Seven Stroke Mistakes That Ruin Your Dinks

First published October 21, 2026 Last revised October 21, 2026 4-minute read

An article by the La Cuisine en Douceur editorial team.

A pickleball stuck in the top of the net, with a paddle held back in the background. — **Fixing the Stroke.** Missed dinks most often come from a swing that's too big, a wrist that's too active or contact that's too late. Shortening the swing, playing out in front and aiming with a margin above the net fix most of it. Consistency comes before precision.

This article, "Sept erreurs de geste qui font rater vos dinks," gathers the key points in the order you'll need them. You'll learn to spot and fix the most common stroke flaws on the dink. In broad strokes: what to understand first, what to watch closely and the terms used here. Who it's for: beginner to intermediate pickleball players in France, often coming from tennis, padel or badminton, who want to improve their control game at the net.

What to Understand First

Start here: the dink relies on a compact, short motion ("less is more") rather than a big swing. Weigh it against your own situation.

Starting point: vary your target (forehand, backhand, different spots in the kitchen). It can force your opponent off the kitchen line or make them pop the ball up, which gives you a ball to attack. Weigh it against your own situation.

Know this: the most vulnerable areas in pickleball are the ankle, Achilles tendon, elbow and wrist. Acute injuries (falls, changes of direction) can cause meniscal tears or ACL damage.

Watch This Closely

Mistake to avoid: dinking to the same spot again and again helps your opponent find their rhythm. Keep it in mind when you act.

The Terms Used Here

These ideas are simple once you've got them down, and they make what follows easier to read.

Double Bounce

The double-bounce rule requires the ball to bounce once on each side after the serve before volleys are allowed.

Typical case: the returner lets the serve bounce, then the server lets the return bounce before they can volley.

To go further, see the entry Double rebond.

The Right Habits

Work through these in order:

At contact on the dink, the paddle face should be closer to horizontal than vertical.
Aim at your opponent's feet and vary your placement. That's Pickleball Canada's advice for drawing errors on the dink.
On the dink, stay square to the net and move your feet rather than stretching your arm out to reach the ball.
Varying your dink spots is key — advanced players rarely dink more than 2 or 3 times in a row to the same spot, to break their opponents' rhythm.
Hold the paddle very loosely for the dink — on a scale of 1 to 10, USA Pickleball recommends a grip pressure of about 2.

Why Do My Dinks End Up in the Net?

By the numbers: the most affected body parts are the wrist (12.7%), lower trunk, lower leg, head (11.3%) and knee (7.0%) in the cases studied from 2013 to 2022.

By the numbers: another analysis covering 2013-2022 estimates 77,963 injuries nationwide. Of those, 91% were in players 50 and older, and 83% of injured players were treated and sent home.

By the numbers: in the study, 61.1% of injuries involve players aged 65-80. The average age is 64, and women account for 69.1% of fractures.

Why Do My Dinks Pop Up Too High?

By the numbers: in this American study, fractures (32.7%) and sprains/strains (30.8%) are the most common diagnoses. Falls cause 65.5% of injuries.

The Essentials in Brief

Take this with you if you reread nothing else:

Varying your dink spots is key.
Hold the paddle very loosely for the dink.
In the study, 61.1% of injuries involve players aged 65-80.

The Last Word

We covered, in order: what to understand first, what to watch closely, the terms used here and the right habits. Go back over the points above in whatever order fits your situation.

Playing the Kitchen: Dink Strategy in Singles and Doubles — Targets, patience and doubles play at the kitchen line. Your reading plan: what holds it all together and the key concepts explained in detail.
Nailing the Dink Motion: Paddle Grip, Swing and Touch — You'll learn to hit a short, controlled dink with a relaxed grip and a shortened swing. Inside: the method's principle and the terms used here.
Where to Place Your Dinks: Targets and Trajectories to Unsettle Your Opponent — You'll know how to pick a target for your dinks and vary directions to create errors. Topics covered include the terms to keep in mind.
Kitchen Rule in Pickleball: What's Allowed and What Isn't — Non-volley zone, double bounce and related faults. Here: the rules that guide you, the glossary, deeper reading and where to start.

Sources cited

How to Dink and Why It's Important For Your Success in Pickleball – USA Pickleball —
Pickleball Injuries and Prevention — Common injuries (tendinopathies, sprains, wrist fractures) and prevention tips: dynamic warm-up, equipment, strengthening, technique. Accessed 2026-10-13.
The Three Ds of Pickleball: Dink, Drop, Drive – Pickleball Canada —
Increasing Incidence of Pickleball Injuries Presenting to US Emergency Departments — 10-year analysis of pickleball injuries in US emergency departments: falls, fractures, wrist, age of injured players. Accessed 2026-10-13.
Rising orthopedic injuries in pickleball: insights from a 10-year national study — Summary of a study on pickleball-related orthopedic injuries between 2013 and 2022: fractures, sprains, wrist, players 50 and older. Accessed 2026-10-13.

The rules cited draw on the text of the Fédération française de tennis, which holds the delegation for pickleball in France, and on those of USA Pickleball. In competition, always check the current rulebook.

This site doesn't replace the advice of a doctor or physical therapist. If you have persistent pain in your elbow, shoulder or wrist, see a health professional.