Intermediatestrategy

The power game: drive hard without playing dumb

Every club has the young gun who hits everything at 100%: the 'banger'. Power is a legitimate style, not a character flaw, but it only wins when it's aimed. This lesson is how to drive the ball hard and smart: when the drive is on, where it should go, and what to do after it.

Watch: How to Drive the Ball Harder (and Smarter) in Pickleball
13 min
Watch “How to Drive the Ball Harder (and Smarter) in Pickleball” PlayPickleball.com · captions

Key takeaways

  • Drive when the ball is high and you're balanced; drop when it's low and you're stretched. Height decides, not mood.
  • The best targets are feet, hips, and the gap between opponents; a hard ball at the body beats a harder ball at a paddle.
  • The drive's real job is often to force a weak volley. Think drive-then-crash: you drive, your partner crashes the net for the put-away (the classic 'shake and bake').
  • Full power with no margin turns winners into gifts. 80% pace with shape stays in and still hurts.
  • If your opponent resets your drives comfortably at the kitchen, the power well is dry; that's your cue to mix in the soft game.

Drill to try

Cone drill: place two targets in the deep corners and one at the imaginary feet of a kitchen-line opponent. 20 drives, only count the ones that hit a target. Pace means nothing without a postcode.