🔥The 3 Pickleball Shots Every Player Over 50 Should Master That Will Win More Games Than Power Ever Will
- Tom Kiat
- Aug 15
- 2 min read
Let’s face it, if you’re over 50 and still trying to win points by hitting harder, you’re playing the wrong game.
Sure, power looks cool. It feels good. But against a team that knows how to block, reset, and dink you into frustration, raw force gets you nowhere fast.
If you’re 50+, the smart game beats the hard game every single time. It starts with three high-percentage shots that quietly dominate on the court. These aren’t flashy. But they win. And they keep your knees (and ego) intact.
1. The Deep, High Soft Return
Most rec players hit lazy returns. But a deep, high return, aimed at your opponent’s backhand corner, gives you precious time to get to the net and neutralizes their third shot drive.
Pro tip: Don’t try to hit a winner. Just hit it deep, soft, and high. Think moonball in tennis, but controlled. Make them work to earn the net.
You’re up at the kitchen line early, they’re still running.
2. The Third Shot Drop That Actually Lands in the Kitchen
You’ve heard it a million times, but here’s the secret: you don’t need to hit a perfect drop, you just need to hit a good enough drop that gets you closer to the net without panicking.
The players who lose are the ones who hit a high drop, then freeze in no-man’s-land. Don’t be that guy. Hit a soft arc into the kitchen and if it's a solid 3rd, then get to the kitchen fast with paddle ready.
The slower the drop, the more time you buy. This is where age is an advantage, you’ve got patience. Use it.
3. The Inside-Out Dink
This one is a game-changer.
Most players dink straight ahead. Predictable. Easy to counter. But an inside-out dink brushed across your body and angled toward the opponent’s sideline, pulls them wide and opens up the middle.
It doesn’t take power. Just finesse. And once you have them stretching outside the court, you know what’s next: the pop-up, the putaway, and the win.
Practice this for 10 minutes a day and watch your game transform. No joke.
You don’t need to hit harder. You need to play smarter.
The 50+ game isn’t about smashing winners. It’s about setting traps, slowing things down, and letting the young guns beat themselves trying to hit through your patience.
Master these 3 shots and suddenly you’re not just the "older guy or gal" at the courts, you’re the one no one wants to play because you never miss, never panic, and always win the points that matter.
More killer strategies like this?
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