In tennis, an overhead from the frontcourt is a point-ender. In pickleball, not so much.
It may take 5, 6, 7 overheads to win a point. Sometimes that’s not even enough, and you’re left with a ball in the net and a really sore shoulder.
Rarely is it the case that more power is the right answer. Of course, landing the ball close to the baseline is a good solution, but it comes with added risk.
A safer approach is to add spin to your overhead.
Just like your groundstrokes, you can add topspin or slice to your overhead. This will come naturally for players with a spin serve in tennis.
For both approaches, you will want to lead with the edge of the paddle. Remember, you’re not aiming to make flush contact with the paddle face. An Eastern grip will make it easier to add spin to your overhead.
For topspin
Brush over the top of the ball and snap your wrist down through contact
For slice
Cut under the ball at about 5 on the clock face as you snap through the overhead
It doesn’t take much spin to do the trick. You just need enough to catch your opponent off guard. If they have to account for speed, placement anddifferent spins, you’ve greatly increased your chances of winning the point.
Use this code for a 10% discount on a custom paddle
First Time Buyers Only
Why we are different
There are well over 100 paddle manufacturers serving the pickleball industry. We are the ONLY custom paddle manufacturer in the world. In order to understand what it is we do and why it’s unique, it’s necessary to understand how a paddle is made.
Every paddle with few exceptions has a honeycomb core. The different companies in the industry use one of three different materials for the core- aluminum, polymer and Nomex. We use all three. The core provides 75% of the way a paddle performs.
Then the honeycomb core is sandwiched between two thin layers of surface materials. Again, the different companies in the industry use three different materials- graphite, fiberglass composite and carbon fiber. We use all three. The surface material is about 25% of the way a paddle performs. Think of it as fine tuning the paddle’s performance characteristics.
The three different core materials combined with the three different surface materials make 9 different combinations of materials. Each plays differently. We make two (soon to be three) different shapes for our paddles. The Chaos has a large square sweet spot- at 8 1/2”, it is the widest paddle on the market. The Kratos has an equally large rectangular shaped sweet spot. Each combination of cores and surfaces is available in both the Chaos and Kratos shape.
Then we give each player the opportunity to select their paddle’s weight (ranging from 7.4-10.5 ounces).
Now comes the grip. Players can choose one of three different handle shapes, their grip size from 3 7/8” to 6”, one of three different grip materials and more than 10 colors for each grip style.
Now that the player has chosen the best paddle shape, core, surface and grip for their individual game comes the fun part. We can put any custom graphic the player chooses on their paddle face- either one of our many choices or one of their own- a picture, logo or graphic of their choosing.
Now every player can play with a totally bespoke paddle and watch their game immediately improve because they are playing with the right paddle for them in every way.
Every other sport has specialized equipment for every player except pickleball. Not anymore- now pickleball is catching up to other sports. Pickleball players spend a lot of time playing the game they love. Now they can play with the gear that suits them and not be forced to use a one size fits all paddle.
Want to Join Team TSD?
We are actively seeking avid pickleballers with sales experience to educate, demonstrate and promote Third
Shot Drop pickleball paddles.
Please send your prior sales experience, where you play, how often you play, what level player you are, if you
play Tournaments, how many players you can reach and your contact information to:
Ashley@ThirdShotDrop.com
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