Skip the Dink…Here’s What to Practice Instead
The overlooked skills that sharpen your game faster
If you’re just starting out in pickleball, or even settling into that “low-intermediate” zone, you’ve probably been working on your dink, even warming up by dinking. It’s hard to spend five minutes around a pickleball court without someone extolling the virtues of the soft game. “Everything happens at the kitchen!” “Dinking is the soul of pickleball!” It’s easy to feel like you’re behind if you’re not already camped out at the net, feathering shots like a pro.
And if you’ve passed this point, you may be introducing the game to others, or even helping noobs at your favorite courts. When we were first learning the game, a coach told us most points end in the first 5 shots. So focusing on the dink game too early can actually slow your or their progress.
Master the Basics First
For new players, the biggest hurdle isn’t learning to dink, it’s learning to get the ball over the net consistently. Period. You’ll win far more points at the beginner and low-intermediate levels by simply keeping the rally alive. Unforced errors decide most games at this stage, not clever dinking battles. A reliable serve, a steady return, and a decent third shot drive will take you much further, much faster.
Dinks Without Control = Free Points for the Other Team
Beginner dinks often look less like feathered touch shots and more like nervous pokes that either pop up too high or land smack in the net. That’s not strategy, that’s giving your opponents a free smash. Developing true touch at the net takes thousands of reps, and it only pays off once you’ve built the consistency and control to sustain a rally long enough to get to the kitchen in the first place.
Build the Foundation That Sets Up Dinking Later
Think of dinking as advanced seasoning. Before you start worrying about sprinkling on those delicate flavors, you need the main ingredients. That means:
Learning to serve deep.
Returning the ball consistently, and ideally deep.
Understanding court positioning and movement with your partner.
Getting comfortable with the third shot (even if it’s a drive, not a drop).
These are the skills that will win games at the beginner to low intermediate level today and prepare you for dinking battles down the road.
The Right Time for the Soft Game
Once you’re keeping the ball in play, moving up to the kitchen with confidence, and trading groundstrokes without panicking, that’s when it makes sense to sprinkle in dinks. At that point, they’ll feel like a weapon rather than a liability.
So the next time someone tells you to “work on your dink game” as a beginner, smile and nod, but don’t stress. Or if someone suggests warming up with dinks, ask to warm up with baseline shots instead. Your job right now is to keep the ball in play, keep your feet moving, and rack up experience. The kitchen battles will be waiting when you’re ready.
