When a top pro like Connor Garnett shares pickleball tips, you pay attention. Known for his signature twoeys, explosive athleticism, and the recent launch of his training platform, Twoey Skool, Garnett is delivering quick, high-impact insights for players of every level.

Recently, he worked with Randi, a standout competitor with more than 40 medals in 4.5, age 50+ on the PPA Tour. Even as a proven force on the court, Randi is focused on sharpening her dinks and turning them into a true weapon. It’s an area many players overlook, but mastering it can be the difference between staying competitive and leveling up your game.

“I’m looking to do more with my dinks, said Randi. “I want to get more spin and arc on the ball to give me easier popups or speedups.” 

Garnett hit with Randi to get a closer look at her dinks, and then it was time to get to work.

“To weaponize your dinks, the first thing you want to do is make sure our contact point is a little bit higher up, closer to the tip of the paddle,” advised Garnett. “So we want to be aiming towards the top of the paddle when we’re hitting these dinks.”

The second tip is to avoid overexaggerating your swing.

“We want to think about a smaller, compact swing. We don’t want to really take a big fast swing. A lot of times when people attack this ball, they want to rush it and hit it as hard as they can,” explained Garnett. “So slowing it down and sharpening that is going to be really key.”

The third tip is to lead with the paddle and focus on hitting out and around the ball.

“We want to lead with the tip of the paddle, so we’re moving the paddle around the ball, as opposed to a big swing through. This allows us to sharpen that angle and hit a little bit more aggressively to push them off the court,” insisted Garnett.

“When we’re missing long, we’re going more through the ball. Instead, we want to go more around the ball. That’s where that tip of the paddle leading comes in. The tip of the paddle is in front of my wrist here, so that I can sculpt around it.”

With this motion, there’s no need to force spin. The spin comes naturally when the technique is executed correctly.

By slowing everything down, keeping the swing compact, and leading with the tip of the paddle, players can sharpen their dinks and create more opportunities to attack.

Randi shared that these small adjustments gave her more shape, feel, and spin on the ball, making it a successful session with the pro. 

For more tips from the best in the game, follow us on Instagram or X (formerly Twitter).