Think about other sports and the pace that the ball is hit in them…

Baseball is played with a pitcher often throwing fast balls so you have a difficult time hitting the ball. The batter is trying to hit the ball very hard as well.

In racquetball, the ball is generally hit hard against the wall.

In golf, many shots are hit really hard to cover the longer distances.

In tennis, it starts with a pressurized ball and a racket strung with high tension strings. Then the first shot is the serve that is hit very hard. Then comes groundstrokes with many being hit hard.

In volleyball there is the fast jump serve and the 3rd shot is often a smash.

So in pickleball, at all levels, hitting the ball fast and hard works well. There are players, called “bangers”, who hit the majority of their shots hard with no intent of their shot landing in the kitchen. Many recreational players just like to get out and hit the ball hard. It is a release for them and they are having fun.

If you don’t like their pace, there is no rule that you must move up to your NVZ line, so stay back and play their hard shots like you do when they hit a serve or return of serve.

It can be intimidating to be up at your NVZ line and trying to volley a speeding ball. But if you are back at your baseline returning their serve, it is a lot less intimidating, so you can stay back.

Let me make a few points clear. Instruction starts from the best players and filters down. The very best players cannot just get out on the court against other excellent players and drive the ball through them. The very best players have excellent volleys and great control to place the ball low forcing their opponents to hit up on the ball. The best players must have placement as well as power to win at the highest levels.

However, at the levels below the best, power alone can win. The power is designed to force errors and receive weak defensive shots that can continue to be attacked. There are lots of instructions on how to compete and beat “bangers”. It involves placing the ball in front of the banger’s feet which forces them to hit up on the ball. You then must have good volleys to handle the banger’s fast and hard shots. If you don’t have good volleys, you will lose by having hard balls hit at you from all distances and the closer the distance, the more difficult the shots will be.

A typical banger scores a point by hitting a hard serve which often results in a weaker return. One of the players on the serving team then moves forward and hits a drive at the players at or on their way to the NVZ line.

This third shot drive, in essence, is like hitting your serve at your opponents from approximately 20 feet. That is going to really challenge your opponents and often win points outright. Drives often result in defensive and reactionary volleys which are simply blocked back giving you another ball to attack. The pace of your drives and swinging volleys can be enhanced by directing your hard shots to your opponent’s weaker forehand or backhand side.

The other basic play is the team returning the serve positions their partner up at the NVZ line and the player hitting the return moves up as well. The vast majority of players on the serving team will hit their third shot and move forward as that is what they have been told to do. The returning team now sees the ball and hits a hard ball back at the advancing serving team. The vast majority of recreational players haven’t developed the drop shot to more effectively advance so the points are played out with all 4 players moving in and hitting balls at each other.

If the serving team has developed a third shot drop, the team up will still play the drop shot as an attacking shot. Remember, the majority of players are just out to hit the ball hard and have not developed soft placement.

The term “banger” is often referred to in a negative sense. But it shouldn’t be because it wins against players who don’t have the skills to handle fast drives. On balls that bounce in front of you, it is effective to shorten your swing and hit a forceful shot back at your opponents. It really gets down to a Volley duel. Bangers hit the ball hard and generally at the weaker player.

Your attacking shot forces your opponents into having good volleys, drop volleys, or half volleys. Players that don’t have these advanced skills will have problems with continual hard shots.

Players have been taught to hit drop shots and move forward. This plays into your hand if they don’t have good volleys. They are hitting a softer and slower drop shot which often will allow you to back up and hit a hard ball back at them.

Many players are in the 3.0, 3.5, and 4.0 levels who will have problems if you hit a quick fast ball at them.

Positive points to consider for being a “banger”.

The area for a Drive is 300 square feet versus a drop shot being approximately 60 square feet. A drive is an easier shot than a drop shot.

Hitting fast balls at players up at their NVZ line will win points. Your opponents will have to have quick reflexes and good volleys. This style can win all levels except the highest skill levels where their volleying skills are great.

To beat a banger you must develop placement and that is not easy.

Hitting a drive will challenge your opponent’s volleys. Since you rarely get aced or have a return of serve hit to you that you don’t get your paddle on the ball, it is safe to hit a drive, stay back, and play your opponent’s returning volley.

Players that don’t have good mobility can play this style and be competitive at many levels.

Players first starting the game can play well by hitting the easier drive and stay back and have lots of fun. It is simply an extension of the 2 bounce rule. Just as you play your opponent’s serve and return of serve after the ball bounces, stay back and play their volley after the ball bounces. You will be challenged to move quickly to their Volley.

Negative points to consider for being a “banger”.

You will not beat the best players by only hitting hard shots and not developing the softer controlled aspects of the game with drop shots and controlled dinks.

The banging style is not appreciated or conducive to social play at many venues or by many players.

The banging style ends points quickly and does not promote longer rallies.

You will be consistently told that to play pickleball “right”, you must move up to the NVZ line.

You will be vulnerable to opponents' volleys if you don’t have the mobility to move quickly to their shots.

Many players would prefer you hitting a slower drop shot because the drive can be more intimidating.

Many players enjoy the dinking aspect of pickleball and bangers just don’t engage in that style.

Just as some players don’t like to play against lobbers, some players don’t like playing against bangers.

• Drives have a much larger target area.

• Drives challenge the opponent's volleys.

• Play your opponent’s volley as if they hit a Serve or Return of Serve.

• If you don’t like Bangers, it is because you are up at your NVZ line and their Drives are overpowering your Volleys.

• Get out on the court and play pickleball and have fun.