The Most Neglected Shot in Pickleball

Ben Johns PPA 2024 (Picture Kerry Pittenger)

Hey guys, it’s Kyle from ThatPickleballGuy. So, what’s the most underrated shot in pickleball? The lob. We’re talking about doubles right now, not singles, and specifically about the lob, but not just any lob. We’re actually going to be talking about the dink volley lob. Now, here’s what this shot is not: it’s not a lob from the baseline, it’s not a lob from the midcourt, and it’s not a lob off the bounce.

There are two main reasons why we want to be unpredictable. Those types of lobs are very predictable shots that your opponent can easily read, and if they can easily read it, they’re going to have a good chance to attack the ball back at you. It puts you in a tough place where you’re probably going to lose the point. So, again, it’s not a lob from the baseline, midcourt, or off the bounce. What it is, just to be clear, is a lob when you’re dinking at the kitchen line, and the ball comes up high enough for you to hit it out of the air, putting your opponent in a tough spot (Figure 1).

Figure 1

So, when would you hit this shot? There are five scenarios to consider:

Even if you’re playing against a taller or more athletic player, I believe this is still a good shot. Top pro players like Callan Dawson, Allyce Jones, and Matt Wright often use the lob to gain an advantage.

Callan Dawson

Matt Wright

Allyce Jones

Pictures PPA

This shot allows you to go from no advantage to a small advantage, which can lead to a bigger one, and often to winning the point.

Now, let’s talk about how to hit this shot. The key is to make the preparation for this shot look exactly like all the other dinks you take out of the air. First, you want to be down in a stance. Second, lean in with your arm extended or slightly extended to take away time from your opponent. This principle applies to all dinks but is crucial for selling the lob. The third point is to identify that your opponent is at the kitchen line. If they’re back at the transition zone or baseline, it’s not a good time to hit this shot, as it becomes predictable.

Once you’ve decided to hit the lob, lean in, extend your arm, notice your opponent at the kitchen line, and put the ball up into the air. After hitting the lob, take one step off the kitchen line to give yourself more time and space to react if the lob isn’t perfect.

Where should you hit the shot? Avoid lobbing to where your opponent can easily hit a forehand smash. Instead, aim over your opponent’s left shoulder or diagonally to the opposite corner (Figure 2). This makes it harder for them to hit an overhead smash.

Figure 2

To work on this shot, you can practice in recreational play, but be mindful that it might annoy some players. If you’re just practicing, play a dinking game where your partner doesn’t know when the lob is coming. This unpredictability is key to making the lob effective.

Think you know pickleball inside and out? Challenge yourself with ThatPickleball IQ Test and see if you can score a perfect 10 out of 10! And don’t forget to share the name of the first person you beat in pickleball singles in the comments below! See you guys next week.