Why Hit a Third Shot Drop?

Summary

ThatPickleballGuy (Kyle Koszuta) explains what a third shot drop is for. On the third shot you can drive, which is a harder shot, or drop, which is a softer ball meant to land in the kitchen and make your opponent hit up.

The drop’s other job is to give you time to move into a better court position, because the kitchen line is the more advantageous place to play. If your drop doesn’t make them hit up or buy you time to move forward, it isn’t doing its job.

Key takeaways

• A drop should land in the kitchen and make opponents hit up
• A softer ball buys time to move forward
• The kitchen line is the more advantageous position
• Judge a drop by the reply it forces

Action items

• Rate each practice drop: did they have to hit up?
• Move forward only when the drop does its job
• Practice 20 drops aiming to land them in the kitchen