Skinny Singles: The Pickleball Drill to Boost Your Doubles Strategy

Have you ever shown up to play pickleball only to realize… you don’t have enough players for a doubles game?

It’s happened to all of us. But here’s the thing—that doesn’t mean you have to roll up your paddle and head home.

In fact, if there are only two of you, it just might be the perfect time to work on your doubles strategy—by playing skinny singles.

I’m C.J. Johnson, and at Better Pickleball, we’re here to help pickleball players over 50 live their best lives—both on and off the court.

Let me show you how to turn this “not enough players” moment into a great way to level up your doubles game—and have a ton of fun in the process.

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What’s Skinny Singles—and Why Should You Use It?

Skinny singles is simple. You and your partner play singles points, but only on one half of the court—diagonally. It gives you the movement of singles, but it trains the exact skills you need for doubles.

It’s quick. It’s easy. And it’s honestly one of the most effective ways to sharpen your strategy, even if you’re missing two players.

Let’s get into it.

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✅ Strategy 1: Hit a Deep Serve AND a Deep Return

If you’ve spent any time learning pickleball strategy, you’ve heard it before:
“Serve deep. And return deep.”

Yet a lot of players hear it… but don’t consistently do it.

Here’s how skinny singles helps change that:

1. Put two objects—your water bottle, towel, cones, whatever—4 feet from the baseline.

2. One near the sideline, one near the center line.

3. Draw an invisible line between them.

4. Now, you must serve AND return past that line or the point stops right there.

If you and your practice partner stick to this, you’ll be amazed how quickly you improve your shot depth.

🎯 Why it matters for doubles:
A deep serve makes it harder for your opponent to return deep—and that makes it easier for you to get to the kitchen line. Same goes for the return. A deep return keeps the serving team back and forces them to hit up. That’s gold in doubles pickleball.

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✅ Strategy 2: Practice the Punch Volley

Once you have the serve and return depth dialed in, it’s time to work on the next tool in your doubles toolkit: the punch volley.

Here’s how to drill it in skinny singles format:

• One player starts at the non-volley zone (that’s me).

• The other player stays at the baseline (that’s Michelle).

• The NVZ player volleys the ball back toward the feet or baseline using a firm, controlled “punch” motion.

🎯 Why it matters:
A strong punch volley is what keeps your opponents back—and your team in control. It stops them from marching up to the kitchen and turning the point around.

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✅ Strategy 3: Build Your Middle Dink Reset

If you want to be a smart and confident doubles player, here’s a shot you can’t leave out of your toolbox: the middle dink.

Players rely too heavily on cross-court dinking. They wait until they’re under pressure, then try to change direction down the line—which is the toughest shot to hit well.

Instead, use this pattern:

1. Start dinking cross-court.

2. Every third shot, send a dink toward a target in the middle.

3. Rotate between cross-court and middle until it feels natural.

🎯 Why it matters:
The middle dink is safe, effective, and neutralizes pressure. It changes the pattern without opening up big angles for your opponents.

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👟 The Big Takeaway

Don’t let a small turnout ruin your chance to improve.

If only two people showed up, grab each other and work on:

• Deep serves & returns

• Punch volleys

• Middle dink resets

It’s efficient.
It’s fun.
And you’ll walk off the court more skilled and more confident than when you walked on.

Big thanks to Michelle for joining me out there today. Remember: the goal isn’t to play harder—it’s to train smart, live bold, and age well.

For more training that meets you where you are, explore the Better Pickleball Academy or grab one of our free guides designed specifically for players over 50.