12 Common Pickleball Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Mistake #1: Camping Out in “No Man’s Land”
Mistake #2: The Third Shot Banger
Mistake #3: Popping the Ball Up at the Net
Mistake #4: Backing Away from the Kitchen
Mistake #5: Forgetting to Communicate
Mistake #6: Admiring Your “Great” Shot
Mistake #7: Using Too Much Wrist in Your Swing
Mistake #8: A Huge Backswing on Volleys
Mistake #9: Serving for Power, Not Consistency
Mistake #10: Hitting Every Ball Hard (Being a “Banger”)
Mistake #11: Improper Footwork (Happy Feet)
Mistake #12: Having No Plan
Conclusion: Embrace the Process

You hit a perfect, deep serve. Your opponent returns it short. Your eyes light up—this is your chance! You rush in and slam the ball with all your might… straight into the bottom of the net. You stare at your paddle, then at the sky, and wonder, “What am I doing wrong?”

If you’ve played pickleball for more than a week, you’ve lived this moment. It’s the point in your journey where natural athleticism isn’t enough, and progress seems to stall. You’re stuck in a cycle of unforced errors, lost points, and nagging frustration.

The good news? Hitting a plateau is normal. The better news? Breaking through it is often a matter of identifying and fixing a few common, ingrained habits. You don’t need a radical overhaul of your game; you need a series of small, targeted adjustments.

This guide will serve as your personal on-court coach, identifying the 12 most common mistakes that hold players back and providing clear, actionable fixes to transform your game from inconsistent to intelligent.

Mistake #1: Camping Out in “No Man’s Land”

“No Man’s Land” is the dreaded area between the baseline and the Non-Volley Zone (NVZ), or “Kitchen.” New players often get pinned here after their return of serve, becoming easy targets.

Why It’s a Mistake: When you’re in the middle of the court, the ball lands at your feet. This forces you to hit awkward, defensive half-volleys with no pace or control. Your opponents, comfortably at their kitchen line, can simply hit down on the ball, keeping you on your heels until you make an error.

The Fix: Commit to the Transition

Your primary goal after hitting a return or a third shot is to get to the NVZ line as quickly as possible. This is the “power position” in pickleball.

Move With Purpose: As soon as the ball leaves your paddle, move forward. Don’t wait to see how good your shot was.
Use the Split Step: As your opponent is about to strike the ball, perform a small hop to land on the balls of your feet in a ready position. This stops your forward momentum and prepares you to move in any direction—left, right, or back if they hit a lob.
The Goal is the Kitchen: Even if you have to hit a “transition volley” from mid-court, your next step should always be forward until your toes are at the kitchen line.

Drill: Have a partner feed you balls from the kitchen line while you start at the baseline. Hit a return and practice running forward, split-stepping, and hitting a reset volley into their kitchen. The goal isn’t to win the point, but to successfully close the distance to the NVZ line.

Mistake #2: The Third Shot Banger

The third shot is the shot made by the serving team after the return of serve. The mistake is trying to hit a hard, powerful drive (a “banger”) every single time, especially from deep in the court.

Why It’s a Mistake: Your opponents are already established at their kitchen line. Hitting a hard drive from the baseline gives them a high-speed ball at chest height—the perfect setup for them to block it into an open space or right back at your feet. It’s a low-percentage shot that often results in an unforced error or puts you immediately on the defensive.

The Fix: Master the Third Shot Drop

The purpose of the third shot is not to win the point; it’s to neutralize your opponents’ advantage and give your team time to get to the net. The best way to do this is with a Third Shot Drop.

Aim for an Apex: Imagine a gentle arc. You want your drop shot to peak on your side of the net and land softly in your opponent’s kitchen. This forces them to hit up on the ball, giving you time to advance.
Think “Lift,” Not “Hit”: Use an open paddle face (angled slightly upward). Your swing should be a gentle lift or a soft push, not a full-force stroke. Bend your knees to get under the ball.
Know When to Drive: A hard third shot drive can be effective if you catch your opponents off guard or if they give you a very short, high return. But the drop should be your default, high-percentage play.

Mistake #3: Popping the Ball Up at the Net

You’re in a fast-paced dink rally at the kitchen line. Suddenly, you hit a ball that sits up high, and your opponent gleefully smashes it for a winner. You’ve just served up a “pop-up.”

Why It’s a Mistake: A high ball at the net is an invitation for an attack. It’s the single easiest way to lose a point during a kitchen-line exchange. It happens due to a stiff wrist, an upward flicking motion, or poor body position.

