Why Your Third Shot Drop Keeps Sailing Long

The third shot drop is the most important shot in pickleball that nobody can consistently execute. It’s the bridge between the serve-and-return game and the dink game, and if yours keeps sailing long, you’re not alone. Let’s fix it.

What Is the Third Shot Drop?

After the serve (shot 1) and the return (shot 2), the serving team hits shot 3. Ideally, this is a soft, arcing shot that lands in the opponent’s kitchen, allowing the serving team to advance to the net. In theory, simple. In practice, it’s the shot that separates 3.0 players from 4.0 players.

Why It Goes Long

Most players make the same three mistakes:

1. Too Much Wrist

The third shot drop is an arm shot, not a wrist shot. Think of your arm as a pendulum — the swing comes from your shoulder, and your wrist stays quiet. When you flick your wrist, you add uncontrollable power that sends the ball deep.

2. Wrong Contact Point

You want to contact the ball out in front of your body, not beside or behind you. When the ball gets behind you, your only option is to push it forward — and it goes long. Set up early. Make contact at your front hip.

3. Not Enough Arc

A good third shot drop should peak on your side of the net and descend into the kitchen. Too many players try to hit a flat shot that barely clears the net — and when you miss by an inch, it goes two feet long. Give it more arc than you think you need.

The Drill That Fixed Mine

Stand at the baseline. Have a partner at the kitchen line. Drop feed yourself a ball and try to land it in the kitchen. Do 50 of these. Then 50 more. Track your percentage. When you can consistently land 7 out of 10, you’re ready.

The third shot drop isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being good enough to slow the game down and get to the kitchen. Trust the dink. Be the dink.