Glossary
Dink
A soft shot hit from near the kitchen line that drops into the opponent's kitchen.
A dink is a soft, arcing shot hit from near the kitchen line that is meant to just clear the net and drop into the opponent's kitchen before it can be attacked. It is hit with an open paddle face and very little swing, using touch rather than power to control where the ball lands.
Dinking is the core skill of the slower, tactical side of pickleball. Once both teams are at the net, points are often decided by a long dinking rally where each side waits for a ball that sits up too high or lands too short, creating an opening to speed up the point with a drive or a lob. Players who can hold a long dink rally without giving up an easy attack tend to control the point.
New players often make two mistakes with the dink: hitting it too hard so it pops up in the middle of the court, or aiming for the net instead of a spot deep in the kitchen, which leaves the ball short and attackable. A good dink clears the net by a small, consistent margin every time rather than skimming it closely for extra speed.