Use THIS shot when pulled out wide at the kitchen

The Pickleball Clinic’s fix for popping dinks when stretched wide is the shovel dink — a cupping, palm-up stroke that still works when the ball gets behind you. Drop-step for space, pull the paddle back with a straighter arm, come under with a touch of backspin so the ball floats low and stays in the kitchen. That low, slightly dead ball makes it harder for opponents to step in and speed up, and it buys you time to recover to neutral after aggressive deep dinks.

Action items

• Practice palm-up shovel dinks with a drop-step when pulled to the sideline
• Aim for low, backspin floaters that land in the kitchen, not high resets
• Use it specifically on deep/aggressive dinks that get behind you