Choosing Your Weapon
The third shot in pickleball might be the most important shot in the game. After the serve and return, this shot determines whether you’re moving forward to take control of the net or stuck on the baseline playing defense. At Burlingame Country Club’s four pickleball courts, players who master both the third shot drop and the third shot drive—and know when to use each—consistently outperform those who rely on just one option.
Here’s the reality: there’s no “better” shot between the drop and the drive. Each has its place, its strengths, and its ideal moments. The best players carry both weapons and choose strategically based on the situation, opponent, and score.
Understanding the Third Shot Drop
The third shot drop is a soft, controlled shot that arcs over the net and lands in your opponents’ kitchen, ideally close to the kitchen line. The goal isn’t to win the point outright—it’s to neutralize your opponents’ advantage at the net and allow you and your partner to move forward.
When It Works Best: The drop is your go-to shot when opponents are positioned well at the net, ready to attack anything you hit with pace. By taking pace off the ball and placing it low in the kitchen, you force them to hit up, which gives you time to advance to the net yourself.
The Margin for Error: The beauty of the drop is its forgiveness. Even a drop that’s slightly high or slightly short is usually playable by you—it might not be perfect, but it keeps you in the point. Contrast this with a drive that goes long or into the net, which ends the point immediately.
Movement Advantage: The drop allows you to start moving forward immediately after hitting it. You know the ball is going to land soft in the kitchen, giving you time to take several steps toward the net before your opponents can hit their next shot.
Executing the Perfect Drop
The drop shot requires touch and feel more than power.
Stand with knees slightly bent, paddle face open (angled slightly upward), and make contact with the ball at or below waist level. Use a short, compact swing with minimal backswing. Think “push” rather than “swing.”
The ball should arc upward over the net, peak just past the net, and then drop sharply into the kitchen. Aim for the back third of the kitchen, near the kitchen line. This gives you margin for error—if you’re slightly short, it still lands in the kitchen; if you’re slightly long, it clears the line but forces your opponents to return from a difficult position.
Your weight should transfer forward through the shot, and you should immediately begin moving toward the net after contact. Don’t admire your shot—move.
Understanding the Third Shot Drive
The third shot drive is a low, hard groundstroke aimed at your opponents’ feet or at the middle between them. Unlike the drop, which seeks to neutralize, the drive seeks to pressure and potentially force an error or weak return.
When It Works Best: The drive is most effective when opponents are out of position, when you’ve received a short return that allows you to contact the ball aggressively, or when opponents have slow reflexes and struggle with pace.
The Risk-Reward: The drive is higher risk than the drop. If you execute perfectly, you might win the point outright or get a weak pop-up you can attack. If you miss slightly, the ball either goes long, into the net, or sits up for your opponents to put away.
Keeping Opponents Honest: Even if you primarily use the drop, occasionally mixing in a drive keeps opponents from creeping too close to the kitchen line. If they know you’ll never drive, they can position aggressively for drops.
Executing the Effective Drive
The drive requires controlled aggression.
Contact the ball between knee and waist level with a firm wrist. Unlike the drop, your swing has more backswing and follow-through. Drive through the ball with topspin to keep it from sailing long.
Aim low—at your opponents’ knees or feet. A ball hit at chest height is easy to volley; a ball at the feet must be lifted, giving you time to move forward. Target the middle between your opponents when possible, creating confusion about who should take it.
After hitting a drive, be ready to react. Your opponents might block it back firmly, requiring you to hit a volley or half-volley. Don’t blindly charge forward after a drive the way you would after a drop—read the return first.
When to Choose the Drop
Opponent Positioning: When both opponents are set up well at the net, knees bent, paddles up, ready to attack, the drop is your friend. Driving into this setup is playing into their hands.
Wind Conditions: In windy conditions, the drop is more reliable. The drive’s lower trajectory makes it more susceptible to wind pushing it long or off target.
When You’re Out of Position: If you’re forced deep or wide by a good return, the drop gives you time to recover position before the next shot. A drive from poor position is high risk.
Score Situations: When ahead in a game and playing to maintain your lead, the drop’s lower risk profile makes sense. Why force the issue when consistency wins?
Against Bangers: Players who love to hit hard often struggle with soft shots. If your opponents want pace, deny it to them with drops.
