How to dink
After the serve and the return have bounced, most intermediate points are decided at the kitchen. A dink is the unhurried ball that lands in the opponent's kitchen so they cannot attack it. The rules guide covers why you cannot volley that ball if you are touching the zone.
The motion
- Hold the paddle in front of you, not beside your hip. Meet the ball out in front of your body.
- Use a short swing. Lift the ball just over the net. A big backswing turns a dink into a pop-up.
- Aim crosscourt when you can. You have more court on the diagonal than straight ahead.
- If the ball is dropping at your feet, let it bounce and then lift it. Reaching in and taking it out of the air is the kitchen fault.
- Stay down. Standing up as you hit is the usual way a dink floats.
What to watch
Ryan Morneau posted "The Secret to Never Missing Dinks" on his Pickleball Breakdowns channel on Sep 29, 2026. It is his clip, embedded here so you can watch the idea from a player who breaks down pro points. More of his recent clips are on the spotlight page.
The paddle is the smaller part
A published light weight is easier to reset in a fast exchange. In our file the lightest listed number is 7.7 oz, on the Paddletek Bantam TKO-C. That is a spec, not a promise that the paddle dinks better. Read weight and core before you buy a new face to fix a swing.
Questions
What is a dink?
A dink is a soft shot that drops into the opponent's non-volley zone. It is not a winner. It keeps the rally going until someone gives you a ball you can attack.
Can I step into the kitchen to dink?
Yes, if the ball bounces first. The kitchen fault is for a volley, not for standing there. If you swing before the bounce, or your momentum from a volley carries you in, it is a fault.
Where should a beginner aim a dink?
Crosscourt. The kitchen is 20 feet wide and 7 feet deep, so the diagonal gives you a longer landing area than a straight-ahead dink.