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Hey Picklebackers! 🏓✨

Pickleball season never really ends — and neither should your game. This week we’ve rounded up hot gear deals to keep your setup fresh and a strategy guide to help you build the most underrated edge on the court: consistency.

How to Become a More Consistent Pickleball Player

If there’s one trait that separates good pickleball players from great ones, it’s consistency. The ability to keep the ball in play, control rallies, and execute reliable shots under pressure is what turns competitive matches into wins. Consistency isn’t about hitting harder or flashier shots — it’s about making fewer mistakes and trusting your fundamentals. Here’s how to build that steady, dependable game every player needs.

1. Master the Fundamentals

Every consistent player starts with solid mechanics. That means simplifying your strokes and removing excess motion. Compact swings not only make your shots more accurate, but they also reduce your margin for error. Stay balanced with a wide, athletic stance and keep your knees slightly bent to move efficiently toward every ball.

Your grip plays a huge role in shot reliability. The continental grip — or a slight variation of it — gives you flexibility for dinks, volleys, drops, and drives without constantly adjusting your paddle between shots. Once you find a grip that feels natural and stable, stick with it.

Finally, prioritize control over power. It’s tempting to crush a winner down the line, but the players who win most consistently are those who hit high-percentage shots that land in 99% of the time. Smooth, controlled swings are always better than wild, powerful ones.

2. Build Reliable Rally Shots

Consistency is built on repetition. To improve, focus on the shots that appear in every rally — your serve, return, dink, and third shot drop.

Start with your serve. Aim for a reliable motion and placement rather than aces. You’ll win far more points by starting every rally strong than by hitting one out of bounds.

Next, work on returns. Deep returns keep your opponent back and buy you time to move to the net. High and deep is better than short and risky.

The third shot drop is one of the most important shots to practice. It sets up your team’s transition to the kitchen line, where most points are won. Drill it until you can land 10, 20, even 50 in a row with soft, controlled touch.

Lastly, develop consistency in dinking. Instead of going for a sharp winner, focus on neutral dinks that keep the ball low and force your opponent to make the first mistake. The player who blinks first in a dink rally usually loses the point.

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3. Train Your Mind as Much as Your Paddle

Consistency isn’t just physical — it’s mental. The best players have the patience and discipline to wait for the right moment instead of forcing a winner early.

Get comfortable with long rallies. Learn to value every shot that keeps you in the point rather than every opportunity to end it. After each hit, immediately recover to a ready position with your paddle up. Don’t admire your last shot or drift out of place.

Stay focused on one shot at a time. If you make an error, let it go. Thinking about the last point while you’re playing the next one is one of the biggest killers of consistency.

And finally, play what’s known as “percentage pickleball.” Avoid low-percentage shots — like trying to speed up a ball below the net or going for impossible crosscourt angles — unless you’ve clearly set them up. The smartest players don’t just hit good shots; they choose the right ones.

4. Drill with Purpose

If you want a consistent game, you need consistent practice habits. Add structure to your training sessions with specific goals:

• Wall drills – Rally the ball against a wall 50 times in a row without missing. This builds control and rhythm.

• Cross-court dinking – Rally diagonally with a partner, focusing on height, depth, and consistency rather than pace.

• Target practice – Place cones or towels on the court and aim to hit each one repeatedly until you can do it 10 times in a row.

• Serve and return challenges – Don’t leave practice until you’ve hit 30 perfect serves and returns each.

When you drill, make sure every repetition is intentional. It’s not about just getting reps — it’s about getting good reps.

5. Play Smart Pickleball

During games, consistency means playing within your strengths and minimizing chaos. Communicate clearly with your partner — call balls early, discuss strategy between points, and avoid confusion in the middle.

Stick to safer, higher-percentage shot selections. Use deep, soft dinks and controlled drives instead of risky low-angle attacks. Learn your patterns: if a particular serve, return, or third shot consistently works, keep repeating it until your opponent proves they can stop it.

The smartest doubles teams know that most points are lost, not won. By staying steady and keeping pressure on your opponents, you’ll often earn the point through their mistakes, not your winners.

@benjohns.pb

Key to consistency: bend those knees, go low, stay low 🔑 #pickleball #propickleball #pickleballtips #pickleballcoach

6. Track and Improve

Finally, consistency improves fastest when you measure it. Record your matches and look for patterns in unforced errors — are you missing serves, third shots, or dinks? Focus your practice on the areas that cost you the most points.

Set goals like “no more than five unforced errors per game” or “20 consecutive third shot drops.” Small, trackable goals will build lasting habits and confidence over time.

The Bottom Line

Consistency is the great equalizer in pickleball. You don’t need the hardest shots or flashiest highlights — just a calm mind, reliable technique, and the discipline to make one more shot than your opponent. Master those, and your game — and your win rate — will rise faster than you think.

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This week, focus on steady shots and smarter play. We’ll keep bringing the tips, deals, and gear that make it easy to keep showing up on the court.

Play smart. Play steady. And maybe treat yourself to that new paddle you’ve been eyeing — your game will thank you later.

Dill-lighfully yours,
Your PICKLEBACKCLUB Team 🥒🎾

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