You watch pickleball videos on YouTube and the players on there drive the ball (hit the ball hard instead of using a third shot). And they win points.
Some players at your club also hit the ball hard. And it looks cool when they win a point by blasting a ball down the line or overpowering the player at the NVZ.
You did not come to pickleball from tennis though and so you do not have a drive already built in, so to speak. What to do? How much of your training/improvement time should you spend on learning/mastering the drive shot?
Short answer – and long one – is no time. Zero time. Nada.
If you already know how to drive the ball, continuing using it as part of your game, but only when it is the right shot. If, however, as many pickleball players, you do not know how to drive the ball, forget that shot. Once you fill your wall with gold medals at the 4.0 (and even 4.5) level, then you can spend some time adding a drive to your arsenal.
Until that time, spend your time working on your court placement, serve and return, third shots and other aspects of the game that are more fundamental to your success. Put the drive in the same drawer as spins, Ernes, ATPs, etc.
Keep building your game based on sound fundamentals and you will be a ____ [fill in the blank with 3.5, 4.0, 4.5, as appropriate] in no time.
CJ Johnson
Hey there — I’m a professional three-sport athlete and coach who has spent my entire adult life earning a living from playing and coaching sports. Since I started coaching more than three decades ago, one thing has remained the same: My commitment to see students not as they are but as what they can become and to move heaven and earth to help them realize their untapped potential. You should know that when it comes to helping pickleball players over 50 live their best lives on and off the courts, I'm an expert. Good pickleball is not just technique; it's the mind and body working holistically. That's why I'm also a personal trainer and weight management specialist. When I’m chillin', you'll find me watching Star Trek with my husband John and our two fur babies, Shirley and Ralph. (Yes, Happy Days)