PPA pro Ashley Griffith breaks down the five essential dink tips that transform your kitchen game. These proven techniques focus on grip strength, shoulder mechanics, and contact point to eliminate pop-ups and build consistency.
Everyone talks about the third shot drop or the ATP (around-the-post) winner, but the dink is where matches are actually won and lost.
If your dinks feel inconsistent, pop up too much, or you just don't feel confident at the kitchen, you're not alone.
The good news? PPA pro Ashley Griffith has spent her career mastering this shot, and she's breaking down exactly what separates the pros from everyone else.
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Why Your Pickleball Dink Tip Starts With Grip
Here's the thing: most players either grip their paddle like they're strangling it or hold it so loose it might slip out of their hand. Neither works.
The pickleball dink tip that changes everything starts with grip strength, and Griffith recommends aiming for about a 4 out of 10.
Think of it like a handshake. You want something firm and confident, not aggressive and not wimpy.
When your grip is too soft, you lose control and power. The ball becomes unpredictable, and you can't generate the spin or touch you need at the kitchen.
When your grip is too tight, you get stiff and tense, which leads to those dreaded pop-ups that your opponent will attack without mercy. The sweet spot is that middle ground where you're holding the paddle securely but not choking it.
Griffith demonstrates this by showing what happens when you dink with each extreme.
With a loose grip, the ball floats and lacks direction. With a tight grip, the paddle becomes rigid, and you're pushing the ball instead of controlling it. The proper dink technique involves finding that balance where your hands stay relaxed but engaged.
If you've been struggling with pop-ups, start here. Grip is usually the culprit.
Should You Be Using Your Shoulder Instead of Your Wrist?
Absolutely. This is one of the most common mistakes Griffith sees, and it's a game-changer once you fix it.
Your shoulder should drive the dink, not your wrist. When you rely on your wrist, you lose consistency and control.
The motion should feel like a pendulum swinging from your shoulder through to the ball.
Think of it this way: your shoulder has more stability and range of motion than your wrist.
When you use your shoulder, you're creating a smooth, repeatable motion that generates consistent contact. Your wrist should be relatively quiet, just following along with the momentum.
This pickleball dink tip eliminates the jerky, unpredictable shots that come from wristy players.
Griffith shows the difference clearly. A wristy dink looks awkward and feels worse. A shoulder-driven dink looks smooth and feels controlled.
The momentum flows naturally from your shoulder down through your arm to the contact point. If you're feeling like you're really wristing it or pulling your elbow, that's a sign you need to reset and focus on shoulder engagement.
This is the fix that takes players from inconsistent to automatic at the kitchen line.
The Dink Media Team
How Contact Point Changes Everything in Your Dink Technique
Where you make contact with the ball is everything. You want that contact point out in front of you, not behind you.
- When your contact is behind your body, you're late, you're short-hopping the ball, and you're setting yourself up for failure.
- When your contact is out in front, you're early, you're set, and you're in control.
This pickleball dink tip gives you time and space to do what you want with the ball. You're not scrambling or reacting. You're being proactive and deliberate.
Reaching out in front means you can take the ball at the right height, which is crucial for keeping it low and soft. It also means you're not fighting the ball or trying to recover from a bad position.
Griffith emphasizes that being early is always better than being late in pickleball. When you're out in front, you have options.
You can adjust your shot, add spin, or change direction. When you're behind, you're just trying to get it back in play.
Pair this with 2 essential pickleball techniques at the kitchen line and you'll start to notice a real difference in consistency.
Alex E. Weaver
Lift the Ball, Don't Hit It: The Kitchen Control Secret
This is where feel comes in.
The dink is a soft shot, a touch shot, a touch shot. You're not trying to rip it or muscle it
You're lifting the ball with a brushing motion, giving it that soft bounce that lands in the kitchen and sits up nicely for your opponent to deal with.
When players hit instead of lift, they're muscling the ball. It goes too hard, it bounces too high, and your opponent gets an easy put-away.
