Want To Improve Your Pickleball Game? Try Out These Tips

Want To Improve Your Pickleball Game? Try Out These Tips
Credit: Aleksander Saks via Unsplash

So, the pickleball trend shows no signs of slowing down in Malaysia. And here at Courtsite, we can verify the sentiment from increasing bookings at our partner venues nationwide. If you’ve caught the pickleball bug and looking to improve your game or you’re just getting started but want to get ahead of the competition, we’ve got some useful tips for you.

5 Pickleball Tips To Remember So You Can Improve Your Game

Tips to remember and practice!

1. Communicate, communicate, and communicate

Pickleball is a game often played in pairs, which means you’ll have a partner for the duration of a game. And the foundation of a functional and healthy partnership (or relationship if we’re being honest) is communication. You’ll have to talk, talk, and talk to your partner!

From knowing your partner’s serving style to deciding the call word for receiving a service (“mine!” is a good one), communicating ahead and during the game helps to eliminate misunderstandings, and ultimately gives you a better chance of winning games!

2. Serve well

This seems like a given but what we mean here is serving. Variety and velocity are good ways to throw off your opponent but if your serves don’t land, you’re committing an unforced error.

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Remember:
1. You only get one serve.
2. You only score points when you serve.

So serve well and serve it in! And when in doubt: placement over power. So prioritize placing the ball in play instead of fancy shots. This video above has some good tips on mastering a serve.

3. Drills

If you aren’t familiar with the term, drills are a method of training through the repeated practice of an exercise or action. Think about learning how to drive a car, you practice, practice, and practice. The action eventually becomes second nature, muscle memory. The concept applies here too. Pickleball drills, especially for beginners, focus on footwork and dinking. Check out this video, which demonstrates moves you can practice on and off the court.

4. Keep your paddle up

Credit: sean whittenton via Unsplash

This is self-explanatory: Keeping your paddle up ensures you’re always ready to receive and return!

5. Play more and with different people

Credit: Marc Serota via Unsplash

The communal aspect of pickleball is one of the main reasons why it’s so popular. There are groups, clubs, and events where you can meet other players to play with. How is that important to upping your game? Expanding your circle exposes you to different playing styles and dynamics, forcing you to be adaptable and think outside the box. This could mean changing your typical strategy, pacing yourself, and communicating better with a new partner.

Keep These Tips Handy For Your Next Pickleball Game

Credit: Ben Hershey via Unsplash

We hope this list has been useful! If you’re a seasoned player, we hope these tips serve as timely refreshers. Are you thinking of trying the sport? There’s no better time to join the pickleball craze than now! Try out pickleball at one of the many courts nationwide listed on Courtsite. Indoors or outdoors, West or East Malaysia, city or neighborhoods, we have it all covered for you.

Have fun!