Add the Pickleball 2022 Drop Serve to Your Game | Reduce Errors - Win More Games | WeArePickleball

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Have you used the Drop Serve? If "yes" what was your experience with it? If "no" tell us why. Want to know what is going on out there :).

[@grugys09]

I enjoy putting spin on the ball and making it difficult for my opponents , so drop serve only to beginners.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@grugys09 thanks for sharing.

[@Mo-MuttMusic]

Occasionally, I have. It has worked. When it was a provisional rule, my regular rec group requested saying before a game that we might use the drop serve as a courtesy. I've gotten away from it, but I might use it again, particularly if/when I play outdoors again. Most of the time, I'm playing indoors. Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music/Sacred & Secular (and twice-a-week pickleball player, schedule permitting)

[@coachmike_agapepickleball]

My 11 year old daughter has recently added a drop serve to her repertoire. It's got pace, hits deep consistently and can at times have wicked sidespin toward the opponent's backhand. Thanks for all the great content, Tony!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@coachmike_agapepickleball that is great. Glad the drop serve is helping her enjoy the game. Keep having fun out there.

[@dennisford1647]

I love the drop serve. It takes the controversy away from illegal serves. I used to serve back hand with the regular serve and had complaints of illegal serve saying the paddle was above my navel. I have told players it doesn't matter where the paddle is now when striking the ball on a drop serve and some still disagree with me. Oh well, it takes a while for the rules to get out. Thanks for the update.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Agreed. Thanks for sharing it.

[@leonardgross9844]

A few people complained that I was not hitting my serve with my hand below the wrist so I used a backhand serve. When it was windy, I could not get it deep enough. Then, I went to the drop serve which works great. I am able to put underspin on the ball and I can mix in topspin. I get the ball deeper and people are no longer teeing off on my serve.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Great stuff. Thanks for sharing.

[@stanbrown4837]

Love the drop serve! I feel more relaxed and it has improved my consistency which gives me more confidence. I can also add some variety using height, spin, backhand, letting it bounce in different areas of the playing surface, and even letting the ball bounce 2 or 3 times before I hit it. It's fun!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Love it Stan. Thanks for sharing your experience.

[@ddyoder]

I have 100% transitioned to the drop serve. For me a benefit is a relatively uniform bounce and, for me, I find I can implement a variety of serves with a little less time for my opponent to react. After letting go of the ball there is a flexible window for my body, hands, and feet to reposition if desired

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Awesome. Glad the drop serve is working for you.

[@maggiecheungblaize8647]

Hi. I’ve been playing Pickleball about few months and love love love my drop serve. Can’t really serve other way but drop serve. Many people said my serve is great. Thank you

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Glad you found pickleball. Keep dropping it like it's hot :)

[@timengelhardt3654]

I have the yips and use the drop serve for a while and then I can serve regularly. It works

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Thanks for sharing your experience Tim.

[@dgman3262]

I had the service yips for months... then someone suggested that I try a backhand serve. That helped, but the drop serve really got me back to the traditional serve 👍 Great video! Thanks

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Thanks D Man. Glad it helped.

[@SDPBALLCOACH]

Hey, lefty. Live from National Championships at Indian Wells here. This serve saved my service game and it's all I teach now. Here at the tournament there are several players that are using the "Chainsaw" probably for the last time. It's not as prevalent as we might think but it's around. Take care, got a lot to say about the tournament itself but that's another topic. Kev-

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Awesome that you are out there. Let me know the rest of the story later :).

[@SDPBALLCOACH]

@@BestPickleballCoach Will do...

[@jw4321]

I am brand new to the game and once this was shown to me it really made my serve consistent and reliable.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Welcome to pickleball. Drop serve is awesome.

[@romanhernz3839]

The Drop Serve. Rule 4.A.8. The dropr serve is made by striking the ball after it bounces on the playing surface and can be made with either a forehand or backhand motion.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Playing surface is the entire court, including out of bounded

[@jamieweisbrod1420]

I love the drop serve, gives me another tool to changeup my serve and to be consistent during pressure moments in the game

[@BestPickleballCoach]

It is awesome to have it in the back pocket.