The Fix: Develop “Soft Hands” and Stay Low

The key to controlling dinks is absorbing pace, not adding to it.

Loosen Your Grip: Hold the paddle with light pressure, as if you were holding a small bird. This allows the paddle to absorb the ball’s energy instead of deflecting it upward.
Use Your Knees: Instead of reaching for low balls with your arm and flicking your wrist, bend your knees and get your body down to the ball’s level. This keeps your paddle stable and your shot controlled.
“Catch” the Ball: Imagine your paddle face is “catching” the ball and gently pushing it back over the net. Your motion should be compact and originate from the shoulder, not the wrist.

Mistake #4: Backing Away from the Kitchen

During an intense dink rally, the instinct is often to take a step back from the NVZ line to give yourself more time.

Why It’s a Mistake: Every inch you retreat from the kitchen line is an inch of advantage you give your opponent. It opens up angles for them to hit into the kitchen, forcing you to move back in to retrieve it. It takes away your ability to take the ball out of the air and puts you in a defensive posture.

The Fix: Hold Your Ground

Confidence at the kitchen line is paramount.

Keep Your Toes Near the Line: Make a conscious effort to stay anchored. Trust your ready position and reflexes.
Take Volleys Out of the Air: If your opponent hits a dink with a bit too much height, take it as a volley before it bounces. This takes time away from them and maintains your aggressive court position.
Drill It: Play a dinking game where the only rule is you are not allowed to step back from the line. This will force you to get comfortable with quick exchanges in a tight space.

Mistake #5: Forgetting to Communicate

A ball sails into the middle of the court. You and your partner both go for it, resulting in a clumsy clash of paddles. Or, even worse, you both stop and watch it land perfectly between you.

Why It’s a Mistake: Lack of communication leads to confusion, missed opportunities, and unnecessary errors. It’s one of the biggest weaknesses in recreational doubles play.

The Fix: Become a Chatterbox

Good partners talk constantly. It should be a running commentary of the point.

Call “Mine!” or “You!”: The simplest and most effective communication. Call it early and loudly. Generally, the player with the forehand in the middle should take the shot.
Communicate Actions: Use phrases like “I’m moving in!” or “Watch the lob!” to keep your partner informed.
Offer Encouragement: Simple words like “Great shot!” or “No worries, next point!” build chemistry and keep morale high. Silent partners are losing partners.

Mistake #6: Admiring Your “Great” Shot

You hit a fantastic cross-court dink that looks like a sure winner. You pause for a split second to admire your handiwork, but your opponent, making an incredible athletic lunge, gets it back. You’re still flat-footed from admiring your shot and can’t react in time.

Why It’s a Mistake: Pickleball is a game of rapid-fire returns. The point is never over until the ball bounces twice or is called out. Any moment you spend watching the ball is a moment you’re not preparing for the next shot.

The Fix: Hit and Get Ready, Instantly

Adopt a “short-term memory” mindset.

Paddle Up First: As soon as the ball leaves your paddle, your immediate, reflexive action should be to bring your paddle back to the ready position in front of your chest.
Assume Every Ball is Coming Back: Never assume you’ve hit a winner. Expect a return on every single shot until the point is officially over.
Stay on Your Toes: Literally. Maintain a slight bounce in your step and stay in an athletic stance, ready to move.

Mistake #7: Using Too Much Wrist in Your Swing

Many beginners, especially those with a tennis or racquetball background, use a very “wristy” swing. This leads to inconsistent shots and is a primary cause of pickleball elbow.

Why It’s a Mistake: The wrist is a complex joint with many small muscles. Relying on it for power and control is unreliable. A flick of the wrist can send the ball soaring out of bounds or into the net. It also puts tremendous strain on your forearm tendons.

The Fix: Lock the Wrist, Use the Shoulder and Body

Your power and control should come from the larger, more stable muscle groups.

Solidify Your Wrist: Keep your wrist in a firm, neutral position through contact. Imagine your arm and paddle are a single, solid lever.
Rotate from the Shoulder: For volleys and dinks, the motion should be a short, compact push or block initiated from the shoulder.
Engage Your Core and Hips: For groundstrokes and serves, your power comes from rotating your core and hips, not from snapping your wrist.

Mistake #8: A Huge Backswing on Volleys

When an opponent hits a hard drive at you at the net, the instinct is to take a big, tennis-style swing to hit it back.

