Why do you want to have an Underspin Backhand Drive?

The Under Spin Drive is a simple motion with a short backswing and a short follow through. All balls at any height or speed can be hit back using this technique. 

You can use the Under Spin Backhand for your Return of Serve, Drive, Volley, and attacking Dink.

If you were to play pickleball with only one technique, this would be the one.

The technique is a simple blocking motion based off of your hand position if you were to catch a ball in a net on your backhand side. If you can physically move to get in position to catch the ball that has been hit to you, then you could return the ball by blocking back over the net with an open paddle face.

Two very important shots in a game are the Return of Serve and the Third Shot Drive. You can use this technique for both. With the technique being short and compact, you should become very consistent.

 It is rare to have your opponent hit a Serve where you can’t get into position to have your paddle hit the ball. On your Return of Serve, simply block the ball back with a comfortable height so the ball lands deep in your opponent’s court giving you more time to move up to your NVZ line. This forces them to hit their Third Shot from behind their baseline.

After your teams hits the Serve, your opponents hit the Return of Serve giving you the next shot of the point, the Third Shot. On this shot, your two main options are a Drive or a Drop. For the Under Spin Drive, move to the ball with the goal of making contact out in front to block the ball back into play. Control the Pace and Height so your shot does fly long over the baseline. Your opponent’s Return of Serve will not be a winner. You only have to guard your 10 foot wide side of the court. You want to position your paddle face like a wall. A wall never misses rebounding the ball back. The essence of keeping the ball in play is to block the ball back with an open paddle face which gives your shot the required height to clear the net. Keep the ball in play and stay back until your opponent hits a Volley short into your court where you have to move up before the ball bounces twice. 

When hitting a ball against two players up and you advancing forward, it is safer to neutralize the point by hitting a Drop Shot into their kitchen so they have to hit up on the ball. But a large percentage of players will hit another Drive at their opponents and get into a Volley duel.

The team returning the serve has the advantage because they both should be up at their NVZ line when their opponents are hitting the third shot. Drives are easier than drop shots. So when the serving team is hitting their drive, the team up tries to volley the ball back. Anytime a paddle makes contact with a ball closer to the net, it has a good chance of getting over. The better one can volley, the better the chance of winning the point. An example in another sport, like baseball, is it easier to catch a ball with your glove or hit a ball with a bat? In pickleball, is it easier to hit a volley over the net or take a large swing and hit it over the net? The point being is a compact volley should be easier than a large swing. So this chapter on the Under Spin Drive is to have a short blocking motion, stay back and play the ball after it bounces, keep the ball in play, and have fun.

Staying near your baseline, you should be able to get your paddle face on all balls on your side of the court and block the ball back into play. Then as you progress with developing your skill sets, you block the ball back with a softer Pace in order to place your shot in your opponent’s kitchen as a Drop Shot. The same technique allows you to be able to hit a Lob. By varying the paddle face to hit different Heights, and controlling the Pace, you will be able to hit a Drive, a Drop Shot, or a Lob.

Bullet Points:

*A simple technique.

*Use a short compact motion with a small backswing and short follow through.

*Can be used for any ball to your backhand.

*Controlling the Pace, Height, and Spin allows you to hit the wide variety of shots.

*The best technique to use against difficult balls.