“Get to the Net!” – Why Pros Insist on This (And How to Do it Right)

The “Why”: Strategic Imperatives of Net Presence
The “How”: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Getting to the Net
Drills for Getting to the Net

If you’ve spent any time watching high-level pickleball or listening to seasoned players coach beginners, you’ve undoubtedly heard the same three words repeated like a mantra: “Get to the net!”

It’s the most common piece of advice in the sport, a golden rule that separates recreational players from strategic competitors. For a beginner, this advice can feel counterintuitive. The baseline feels safe. The Non-Volley Zone (NVZ), or “Kitchen,” feels dangerously exposed, a place where fast-paced, reflex-driven battles unfold. Why would you voluntarily rush into the line of fire?

The answer is simple: in pickleball, the team that controls the net, controls the game.

Pros don’t just say this; their entire strategy is built around this fundamental principle. They understand that presence at the NVZ line is not about danger; it’s about opportunity. It’s the command center of the court, the place from which you dictate the flow of play, apply immense pressure on your opponents, and create high-percentage opportunities to win the point.

This comprehensive guide will break down exactly why the pros insist on this non-negotiable strategy and, more importantly, how you can start doing it right, transforming your game from a defensive, reactive style to a confident, offensive one.

The “Why”: Strategic Imperatives of Net Presence

Before we get into the “how,” you must first fully buy into the “why.” Understanding the immense strategic advantages of controlling the net will provide the motivation you need to practice and perfect the art of the transition.

1. Geometric Dominance: You Cut Down Their Angles

Imagine you’re at the baseline and your opponent is at their NVZ line. They can hit the ball to a wide array of angles, forcing you to cover a large swath of your court. The further back you are, the more options they have and the more ground you have to cover.

Now, flip the script. When you are at the NVZ line, you drastically reduce the amount of court your opponents have to aim at. You can intercept the ball earlier, cutting off the sharp cross-court angles and forcing them to hit through a much smaller window. Shots that would have been clean winners against a baseliner become simple volleys for a player at the net. You are essentially playing on a smaller, more manageable court while forcing them to attempt incredibly precise shots.

2. Time Pressure: You Rob Your Opponents of Time

Pickleball is a game of fractions of a second. Every moment you give your opponent to set up their shot is a moment they can use to hit a better, more offensive shot. When you are positioned back at the baseline, a shot from your opponent has a longer distance to travel, giving you more time to react. But this is a double-edged sword: it also gives them more time to recover and prepare for your return.

By moving up to the net, you shrink the court and shorten that travel time. A volley hit from the NVZ line gets back to your opponents significantly faster than a groundstroke from the baseline. This robs them of precious setup time, forcing them into rushed, reactive shots. These rushed shots are far more likely to be errors—a pop-up that you can put away, a dink into the net, or a drive that sails long.

3. Offensive Opportunities: You Create More Ways to Win

From the baseline, your primary goal is often just to get the ball back over the net and deep. Your offensive options are limited. From the net, however, you have a full arsenal of winning shots at your disposal.

The Punch Volley: You can punch the ball deep to your opponent’s feet, forcing a difficult, low response.
The Angle Volley: You can create sharp angles they simply can’t reach from the back of the court.
The Put-Away Smash: If your opponent makes the mistake of popping the ball up, you are in the perfect position to smash it for an unreturnable winner.

By controlling the net, you transition from a defensive mindset (“just get it back”) to an offensive one (“how can I win this point?”).

The “How”: Your Step-by-Step Guide to Getting to the Net

Alright, you’re convinced. The net is where you need to be. But how do you get there without getting a ball smashed at your feet? The journey from the baseline to the NVZ line is the most critical and challenging sequence in pickleball. It’s called the “transition,” and mastering it is your key to unlocking the next level of play.

This journey happens in stages, primarily revolving around the first three shots of any rally.

Stage 1: The Serve and Return – Setting the Stage

While the serving team has the initial advantage of starting the point, it is the returning team that has the first opportunity to secure the net.

The Deep Return: As the returner, your primary objective is to hit a deep return of serve. A deep return accomplishes two things:
1. It keeps the serving team pinned to the baseline, as they must let the ball bounce (the two-bounce rule).
2. It gives you and your partner valuable time to immediately follow your shot and move forward to establish your position at your own NVZ line.

Action Plan for the Returner: After you hit your return deep, don’t stand and admire your shot. Move! You and your partner should advance together to the NVZ line, get into your ready position, and prepare for the third shot.

