Two-Hand Backhand Drive: Contact the Outside Third

Summary

The Pickleball Clinic fixes mushy two-hand backhand drives that hang in the air: you’re contacting too close — by the outside foot — the same spot that works for dinks.

Picture the ball in thirds. On the backhand side, aim the paddle at the outside third even when you’re going down the line. That spacing lets you rotate, load topspin, and drive through instead of getting jammed. Dinks can be close; drives need room around the outside of the ball.

Key takeaways

• Drive contact ≠ dink contact — don’t hit jammed by the outside foot
• Aim the outside third of the ball for spacing + topspin
• Even DTL drives still “come around” the outside

Action items

• Feed basket: call “outside third” on every 2HBH drive
• Film from behind: if the ball is at your hip/foot at contact, step out and redo