CJ Johnson Headshot
CJ Johnson
Tony Roig
Tony Roig

Playing Tip: The Two Inch Advantage

2 inchesTwo 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.

 

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2 Comments

  1. Avatar photo Bill Winkworth on January 25, 2018 at 10:55 am

    Hi CJ, the article on the height of net is relative except when playing portable nets, which are predominantly used in my area, inside & outside, as they have a centre post. Generrally, the centre is higher than the middle sides.

    • Avatar photo Cathy Jo Johnson on February 2, 2018 at 7:14 am

      Hi Bill, Not sure which type of portable net you are using but the net in the picture, one of the more commonly used portable net, can be adjusted to 34 in the middle and 36 on the sides. A few players I know toss a measuring tape in their bag and adjust the net after it’s been set up.

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