Two inches doesn’t sound like much. But, would you like your waist to be 2 inches smaller? If your hair grew 2 inches, would you need a haircut?

The pickleball net is 34 inches high in the center and 36 inches high at the ends. That two-inch difference could save your shot.

We already know that hitting passing shots down the middle can confuse opponents who don’t communicate well. The fact that the net is lower in the middle is just one more reason to hit down the center line.

The two-inch advantage is even more important when you are dinking the ball from below the net, or while making a valiant effort to reach a short, wide shot your talented opponents delivered. Don’t go for the higher hurdle at the sidelines, just aim across the center of the net.

Bev writes a weekly email blast for our pickleball club. She delivers the rules with clarity and a sense of humor. If you have a rules question post it in the comments below.