[@josephsabadish2866]

I am a little surprised that no additional requirements were added to the drop serve. I often advise players that have unusual ( almost illegal) standard serves to switch to a drop serve. You opponents can’t complain about the “details” of your serve that way.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Great advice Joe. Always sharing the love of the game.

[@neil575]

Thanks to KZbin, I learnt curling, bowls (not bowling) and pickleball. Never knew such sports existed. Pickleball seems fun. May try it out.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

It’s fun for sure.

[@kevinstrader8576]

I actually came from a racquetball background so I've always used the drop serve. What I do differently is that I drop it from a lower hand position (about 2' above the court) and then either hit a top spin/cross spin serve (from the right side) or usually a slice serve (from the left side). This allows for a low serve angle which makes it harder for the receiver to see the serve since it is below the net until it crosses the net. It has been very effective for me. Most people I play against don't use it but, it works perfectly for me since I try to hit most forehands with top spin on ground strokes.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

The drop serve runs into more resistance than would be expected given how effective it is. Thanks for the comment Kevin.

[@richarddiekmann4642]

Kevin - just stumbled on this reply from you and I completely agree. I played racquetball for 30 yrs and when transitioning to pickleball I have never been comfortable serving- so unnatural for Rball players. This drop serve has really helped me out.

[@zandemen]

I use the drop to start cooperative rallies in tennis, but volley for pickleball. The reasons; drop gives me more time for set up and swing in tennis. Volley is more consistent and has higher contact point in pickleball. More consistent? yes. If you drop with a bit of spin, hit some sand or debris, hit on the corner of a hole in the ball, gust of wind, whatever, the ball can change direction a lot more when doing a drop than it does with a volley. I put up with it in tennis, though it causes some mistakes sometime, because the time for set up is more important and I can adjust for these deviations. Pickleball is so much easier I have never even tried a drop serve.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

I too use a volley serve. Drop serve is a solid alternative for players who do not have our tennis background.

[@Stan_Rich]

Good Vid! Thank you for sharing new rules for 2022 and demo of the drop serve.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Ty Stan. Curious to see what’s going to happen with the current spin serve rules. Easiest fix is to make the drop serve the required serve.

[@davidstefan227]

So, there is more time from the release to paddle impact with the drop serve. That is more time for the wind to move the ball on you if it's windy.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

That is true. A tradeoff.

[@bethpat9]

Good tips!! I'm so glad that with the drop serve you can hit it with paddle sideways!! Yea!!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Glad it helped Beth. Have fun with it :)

[@karencalvert9734]

I’ve lost confidence in my serve…bad case of the yips but working on it. The drop serve is not my fave but may have to go back to it to get me thru whatever my issue is!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

You can also use a drop serve to work out the kinks in your in-air serve. It is likely timing or follow through that is resulting in the yips.

[@nhowe1652]

I've been looking for the text of the 2022 rules on the drop serve but haven't been able to find it. Can you provide a link? You stated in the video that the usual 3 rules-paddle below wrist, strike ball below waist, and hit with upward arc - don't apply to the drop serve. I'd like to read the details for 2022. Thanks for all of your great pickleball videos and info.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello. The Rule is 4.A.8.from the 2021 Rules - just drop the word provisional from it.

[@nhowe1652]

@@BestPickleballCoach Thanks!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@nhowe1652 pleasure

[@patrickaugie9442]

I use a drop serve...I can put a serious side spin...to the left or right as well as a fast backspin. It is closer to the net than a standard spin yet people have a hard time returning it.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

It does provide extra flexibility.

[@fpvkabo]

If u are playing indoors, in a gym with basketball hoops raised and say they are at 20ft. If u lob one up and it hits the mechanism right in center court but up to somewhere (around 21ft) on the thing, is that a replay, do over or point for the other side, again the hoop thing is right there and center? (that gives u 17ft from top of net to basketball frame)

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hi Larry. Been a minute since I looked at the rules on obstructions. I believe that the hoop - as any object like it eg roof - would be a dead ball and loss of rally. Your facility can opt to have a replay rule if it so chooses. No harm in that.

