The third shot drop is not the shot holding most players back. Here is why it probably should not be your priority yet, and the three return-side shots to focus on instead.

For almost every player out there at some point in their pickleball journey, the third shot drop becomes the brass ring. Grab that shot, and you’ve become a true pickleball player. 4.0+ here we come.

So they practice. And practice. And practice.

Then the day comes. We roll out this awesome new shot. Ready for world domination.

And what happens? Not much. I mean, we can hit the shot better than we did before we worked on it. But results don’t change all that much.

Why is that? And if the third shot drop is not the shot for me to focus on, what am I supposed to work on instead?

The third shot drop will wait for you

In broad brush strokes, if you are not yet a high 3.5 level player – verging on 4.0, then the third shot drop is not your priority right now.

Three reasons for this:

1. You are not getting any value from working to tackle the hardest part of the game.
2. You can score points without the third shot drop.
3. There are at least 10 other areas that would benefit from your attention and that will provide greater value to you.

You aren’t getting value from the third shot drop

If the third shot was just about dropping the ball in or near the kitchen and you were done, then you would get a lot more value from getting proficient with that shot.

But hitting a good third shot drop, alone, is not enough. It’s not as if you magically appear at the kitchen line after your third shot bounces in the kitchen.

A more complete way to think about the third shot drop is that it’s just one part of an entire movement pattern used by the serve side to get to the kitchen line.

Specifically, it’s a shot that’s used as part of navigating the space from the baseline to the kitchen line – all while you’re under attack from your opponents.

Here’s a list of considerations that go into this movement pattern:

1. Should you drop or drive the third? A common mistake here is dropping a third shot that should be driven (or pushed) at the returner.
2. Where is it best to aim the third shot drop? Most players pick the one spot – you know where I’m talking about (cross-court if you're newer to this part of the game). But is that always the best place to target the third shot drop?
3. Do you stay or move forward? Maybe the hardest decision to learn to make well in pickleball: stay or go? And, if you think about the efficacy of the third shot drop, it is almost entirely contingent on the movement forward, which starts with this decision.
4. How do you move with/without your partner? Another area of complexity. If your partner is hitting the third, do you wait for them to move forward together? Or can you move based on your read? Or maybe you just run in no matter what.
5. Navigating the transition zone. Often, you cannot get from the baseline to the kitchen line in one move. You will need to stop in the most dangerous part of the court – the transition zone – and hit a difficult shot from there. Miss any of these shots, and you lose the advantage you thought you had gained from the third shot drop.

This list doesn’t even address the reality of rec open play. You will be partnered with several different players during your session. Your third shot drop will only be as good as you – and your partner – play relative to it.

As you can see, there’s a lot more to the third shot drop than just the drop itself. You only get the benefit from the shot if you can successfully execute the movement pattern that goes along with the shot.

And this movement pattern is the hardest part of pickleball.

This is why, even if your third shot drop is amazing, you aren’t seeing a corresponding improvement in your results. It can feel frustrating to learn a shot that is supposed to revolutionize how you play and not see any big change. Now you know why and can make decisions accordingly.

Scoring points without the third shot drop

Think about a game you played recently. How many points were scored as a direct result of a successful third shot drop followed by movement forward to the line and an effective kitchen attack strategy?

Now – how many points were scored because of missed returns, fourth shot volleys, and other combinations of shots that had nothing to do with the third shot drop?

For most of you, I’m guessing that the number of points scored from third shot drop attacks was significantly less than from other shot combinations.

If you do not already reliably hit a third shot drop, the analysis is even easier.

The last couple of times you played, did you score points? Did you maybe even win a game?

How could you have scored points or won a game without the vaunted third shot drop?

The answer is that the third shot drop is NOT a condition precedent to scoring points.

Next, I’ll give you a few areas to focus on now that will give you more value than the third shot drop. The takeaway from this section is that you already score points. Keep doing what you’re doing to score points. By improving your return side play, you’ll have more turns (serve sideouts) to score points. This is how you’ll get to 11 before your opponents.

Where to focus instead of the third shot drop

Focus all – and I literally mean ALL – of your attention on your return side game. The return side is the cornerstone to your development as a player. Defects in your return side game are holding you back.

Side note: If you aren’t familiar with the difference between serve side and return side play – and they are vastly different – you are leaving a lot on the table. Join me inside our comprehensive pickleball course – Your Pickleball Coach – and we’ll close this gap in your understanding together.

Three shots in particular – and in order of priority:

1. Return of serve – This one shot will radically change how you play.
2. Block volley – Want confidence against bangers? This is the answer.
3. Punch volley – Miss fewer volleys and control the court.

Put the third shot drop on ice for now and improve on these three shots, and you’ll play a much better brand of pickleball.

And don’t worry about it – the third shot drop will be there waiting for you when you’re ready to tackle it. And, if you decide to join us on your improvement journey, I’ll be glad to teach it to you.

Be well,

Tony