When to Choose the Drive
Short Returns: When you receive a return that lands short (inside the baseline), you have a prime opportunity to drive. You’re contacting the ball higher and can generate more pace safely.
Opponents Out of Position: If one or both opponents are caught out of position—too far back, leaning the wrong way, or off-balance—the drive can exploit that vulnerability immediately.
Momentum Shifts: When you need to change the pace and momentum of a game, the occasional drive shakes things up and keeps opponents from getting too comfortable.
Against Slow Reflexes: Some opponents struggle with pace. They can handle soft shots all day but freeze when you drive. Test this early and exploit it if true.
Surprise Element: Even if you’re primarily a drop player, the occasional drive out of nowhere can win you easy points because opponents aren’t expecting it.
The Setup: Reading the Return
Your decision between drop and drive often depends on the return you receive.
Deep Returns: When the return lands deep, near or behind your baseline, you’re contacting the ball from a defensive position. The drop is almost always the right choice here—driving from deep is low percentage.
Short Returns: Returns that land shallow (service line or shallower) give you an offensive opportunity. This is when the drive becomes viable because you can contact the ball higher and more forward in your stance.
High Returns: A return with significant height allows you to contact the ball at a comfortable height and generate pace. Consider the drive.
Low Returns: Returns that barely clear the net force you to hit up regardless of which shot you choose. The drop is slightly easier to execute from this position.
Combining Both in Sequences
Advanced players don’t choose one shot for the entire point—they adjust based on what each shot creates.
Start with a drop to neutralize and move forward. If your opponents give you a high return, drive the next ball. If they keep it low, continue dropping. The sequence might be: drop, drop, drive. Or drop, drive, drop. There’s no set pattern—read and react.
The ability to seamlessly transition between drops and drives within a single point keeps opponents off balance. They can’t settle into a rhythm if they don’t know what’s coming.
Practice Drills for Both Shots
Drop Drill: Have a partner at the net feed you balls from the baseline. Focus on getting 10 consecutive drops to land in the kitchen without missing. Increase difficulty by having your partner vary the feed depth and pace.
Drive Drill: Same setup, but practice driving balls at your partner’s feet or at the middle. Work on control and keeping balls low. Your partner gives immediate feedback on ball height and placement.
Decision Drill: Have your partner randomly feed you balls—some deep, some short, some high, some low. You must decide in real-time whether to drop or drive based on the feed. This simulates game conditions.
Sequence Drill: Play out points where you must hit a drop, then a drive, then a drop again, forcing you to switch between shots fluidly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Overusing One Shot: If you drop 100% of the time, opponents will position aggressively for it. If you drive constantly, you’ll make more errors than necessary. Mix them strategically.
Driving from Poor Position: The temptation to drive when you’re deep or off-balance is strong, but it’s low percentage. Have the discipline to drop when the situation calls for it.
Not Moving After Drops: The drop only works if you follow it forward. Hitting a drop and staying at the baseline wastes the shot’s purpose.
Predictable Patterns: If you always drop on the first third shot and always drive on short returns, opponents will read this and anticipate. Vary your patterns.
Mental Approach to Shot Selection
Stay adaptable. Before each third shot, quickly assess: Where are my opponents? Where am I? What kind of return did I get? What’s the score? These factors guide your decision.
Trust your instincts. With practice, shot selection becomes intuitive. You’ll feel when a drive is right versus when a drop is safer. Trust that feel.
Don’t get frustrated if one shot isn’t working. If your drops are getting attacked all game, shift to more drives. If your drives are sailing long, rely more on drops. Adjust based on results.
The Bottom Line
The third shot drop and third shot drive are both essential weapons in your pickleball arsenal. Great players at Burlingame’s courts don’t debate which is better—they master both and choose wisely based on the situation.
Practice both shots until they’re reliable. Develop the judgment to know when each is appropriate. Stay flexible and adjust based on opponents, conditions, and how your shots are performing that day.
The player who can drop when needed and drive when the opportunity arises is far more dangerous than the player who only has one option. Give yourself both tools, and watch your pickleball game rise to the next level.
Ready to master both the third shot drop and drive under expert guidance? Burlingame Country Club’s pickleball professionals can help you develop both shots and the strategic sense to use them effectively. Call (828) 966-9200 to schedule your lesson.