Stage 2: The Third Shot – The Key to the Kingdom

This is the moment of truth. The serving team has just watched the return land deep in their court. They are stuck at the baseline. The returning team is now comfortably waiting at the net, looking intimidating. This next shot—the third shot of the rally—is the serving team’s ticket to get into the game.

Hitting this shot poorly is the #1 reason beginners get stuck at the baseline. They hit a hard drive directly at the waiting opponents, who simply volley it for a winner. The pros know that the third shot must be executed with purpose and precision. You have two primary options:

Option A: The Third Shot Drop (The High-Percentage Play)

The third shot drop is the quintessential shot for a successful transition. It is a soft, arcing shot hit from the back of the court that is intended to land gently in your opponent’s Kitchen.

Why it Works: A perfect drop shot is unattackable. Your opponents, waiting at the net, have to let it bounce. As the ball is in the air, traveling on its high, soft arc, you and your partner use that time to sprint forward from the baseline to your own NVZ line. By the time your opponent hits their next shot (the 4th shot), you have arrived, balanced, and ready. You have neutralized their advantage and joined them at the net. The dink rally can now begin.
How to Execute it:
- Get Low: Bend your knees. You need to get under the ball.
- Use a Gentle “Lifting” Motion: This is not a big swing. It’s a soft lift with an open paddle face, almost like a gentle scoop. The energy comes from your shoulder and your legs, not your wrist.
- Aim High, Land Soft: Aim for the apex of your shot to be on your side of the net, allowing it to fall softly into the kitchen. Your target landing zone is just over the net, forcing your opponent to hit up on the ball.

Option B: The Third Shot Drive (The Strategic Alternative)

Sometimes, the drop shot isn’t the best option. Perhaps the return was short, allowing you to step in and take it aggressively. A well-placed drive can also be an effective third shot.

Why it Works: A hard, low drive aimed at an opponent’s feet or at the space between them can catch them off guard, forcing an error or a weak reply that you can capitalize on. It’s a way to be offensive and push them back.
How to Execute it:
- Aim with Intent: Do not just bang the ball at their chest. Aim low. A drive at the feet is incredibly difficult to return. Aiming at the hip of the player in the middle can create confusion.
- Follow Your Drive: A common mistake is to drive the ball and stay at the baseline. If you hit a good drive, you must still try to move forward. Take a few steps in, anticipating a weaker return that you can then attack or use to continue your advance to the net.

Stage 3: The Transition Zone – Mastering “No Man’s Land”

The space between the baseline and the NVZ line is often called “no man’s land” because getting caught here can be deadly. A ball hit at your feet in this zone is almost impossible to return effectively.

This is why you don’t just casually stroll to the net. You move with purpose after hitting a good third shot. However, sometimes you get caught. Your third shot drop might be a little too high, and your opponent is about to attack it.

The Split-Step: As your opponent begins their swing, you need to perform a “split-step.” This is a small hop that allows you to land on the balls of your feet in a balanced, ready position just as they make contact. This prepares you to move in any direction—left, right, or back—to react to their shot.
The Reset Volley: If they hit a hard shot at you while you are in the transition zone, your goal is not to hit a winner. It is to survive. Use a soft, blocking motion with your paddle to absorb the pace and “reset” the ball back into their kitchen. This defensive volley buys you the time you need to take those final few steps to the NVZ line.

Drills for Getting to the Net

The Drop and Go: Have a partner stand at the net. You start at the baseline. Have them feed you a deep ball. Practice hitting a third shot drop into their kitchen and immediately run to your own NVZ line. The goal is to arrive and get set before they can hit the ball. Repeat 50 times.
Transition Volley Practice: Have your partner stand at the net with a bucket of balls. You start in the middle of the transition zone. Have them hit firm, but not hard, volleys at your feet. Your job is to practice the reset block volley, absorbing the pace and dropping the ball softly back into their kitchen.
Full Point Simulation: Play points with a specific focus. If you are the serving team, your only goal for the point is to successfully get both players to the NVZ line. Don’t even worry about winning the point initially. Just focus on executing a good third shot and making the transition. Once you can do that consistently, the points will start coming naturally.

Getting to the net is more than just a tip; it’s the central strategic pillar of sound pickleball. It requires a shift in mindset from passive to proactive and the dedicated practice of the shots that make it possible. Start by focusing on your return of serve, then dedicate yourself to mastering the third shot drop. Embrace the journey through the transition zone.

Before you know it, you won’t just be hearing “Get to the net!” in your head—you’ll already be there, waiting with confidence.