There are two kinds of pickleball players, slow game dinkers and aggressive drivers. 

But, did you know that dinks can actually be an aggressive tactic on the court?

Pickleball Playbook CEO Austin Hardy compiled a step-by-step tutorial on the four different kinds of dinks that can elevate your game one shot at a time.

This first shot is a great shot to work on for beginner and new intermediate players.  

Forehand topspin dink

1. Keep the ball out in front of you when you hit, specifically in front of your dominant knee. 

“If the ball goes out wide, I also move out wide,” demonstrated Hardy.

2. Use a circular motion to hit the ball.

“I want to act like I’m putting my paddle through a wheel well the same size as your car tire. Picture that circle as you hit through your shot and it will make a world of a difference,” said Hardy.

3. Make a windshield wiper motion outwards and upwards and create a Nike swish off the circle.

“If I want to hit down the line, I’m making a Nike swish towards the line, and if I want to go cross court, I’m Nike swishing out toward cross court,” he said.

Hook dink with topspin 

1. Hook your wrist inwards.

“I’m moving my wrist inwards and putting my palm towards the inside of my forearm with my paddle,” he said. “The reason for this is because it puts my paddle face to where I can hit the ball back cross court without even facing cross court.” 

But, he also advised to keep your wrist locked in place for this shot. 

2. The tip of the paddle is facing towards the opponent and creating the wheel well motion, but no wrist movement.

“Focus on the tip of your paddle facing towards your opponent throughout the entire motion. It should not change. If you flick your wrist, it’s going to be extremely inaccurate and you won’t have consistency with your shots,” warned Hardy. 

3. Start beneath the ball, and brush up from there.

Now, it’s time to switch to the backhand.

These are going to be more challenging, but with practice and repetition, you can master these shots. 

Two-handed backhand topspin dink 

1. Start with one hand on the paddle.

“It literally is a forehand topspin dink, just with two hands on the paddle. But the forehand is with your nondominant arm, so it can feel really awkward especially in the beginning,” clarified Hardy. “I like to start with one hand on the paddle and hug around your paddle so you know where it’s at in space, and create the wheel motion again and the tip of your paddle will come upwards.” 

2. Add dominant hand on the paddle.

“My wrist is going to break downwards and then it comes back up at the end of the shot,” said Hardy. “It’s a small motion. And when you finish the shot, keep the paddle face closed and aim a little bit lower.”

Now, if you want a shot that Ben Johns loves to use, try out this one.

One-handed backhand hook dink

1. Hook your wrist backwards and keep your wrist steady and locked.  

“Hook the back of your palm to face the back of your forearm, so that when I face away from the court, my paddle is facing towards where I want to go,” said Hardy. 

Like the forehand, keep your wrist locked through the entire motion of the shot to keep consistency. 

2. Keep your elbow bent throughout the shot.

“If your arm is straight, you’ll lack control and easily hurt your shoulder. By using your elbow as a hinge, you’re not going to hurt yourself,” he advised. 

3. Start below the ball and brush upwards.

Then, finish with the Nike swish motion and point the tip of your paddle cross court. 

Want more gameplay tips? Follow us on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).