Why It’s a Mistake: The ball is moving too fast. A large backswing means you’ll almost always be late on contact, hitting the ball behind you. This results in a complete loss of control.

The Fix: Shorten Everything—Think “Block,” Not “Swing”

Your volley is a defensive shield, not an offensive weapon.

Keep the Paddle Out Front: Your paddle should always be in front of your body. Think of it as a wall you’re placing in the ball’s path.
Minimal Backswing: The “backswing” for a fast volley should be no more than a few inches. Simply open the paddle face to the ball and use its own pace against it.
Punch, Don’t Swing: For volleys you want to put away, it’s a short, forward “punching” motion, not a swing.

Mistake #9: Serving for Power, Not Consistency

You try to blast an ace on every serve, but 3 or 4 out of every 10 serves either hit the net or go long.

Why It’s a Mistake: A missed serve is a free point for your opponent. There is zero benefit. In pickleball, the serve is not an offensive weapon like in tennis; its only job is to start the point. A deep, consistent serve is far more valuable than a powerful but erratic one.

The Fix: Aim for 95% Consistency and Depth

Develop a Ritual: Bounce the ball two times, take a deep breath, pick your spot. A consistent pre-serve routine builds muscle memory.
Focus on a Smooth Motion: Think about a pendulum-like swing that is smooth and repeatable. Don’t jerk or rush the motion.
Target Depth: Your primary goal should be to land the serve deep in the service box, near the baseline. This pushes your opponent back and makes their return more difficult.

Mistake #10: Hitting Every Ball Hard (Being a “Banger”)

The “banger” is the player who tries to drive every single ball as hard as possible, no matter their court position or the type of shot they receive.

Why It’s a Mistake: Power is an important tool, but it’s not the only tool. Relying solely on hard shots makes you predictable. Smart opponents will simply block your pace back at angles, let you make unforced errors, and easily pass you when you’re out of position.

The Fix: Add a Soft Game to Your Arsenal

The best players mix power with touch.

Learn the Reset: When you’re on defense (off-balance or receiving a hard shot), your goal is to hit a soft, unattackable shot back into the opponent’s kitchen to “reset” the point.
Embrace the Dink: See dinking not as a boring rally, but as a strategic chess match. Use it to move your opponents and create an opening for an attack.
Change the Pace: Alternate between hard drives, soft drops, and angled dinks. This keeps your opponents off-balance and guessing what’s coming next.

Mistake #11: Improper Footwork (Happy Feet)

Players often stand flat-footed or cross their feet when moving laterally, leading to poor balance and slow recovery.

Why It’s a Mistake: Pickleball is a game of movement. Poor footwork is the root cause of being late to the ball, hitting off-balance, and being unable to recover for the next shot.

The Fix: Stay on Your Toes and Shuffle

Athletic Stance: Always maintain a ready position: feet shoulder-width apart, knees bent, weight on the balls of your feet.
Shuffle, Don’t Cross: For lateral movements along the kitchen line, use a side shuffle. This keeps your body facing forward and ready to hit.
Small, Quick Steps: Use small, deliberate adjustment steps to position yourself perfectly for every shot.

Mistake #12: Having No Plan

You and your partner step onto the court and just… play. You hit the ball to whoever it comes to, with no overarching strategy.

Why It’s a Mistake: Without a plan, you’re just reacting. A team with a simple strategy will always beat a more skilled team with no strategy.

The Fix: Develop a Basic Game Plan

Before the match starts, have a quick chat with your partner.

Identify the Weaker Player: In recreational play, there is almost always a weaker player on the other team. Your default strategy should be to hit the majority of your shots to that player until they prove they can handle it.
Stack and Switch? Decide if you’re going to use stacking or switching to keep forehands in the middle or to match up favorably against your opponents.
Communicate Between Points: Briefly discuss what’s working and what’s not. “They are killing us with lobs, let’s watch for it.” or “Her backhand is weak, let’s keep going there.”

Conclusion: Embrace the Process

Don’t be overwhelmed by this list. Every single player, from beginner to pro, has worked through these mistakes. The key is to identify them in your own game and consciously choose to work on one or two at a time.

Record a video of yourself playing. Ask a more experienced player for feedback. Most importantly, give yourself the grace to make mistakes during practice as you build better habits. By replacing these common errors with intelligent, high-percentage plays, you’ll break through your plateau and unlock a new level of confidence, consistency, and fun on the pickleball court.