[@chea7z913]

The drop serve certainly has it uses like you mention, but it can't outperform a regular serve. For instance, Dekel Bars serve has a fluid forward motion that can't be used on a drop serve, and it's no surprise he is able to really go after his serves this way. The drop serve by it's nature is more limited than a regular serve, and it's benefits have to personally work for the user to make up for this fact

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Fair observations. In 97% of rallies played in a year, the serve is just a rally starter and in those situations the drop serve will work well.

[@chea7z913]

@@BestPickleballCoach Yes this is probably true. However, just like the chain serve, people will want to push the envelope with the serve to try and gain an advantage. It comes in the form of pressure, and is very noticeable in singles.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@chea7z913 in singles for sure. And yes, players will look for edges for sure.

[@richarddiekmann4642]

Sorry - just saw the video and the comment from 1 year ago. But I think the drop serve is soo much more consistent , saving me from faulting. Being a racquetball player the regular pickleball serve was so awkward and unnatural. Made me play head games with myself before each serve. Life saver for me

[@sammortenson1594]

Sorry, but based on personal experience I strongly disagree with this claim. I find the drop serve to be far LESS limited. Because the current rules for the drop serve essentially remove all of the restrictions imposed on the on-the-fly serve, the drop serve is actually far MORE versatile as it allows one to really change up one's serving patterns. For example, it is perfectly legal with the drop serve to employ a slice serve - hitting from high to low. This allows you to impose significant backspin and even side spin, serving either forehand or backhand. The result is a glide path and bounce that is quite different than a topspin serve, and which can have significantly more movement on them, keeping the receiver off balance. I picked up pickleball coming from both a tennis and table tennis background where the use of slices and back spin can be employed very effectively. The drop serve allows me to employ analogous techniques to the game of pickleball.

[@docar1523]

Dumb question on the drop serve. Does the racket still have to travel upward? Odd corner, backhand drop serve, can you use a backspin on the serve?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Not dumb at all. On the drop serve there are no other rules once you comply with the drop. You can move the paddle however you like.

[@docar1523]

@@BestPickleballCoach Thank you. I honestly think for cases where right handed person that plays hockey, golf, and hits a baseball lefty, there is some truth to be had. On the even hand service the ball just runs away to outside. I will ask my son to video. Thanks again.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@docar1523 👍

[@d.s.5807]

I found a killer way to serve that everyone struggles with and there's zero prespin! I need to make a KZbin video because it's awesome.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Look forward to seeing the serve.

[@karenk5472]

Are you going to share your secret with us?

[@conservativecyclist783]

Love the drop serve and chopped correctly has a nasty spin.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

You can spin it for sure. I am fan of it for its simplicity and consistency.

[@patrickhughes6158]

Little late to this video but im curious can you "toss" the ball upwards or does it have to just be a plain drop?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Patrick. No toss on this one. Just a drop.

[@lorimiles8906]

Can you use the drop serve and the volley serve interchangeably within the same game?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Yes ma’am. No restriction on that

[@terrymccrea3935]

I have been playing ~1 year. I only do the drop serve. I will only drop it from below my waist, never above. I do not "push" the ball down. And I really liked putting a little spin on the ball when dropping it. Then, about 3 months ago, someone told me that I am not allowed to spin the ball at all. So I changed from spinning it. I can still hit the ball just about the same, but I would prefer putting a little spin on it. In this video, you addressed spinning the ball when doing the drop serve, however you did not say it was a fault. You only said that you don't know why someone would want to do that. Could you please clarify whether spinning the ball on a drop serve is a fault?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Terry. Interesting question. I believe the answer is that the rule on pre-spinning the ball applies to traditional serves. There is the issue of how you can generate spin on a drop serve "drop" without either lifting or pushing on the ball. That said, I shall seek a definitive answer from a rules guru and be back. May take a day or two.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

I have received the answer and it is that no spin may be imparted to the ball during the drop. Hope this helps.

