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What Is a Dink in Pickleball? Technique and Strategy

What is a dink in pickleball: the soft shot into the kitchen explained, why it matters, how to hit it, cross-court vs straight, common errors and drills.

Published October 29, 2026

A dink is a soft shot hit from at or near the kitchen line that arcs just over the net and lands in the opponent's non-volley zone. Its purpose is not to win the point outright but to keep the ball low and unattackable, forcing the opponents to hit up on it until someone pops a ball high enough to be put away. Dinking is the defining skill of pickleball beyond the beginner level: it is what makes the game a contest of patience and placement rather than power. This guide explains why it works, how to hit it, where to aim, and how to practise.

Why the dink exists

Two rules make the dink central. The kitchen rule means no one can volley from the zone next to the net, so a ball that lands softly in the kitchen must be allowed to bounce and then hit from low, often below net height. The low net and the slow, perforated ball mean a ball hit upward from below net height is easy to attack. Put those together and the team that keeps the ball low and in the kitchen has the advantage, while the team that lifts it loses the point. See the kitchen rule.

What a good dink looks like

Hit from a stable position at the kitchen line, usually off the bounce.
Contact in front of the body, paddle face slightly open.
A gentle lift from the shoulder, with little wrist.
The ball peaks on your side of the net and descends into the opponent's kitchen.
It lands close enough to the net that the opponent must hit from below net height.

A dink that lands deep in the kitchen or bounces high is a poor dink; it gives the opponent an attackable ball.

Technique

Grip. A continental or light forehand grip with relaxed pressure. Squeezing the handle makes the shot pop.

Stance. Knees bent, weight forward, feet at or just behind the kitchen line. Being low is the key: hitting a dink while standing tall almost always pops it up.

Swing. A short, compact motion from the shoulder, like a pendulum. The paddle moves from low to slightly high; the elbow stays relatively still. Avoid flicking the wrist.

Contact. Out in front, with a soft paddle face. Let the ball come to you; reaching forward for it lifts it.

Follow-through. Short, toward the target. The paddle finishes roughly at net height.

Footwork. Move your feet to get behind the ball rather than reaching. Lateral shuffles along the kitchen line keep you balanced.

Where to aim

Cross-court. The highest-percentage dink. The net is lower at the centre, the ball travels over more court so it has more room to drop, and the angle takes the opponent wide. Most dink rallies are cross-court.

Straight ahead. Shorter distance and less margin, but it changes the rhythm and attacks the opponent in front of you, who may be less ready.

At the feet or body. A dink that lands near the opponent's feet is hard to return cleanly.

To the backhand. Many players have a weaker backhand dink.

Dink rallies and patience

The dink rally is a waiting game. Each player tries to keep the ball low and in the kitchen until the opponent errs or lifts one. Rules of thumb:

Do not attack a ball that is below net height. Keep dinking.
Attack when the ball sits above the net: a speed-up or a put-away.
Move together with your partner along the kitchen line.
Reset if the opponents speed up; a soft block back into their kitchen restarts the rally.

Common errors

Standing tall. The most common cause of pop-ups.
Too much wrist. Inconsistent height and direction.
Hitting too hard. A dink that sails deep is attackable.
Reaching. Leaning forward instead of moving the feet.
Impatience. Speeding up a low ball because the rally feels slow.
Backing off the line. Stepping back gives up position.

Drills

Cooperative dinking. Two players at the kitchen line, cross-court, trying to keep the ball in play as long as possible. Count consecutive dinks.

Target dinking. Place a towel or marker in the kitchen and aim for it.

Backhand only. Dink only with the backhand for a set period.

Dink and move. Partners dink while shuffling along the line, straight and cross-court alternately.

Dink to attack. Dink until one ball sits high, then attack; practise recognising the attackable ball.

See drills for beginners for more.

Dinking in singles

Less common because there is more court to cover, but still used to bring the opponent forward and open space. Most dinking happens in doubles.

Equipment notes

Softer paddles and those with more surface texture give more control on dinks; see paddle materials explained. Indoor balls are softer and dink differently from outdoor balls; see balls: indoor vs outdoor.

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