soft into the kitchen when you are in trouble.

In theory, this is a good strategy, because if it is executed perfectly, your opponents won’t be able to attack you, and you’ll be able to transition to the kitchen safely.

However, in practice, it is very difficult to successfully reset the ball when you are being attacked. Another option is to return your opponent’s slams with a drive. While you will not be able to transition back to the kitchen off of a drive alone, it is more likely to make your opponent’s next shot weaker and easier to drop (think third shot drive fifth shot drop strategy), even if you don’t hit it perfectly. If you mishit a drop, you are almost guaranteed to get slammed again.

This strategy is being used by the pros in today’s modern game! Next time you are in trouble, give it a shot, and see if it gives you an easier opportunity to get back up to the kitchen after being attacked.

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