Why You're Stuck: 10 Pickleball Mistakes Holding You Back

From forcing points too early to avoiding your backhand, here's exactly what to fix to get to the next level.

If you feel stuck in your pickleball game, you might be making one of these pickleball mistakes without even realizing it.

Ashley Griffith, a professional pickleball player ranked top 65 across all divisions on the PPA Tour, recently broke down the 10 most common errors she sees amateur players commit that are holding their game back.

The good news? Once you know what they are, they're fixable.

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1. Forcing the Point Too Early

The first pickleball mistake Griffith sees constantly is players going for the winner too soon in the rally.

They'll dink once, maybe twice, and then immediately try to speed up and rip the ball. The problem? You're not giving yourself enough opportunities to set up a real attack.

"You want to work the point a little bit more," Griffith explains. The key is patience.

When you force it early, you're essentially giving away free points.

2. Not Getting Up to the Kitchen Line After the Return

Here's a positioning pickleball mistake that costs amateurs matches: staying back after hitting your return of serve.

If you return the ball and then hang back at the baseline while your partner is up at the net, you've created an imbalanced dynamic that puts you at a disadvantage.

The fix is simple but requires discipline. Come in right off the return. Get yourself up to the kitchen line immediately so you and your partner are both in an aggressive position. This is especially critical in doubles, where one person back and one person forward is a recipe for getting attacked.

3. Dinking Without a Purpose

Dinking is huge in pickleball, but here's the thing: a lot of amateurs just hit the ball around with no specific target or strategy. They're surprised when they lose the point because they never had a plan in the first place.

Instead of casually hitting it back, think about moving your opponent to their forehand, then to their backhand. Keep the ball low and give yourself a reason for every shot. This approach makes you far less likely to get attacked or lose the point to a smarter opponent.

4. Playing Too Aggressive Without Consistency

This pickleball mistake is about trying to paint the lines and go for big shots instead of focusing on consistency.

Amateurs often see a popup and immediately try to blast it off the court, missing instead of taking the easy target.

Here's the reality: you're probably not playing like Ben Johns or Anna Leigh Waters. You have more margin for error, so use it.

Focus on going for a huge target and staying consistent. You don't need to paint the lines. The jump from amateur to pro level happens when consistency becomes your priority, not flashy winners.

5. Not Resetting When You're on Defense

When you're in trouble and getting attacked, blasting the ball back is nearly impossible. This is where the reset shot becomes essential. Griffith emphasizes that defensive positioning requires a completely different mindset.

If you're in the transition zone and getting attacked, get low and reset the ball back softly. Keep it low, get it in, and give yourself time to recover back to the kitchen line. This pickleball mistake costs players rallies because they're trying to hit a perfect attack off a bad position, which is unrealistic.

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6. Hitting Every Ball at the Same Speed

Variation is everything in pickleball, but amateurs often fall into a pattern of hitting every ball at the same speed. They're either ripping everything or playing soft, with no in-between. This predictability makes you easy to read.

Mix it up. Drop one ball, reset the next, come in, then rip. The ability to vary your pace keeps your opponent guessing and prevents them from timing your shots. This pickleball mistake is especially costly in the transition zone where you need multiple options.

7. Poor Court Position With Your Partner

Griffith calls this the "rope" concept, and it's critical for doubles success.

You and your partner need to move together like you're connected by a rope. If one of you is up at the net and the other is hanging back, you're creating gaps that opponents will exploit.

When you're on defense and back, your partner needs to come back with you. When you hit a good drop and move forward, your partner moves forward too. The rope also moves sideways. If your partner gets pulled out wide, you need to cover the middle. Leaving eight feet of open court between you is a recipe for disaster.

8. Avoiding Your Backhand Like It's the Plague

This pickleball mistake is about running around your backhand instead of hitting it. Yes, you probably have a preferred side, but running around too much leaves your court wide open and puts you out of position for your next shot.

The only way to improve your backhand is to hit more of them. Stop avoiding it. Bridge that middle, stay in position, and get comfortable with your backhand dink. You'll be surprised how much better your overall court positioning becomes when you're not constantly running around.

9. Not Communicating With Your Partner

Watch any top pro match and you'll hear constant communication: "Mine," "Yours," "In," "Out," "Watch." This pickleball mistake is surprisingly common at the amateur level, where players clash in the middle or both back off a ball.

Communication prevents confusion and keeps you coordinated. Call the ball, let your partner know if something's going out, warn them about high balls. It's simple stuff, but it makes a huge difference in doubles play. Don't be embarrassed to yell. The pros do it the entire match.

10. Only Playing Open Play and Never Drilling

Here's the final pickleball mistake: expecting to improve without drilling. Open play is great, and there's definitely a place for it, but you won't see big jumps in your game without focused practice.

Drilling is where you work on specific weaknesses, patterns, and shots. It might feel boring compared to competitive play, but it's the fastest way to improve. You can reach a certain level with just open play, but to really level up, you need to drill with purpose and intention.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What's the most common pickleball mistake beginners make?

Forcing the point too early is the most common pickleball mistake beginners make. They see an opportunity and immediately go for the winner instead of working the point and waiting for a truly attackable ball. This impatience costs them rallies and matches.

How do I stop making pickleball mistakes in doubles?

Focus on court positioning and communication. Stay connected to your partner like you're on a rope, moving together up, back, and sideways. Call every ball and make sure you're both in an aggressive position. These fundamentals eliminate most doubles errors.

Why is consistency more important than power in pickleball?

Pickleball is a game of placement and patience, not power. Consistency keeps you in rallies longer, which gives you more opportunities to set up attacks. Power without consistency just means more unforced errors.

How often should I drill to improve my pickleball game?

The more you drill, the faster you'll improve. Ideally, combine open play with focused drilling sessions where you work on specific shots and patterns. Even 30 minutes of intentional drilling per week will show noticeable improvement over time.

What's the best way to improve my backhand in pickleball?

Stop avoiding it. Hit your backhand in every drill and open play session. The more comfortable you become with it, the better your overall court positioning will be. Your backhand doesn't need to be perfect, just reliable.