Playing Against Bangers
Also known as: banger, bangers, how to beat bangers, how to beat a banger, playing against hard hitters in pickleball, beating bangers in pickleball
A banger is a player who drives almost every ball hard. To beat one, keep your shots low so they must hit up, block their drives softly into the kitchen, and get to the net. Let shoulder-high drives go when they look long.
Bangers win when they get waist-high balls to hit. Take that away. Serve and return deep to keep them back. Then hit drops, dinks and resets that land low in the kitchen. A ball below net height forces them to lift it. Lifted drives tend to sail long or float, and those are balls you can attack.
When a drive comes at you, stay compact with the paddle up and in front. Block it with a relaxed grip and a slightly open face. Aim the block softly into the kitchen, not back into their power. A firm, still paddle does most of the work. Big swings at fast balls are what bangers want.
Judge before you swing. A hard drive at shoulder height or above, hit from deep, can carry long. Many players let those go. Move forward together so the banger has small gaps to aim at. When they come in behind a drive, a well-placed lob or a ball at their feet can turn their pace against them.
Tips by skill level
Hold your paddle up and out in front at the kitchen line. Against a hard drive, just block it back softly. Don't swing.
Use the banger's pace. A soft block into the kitchen or a counter into the open court often works better than adding your own power.
Example
Her opponent drives every third shot. Instead of driving back, she blocks each one softly into the kitchen and moves up. He has to hit up from his feet, and his next drive sails long.
Why it matters
Hard hitters beat players who meet power with power. A soft, low and patient game turns their pace into errors.
Common mistakes
- Trying to out-hit the banger from the baseline
- Swinging at hard drives instead of blocking them
- Playing shoulder-high balls that were going out
- Hanging back in the transition zone where drives land at your feet
Frequently asked questions
How do I beat players who just bang the ball?
Keep your shots low so they have to hit up, and block their drives softly into the kitchen. Get to the net together, and let high drives go when they look long.
What is a banger in pickleball?
A banger is a player who drives almost every ball hard instead of using soft shots. Bangers are dangerous on high balls and much less so when forced to hit up from low ones.
Should I let hard drives go in pickleball?
Often, if the drive is shoulder-high or higher and hit from deep. Those can carry past the baseline. Step aside so it doesn't touch you. A ball that hits you is your fault.
Related terms
- Blocking a Speed-UpBlocking a speed-up is a defensive volley technique. It absorbs an attacking shot's pace with a firm, still paddle face instead of swinging back.
- ResetA reset is a soft, absorbing shot that takes pace off a hard-driven ball and returns it into the opponent's kitchen. It neutralizes the attack and restores a neutral dinking rally.
- Third-Shot DropThe third-shot drop is a soft, arcing shot hit from the baseline that lands in the opponent's kitchen — forcing them to hit upward and giving the serving team time to advance safely to the kitchen line.
- Soft HandsSoft hands is the ability to absorb pace from an incoming ball by relaxing the grip slightly at impact, converting a hard shot into a controlled, softly placed return.
- Unattackable BallAn unattackable ball lands low in the opponent's kitchen, usually below net height when they reach it. They must hit upward and cannot drive it aggressively.
- Counter AttackA counter attack is a controlled offensive response to an opponent's speed-up or flick, redirecting their pace back at them before they can reset.
Related guides & benchmarks
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