Here’s Why You Keep Missing Your Drives Long #pickleball #pickleballtips
Summary
The Prince of Pickleball short breaks down the most common reasons drives miss long. The three causes: (1) not getting to the ball and setting the feet, so you lose balance through contact; (2) lifting the head early, which sends the ball long; (3) swinging too hard — aim closer to ~65% power for a bounce you can manage.
Key takeaways
- Set your feet before the drive — off-balance contact sails long
- Keep the head down through contact so the ball doesn’t climb
- Overhitting is the biggest long-miss habit; dial pace toward ~65%
- Controllable bounce beats a max-effort miss
Action items
- Feed yourself mid-court drives and freeze until feet are set before swinging
- Film 10 drives: count how many you look up early
- One drill block at 65% pace only — no ‘kill’ swings
- Cue word: plant → head down → 65%