When you lift, you're brushing up on the ball, creating a soft arc that lands softly and bounces low. This dink tip for better kitchen control is about feel and touch, not power.
Griffith shows the contrast clearly.
- A hit dink is aggressive and lacks control.
- A lifted dink is soft and precise.
The difference is in the motion. You're not swinging through the ball. You're brushing up on it, giving it that good soft bounce.
Think of it like you're caressing the ball, not attacking it.
According to CBS Sports, pickleball's explosive growth has been driven largely by recreational players who want accessible technique, and the soft game is exactly where those gains are made. Learning to lift rather than hit is what separates the intermediate player from someone who can actually run a dink rally.
The Dink Media Team
Why the Pickleball Dink Tip About Finishing Is the Most Overlooked
Here's something most amateurs miss: they rush through their dinks.
They swing and immediately get back to their ready position, which sounds good in theory but leads to poor shot quality. When you rush, you can't fully commit to the shot. You're already thinking about the next one.
Griffith's dink tip here is to hold your finish. Give yourself a second to feel that dink. Finish the shot properly, then get back to your ready position.
This doesn't mean you're slow or out of position. It means you're committing fully to the shot you're hitting.
When you finish through the shot, you're aiming with the tip of your paddle. You're following through completely. Then, after you've finished, you get back to your ready position.
This creates a rhythm and a flow that makes your dinking consistency more reliable and more controlled.
Players who stop making these 5 common pickleball mistakes almost always report that rushing through dinks is near the top of their list.
The Dink Media Team
Putting It All Together: Your Dink Tip Checklist
The five pickleball dink tips Griffith shares aren't complicated, but they require focus and repetition.
These are the fundamentals that separate consistent players from inconsistent ones.
The beauty of these tips is that you can apply them immediately. You don't need special equipment or a fancy court.
You just need to be intentional about your technique. Even applying a couple of these will make a noticeable difference in your game.
Griffith's approach is refreshing because she's not overcomplicating things. She's breaking down what works at the highest level and making it accessible.
The dink is the foundation of modern pickleball, and mastering these fundamentals will elevate your entire game. If you want to go even deeper, perfecting your pickleball posture is the next layer that locks all of this together.
Want to see how elite players think through every exchange? Mental warfare at the kitchen line is a fascinating read that pairs directly with what Griffith is teaching here.
As NBC Sports has highlighted in its coverage of pickleball's rise, the soft game is what separates tournament players from recreational ones at every skill level. The dink rally isn't just a neutral exchange. It's where points are manufactured.
Players who understand the pickleball plateau often find the dink is exactly where they stall. Fixing these five mechanics is how you break through it.
Frequently Asked Questions
What grip strength should I use when executing a pickleball dink?
Aim for about a 4 out of 10 grip strength, similar to a firm handshake. You want to hold the paddle securely without tensing up or choking it, because that stiffness is what causes the pop-ups that get attacked at the net.
Why is shoulder motion more important than wrist motion in the dink shot?
Your shoulder provides stability and a larger range of motion than your wrist, which makes it the better driver for a controlled, repeatable dinking motion. Wrist-driven dinks are jerky and unpredictable, making it much harder to keep the ball low and consistent at the kitchen line.
How far in front of my body should the contact point be on a dink?
Your contact point should always be out in front of you, not behind your body. Being early gives you time to adjust, add spin, or redirect the ball, while late contact leaves you scrambling and limits what you can do with the shot.
What is the difference between lifting and hitting a dink in pickleball?
Lifting involves a brushing motion that produces a soft arc and a low bounce, giving you control and touch at the kitchen. Hitting is more aggressive and muscular, sending the ball too hard and too high, which hands your opponent an easy put-away opportunity.
Should I rush back to my ready position immediately after hitting a dink?
No. Hold your finish for a moment and commit fully to the shot before returning to your ready position. This creates better rhythm, more consistent shot quality, and keeps you from rushing through the stroke before it's complete.
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