Beginner
Dink
A dink is a soft, controlled shot hit from near the kitchen line that arcs just over the net and lands in the opponent’s kitchen, forcing them to hit up.
Dinking is the patient, soft game that defines high-level pickleball. By landing the ball low in the opponent’s non-volley zone, you deny them an attackable ball and wait for a pop-up to put away. A good dink clears the net by inches with an open paddle face and a gentle shoulder push — not a wristy flick.
Example
In a kitchen-line rally, a player dinks crosscourt so the ball drops into the opponent’s NVZ and can’t be volleyed hard.
Related terms
- Kitchen (Non-Volley Zone)The kitchen is the 7-foot non-volley zone on each side of the net. You may not hit a volley (a ball out of the air) while standing in it — you must let the ball bounce first.
- ResetA reset is a soft, absorbing shot that takes pace off a hard-driven ball and drops it into the kitchen, neutralizing an attack and restoring a neutral rally.
- Third-Shot DropThe third-shot drop is a soft shot hit from the baseline that lands in the opponent’s kitchen, giving the serving team time to advance to the net.
Related guides & benchmarks
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