[@assignmeanameplease]

I put a lot of side spin on my forehand drop serve. It has proved to be a difficult serve to return at times I didn’t see anything in the rules about using the same hand that the paddle is held to drop the ball. Is a one handed drop serve legal or do two hands need to be used. It is easier for me to use one hand in a back handed drop serve

[@BestPickleballCoach]

That is an interesting question. I think you have to drop from the non-serving hand but will have to check the rules and get back with you on this one.

[@assignmeanameplease]

@@BestPickleballCoach Thank you! Keep up the great work!

[@BoulderSoccerChannel]

to be consistent with the drop serve rule it should be followed by allowing the ball to double bounce...sometimes I have difficulties to the get to the ball, with the double ball I will have more time...😜

[@BestPickleballCoach]

You can let the ball double bounce (triple bounce even). No rule against it.

[@robertschmidt9301]

@@BestPickleballCoach I think they are talking about a double bounce on the service RETURN.

[@mikematthews8930]

Good video. Just one clarification - you mentioned several times you're prohibited from propelling the ball down (bouncing it), but aren't you also prohibited from propelling the ball up (tossing it)? I think so but you didn't mention it...

[@BestPickleballCoach]

You are correct. Upward toss would also be illegal. Thanks for pointing it out.

[@jeffcaptain6738]

That’s implied in the word “drop”, not toss.

[@AJCsr]

If you can't toss the ball up, I would assume spinning it off your fingers in an upward motion would also be tossing it up..?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@AJCsr that is a good question - not 100% sure but I think letting the ball just roll off your hand would not violate the rules.

[@egl8983]

@@BestPickleballCoach I move my left hand upward and then drop the ball around waist height, while putting some slight backspin on it while releasing the ball. I feel this is a legal serve, since the height at release is not as high if I held it above my head and dropped it straight down. Your thoughts?

[@temeculagoldxchange]

I am 2 weeks into my pickleball journey and am 99% consistent with a backhand drop serve. For the life of me I can’t serve any other way!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hi Brian. Want to make sure you saw my reply. Let me know if not. Thanks.

[@apeugen]

I think they should make the Drop serve the official serve to avoid faulty serves thats not getting seen.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

No argument here. We suggest that in a blog we wrote about the spin serve.

[@maryhurst4663]

I hope not

[@williamfry6087]

I tried the drop serve but my muscle memory is for the regular serve. So I no longer use the drop serve.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Always better to use the serve that works best for you.

[@RoseMichels]

As a newbie to the game, I'm watching people where I play and a couple are doing 'drop' serves. I put that in a quote like manner because they're not DROPPING the ball, they are BOUNCING it (like I used to do in racquetball). I hardly feel, as a beginner, that I should be saying something to experienced players. Am I right in that bouncing the ball is NOT a drop serve and, if that's correct, what would you recommend I do or say?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

You are correct. The ball needs to be dropped. I would probably leave it be - unless they are gaining a huge advantage from it - like bouncing it way high and then slamming it

[@scamplin5299]

I am a left handed player and am looking for a detailed version of drop serving with a bounce both sides of the court.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello fellow lefty. Not sure exactly what you are looking for. If you are wondering where you aim your serve, we recommend middle box 4 feet from the baseline. Hope this helps.

[@scamplin5299]

@@BestPickleballCoach basically a video on how to serve left handed with drop serving (bouncing off court)…plenty of right handed videos out there but cannot find newbie videos for lefthanders. I am a visual learner.

[@dsat1908]

I’ve been recovering from Nov 2021 foot surgery, probably won’t resume Pickleball for several more months. How about that (stupid) 2021 interim rule where the ball can hit the net on the serve and if it lands in the receiver court, it counts no let? Thanks

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Dan. The no-let rule is still in place. Feel better soon.

[@dsat1908]

@@BestPickleballCoach thank you

[@thoefen]

Can you toss the ball up in the air a little and then let it hit the ground or does it really have to be dropped?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Todd. No toss - must be dropped.

