5 Essential Strategies for Senior Pickleball Players

Instead of trying to overpower your opponents, you're using strategy and court positioning to win points

If you're over 50 and playing pickleball, you're probably wondering what separates the players who thrive from those who struggle.

Tony Roig, a senior professional pickleball player and coach at In2Pickle, breaks down five essential strategies that work specifically for 50+ players.

These aren't flashy tricks or power moves. They're practical, game-changing fundamentals that build on each other to help you dominate the court at any age.

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1. Get to the kitchen line every single rally

The non-volley zone, or kitchen line, is where pickleball is won. If you're not up there, you're giving your opponents a huge advantage.

The problem most 50+ players face is that they hit their return of serve too hard and too low. This doesn't give them enough time to get up to the kitchen line before the next shot comes back. Instead, Roig recommends aiming your return higher over the net. Yes, higher.

A higher return gives you precious extra seconds to move from the baseline to the kitchen. You'll have time to get your feet set and your paddle ready. This single adjustment transforms your entire game because you're no longer playing defense from the back of the court.

Always Expect the Bang

Once you're at the kitchen line, your mindset matters as much as your footwork. You need to expect that your opponent is going to hit a hard shot, or "bang," every single time.

Most players fall into a trap: they relax and assume the next shot will be a soft dink. Then the ball comes hard and they're caught flat-footed, paddle down, feet rooted. That's when you get hit or forced into a weak response.

If you're ready for the bang, you can adjust to a soft shot easily. But if you're expecting soft and it comes hard, you're already beaten. It's a simple mental shift that prevents a lot of unforced errors.

Find Your Ready Position

Young pro players often hold their paddles low because they have faster reflexes. As a 50+ player, you need a different approach.

Keep your paddle up in your strike zone, roughly at chest height or slightly higher.

How far you angle it toward your backhand depends on how quickly you can move it. The key is that your paddle is already in a position where you can defend most balls without a big swing.

Some players prioritize body protection and hold the paddle more centered. Others have more time and can favor the backhand side. There's no single "right" position, but it should be high enough that you're ready for that bang we just talked about.

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Be Smart About Which Balls to Hit

Here's a counterintuitive tip: sometimes the best shot you can hit is no shot at all.

When your opponent attacks from inside the court, there's a good chance the ball will go out because the court is short relative to the net height.

This strategy isn't 100% foolproof. Some balls you let go will land in. But you'll win far more rallies by letting out balls go than you will by chasing every ball. You're playing the numbers game, not trying to be perfect.

Use this as a guide for your ready position too. If you're holding your paddle too high, you won't be able to defend balls that are actually in. Lower it slightly so you can defend from your ready position down to about rib height, then let everything above that go.

Play High IQ Pickleball

The final strategy ties everything together: understand the framework of pickleball and use it to your advantage.

The non-volley zone is what makes pickleball different from tennis. Without it, you're just playing mini tennis. So build your game around the kitchen line, not around power.

• You can use the kitchen defensively by throwing the ball into the non-volley zone when you're in trouble. This resets the rally and gives you time to recover.
• You can also use it offensively by stressing your opponents inside the kitchen, forcing them to make mistakes or hit balls out.

This is where pickleball becomes a thinking person's game. Instead of trying to overpower your opponents, you're using strategy and court positioning to win points. For 50+ players, this approach is far more effective than relying on athleticism.

The Bigger Picture

These five strategies aren't isolated tips. They build on each other to create a complete system for 50+ pickleball success.

You get to the kitchen line with a smart return. You stay ready for the bang. You position your paddle to defend efficiently. You make smart decisions about which balls to hit. And you frame everything around the non-volley zone as the heart of the game.

The result is a game that's smarter, more consistent, and far less reliant on physical dominance. That, says Roig, is exactly what senior pickleball should be.