Starting your pickleball journey should be about joy and community, not about memorizing a massive playbook of complicated techniques. For many beginners in the 55+ community, the fear of “doing it wrong” or getting injured can be a barrier to hitting the court.

However, you can simplify your strategy and gain immediate confidence by focusing on just 3 PICKLEBALL SHOTS. By mastering these three essentials, you ensure you can stay in the point, protect your body, and actually have fun while you’re at it!

In today’s guide, we are pulling from the core lessons of our video tutorial and the popular guidebook 7 Days to Confident Pickleball After 55.

The Foundation: Why These 3 PICKLEBALL SHOTS Matter

In pickleball, “less is more” is a winning philosophy. You don’t need a powerful overhead smash or a tricky spin serve to enjoy the game. Focusing on these specific shots allows you to play a “low-impact, high-reward” game.

Keeping It Simple for the 55+ Player

When we talk about the 3 PICKLEBALL SHOTS, we are looking at the Serve, the Return, and the Dink. These form the “Golden Triangle” of the game.

If you can do these three things consistently, you will be better than 70% of the beginners at your local park.

The Serve and Return: One-Two Punch of the 3 PICKLEBALL SHOTS

The serve is your “handshake” with the game. Everything begins with this shot. For players over 55, we advocate for the “Underhand Loft” or the “Drop Serve.”

Mastering the “Get it In Play” Serve

Unlike tennis, where the serve is a weapon, in pickleball, it’s just a way to start the point. Your goal isn’t an “Ace”; it’s a deep, consistent ball that lands in the back third of the opponent’s court.

The Deep Return Advantage

The return of serve is equally critical. To make the most of your 3 PICKLEBALL SHOTS, you want to hit your return deep and high.

This gives you plenty of time to walk (if you need to take your time)—not run—up to the Non-Volley Zone (the Kitchen) line where the real fun begins.

The Secret Weapon: The Dink as One of Your 3 PICKLEBALL SHOTS

If you want to play pickleball for the next thirty years, you must learn to love the dink. This soft shot into the opponent’s kitchen is the ultimate equalizer. It will be your most important “go-to” friend!

Why Dinking Saves Your Body

The dink takes the “power” out of the game. When you engage in a dinking rally, you aren’t chasing down 50mph balls; you are playing a tactical game of chess. Added bonus: the dink will drive “bangers”, or hard hitting players absolutely bonkers!

It requires blocking and “touch”, making it the most sustainable way to play after 55. Absorb the hard hits with soft hands and the ball goes back over the net by using the opponent’s power.

Take the Shortcuts to Success

If you want to keep these tips in your pocket (literally!), we have put together some resources specifically for the beginner player:

The Cheat Sheet: Grab our Confident Pickleball Cheat Sheet for a quick visual guide on where to stand and how to hit these shots.
The Book: For a full 7-day plan, check out 7 Days to Confident Pickleball After 55. It’s available on Amazon in both Kindle and Paperback formats!

Amazon Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

And if you are playing catch-up, here are the blog posts for our Confident Pickleball After 55+ series:

Day 1 – Is Pickleball After 55 Really Possible? (Hint: The Answer is a Resounding Yes!)
Day 2 – What Pickleball Equipment Do You Really Need After 55+?
Day 3 – Mastering the Pickleball Court: Where to Stand and Why for Players 55+
Day 4 – How to Serve in Pickleball: A Stress-Free Guide for Players 55+

Here is an additional video with help open score keeping: Confused about how to keep track of the score while you’re out there? Scoring can be the most frustrating part for beginners. We’ve made it easy for you! Watch our Easy Pickleball Scoring video