[@thoefen]

@@BestPickleballCoach Good to know. I have been tossing it up a little.

[@rtk25301]

Clearly at 5:19 in the video, the guy in the green shirt demonstrates tossing it upwards. Rulebook says "Servers must release the ball from one of the server’s hands or...," so perhaps the wording there is unfortunate, given the ambiguity of the word "release." But video never mentions a prohibition of tossing upwards, either.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@rtk25301 the toss up at 5:19 is during an in-air serve - not a drop serve. Hope this helps.

[@gscottfuller]

Thanks for this helpful video. Assume you cannot toss the ball up either, right?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Correct. Not for the drop serve.

[@rtk25301]

@@BestPickleballCoach Perhaps that demo at 5:19 is wrong technique?

[@jamieweisbrod1420]

I did not see the link you mentioned about spinning the ball rather than chainsaw serve, is Anna Leigh Water's hand spin illegal now?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Jamie. Anna Leigh's serve - as currently hit - will be illegal starting end of January (I do not recall the exact date when the new rules kick in). The blog post should be there. It is a link in the description. Let me know if you do not see it there. You can also go to WeArePickleball.com and search for finger-spin serve.

[@markman950]

Can you toast the ball up and then hit it any way you want without the ball hitting the ground?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Sort of. You can toss the ball up but then there are three rules that apply. Hit ball under your belly button. Upward arc on swing and paddle under wrist

[@markman950]

Thank you.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@markman950 pleasure

[@sofiacasalini6152]

Happy to hear the drop serve is in!,,

[@BestPickleballCoach]

As are we :)

[@samuelbellamy4218]

Can you toss and let it bounce and serve?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Bill. The ball must be dropped. Neither propelled nor tossed up.

[@chenpickleball4739]

Great video and let me know the new rules of 2022 about the servers. Will try drop server. Thank you.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello - did you see our latest short video. We talk about it in there.

[@kathyweninger6907]

Is there any restriction on the number of bounces the drop served ball does before you hit it? The other day an opponent did a legal drop but then let it bounce twice before he hit it. I was very surprised by that but he said it was legal.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Kathy. There is no requirement that the ball bounce any number of times. Once, twice, thrice, etc. And if you do not like the drop you can just pick the ball up and try again. You have 10 seconds from the score being called to hit the serve.

[@nancygitin5093]

If my drop ends of being off can I catch it and drop it again?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

HI Nancy - yes you may.

[@RobtJude]

Can I bounce the ball 2 times and then hit it doing a bounce serve. Or do I have to hit it on the first bounce. I can't find that rule anywhere???? Any one know the correct answer.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

There is no rule that the ball bounce once. The reality is that after 2 bounces the ball will be very low though.

[@cbabcock1023]

I think the drop serve should be the only serve allowed. That would eliminate any question about whether the paddle is below the wrist, strike is below the waist, upward motion. The rule change about the let serve was justified by the same logic....eliminate any question about whether or not the ball struck the net cord.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

I am in your corner on this one. Big fan of the drop serve as taking care of all - including the pre-spun serve. We shall see what happens :).

[@onetangospring]

Hear, hear.

[@drmitofit2673]

In tennis this drop serve is how starter kids and novice adults serve for rally practice. Seems weird that the first and most important shot in tennis (the overhead serve) is also the most difficult and least intuitive shot to learn. The tennis serve is a huge obstacle for recreational tennis players and probable stops more than half from continuing the sport. Pickleball's accessibility is the main reason for its popularity.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Love the observation and agreed. We wrote an article about pickleball being the new lawn tennis.

[@drmitofit2673]

I highly recommend the KSports Tennis Rebounder Net. I primarily use it for tennis and it has done wonders for my consistency and power. I recently tried it for pickleball and hitting first bounce off the plank, it is excellent for learning pickleball topspin, dinks, sidespin, and power shots with hundreds of shots per session for ingraining muscle memory.

[@daveguerrero311]

How about a toss up then bounce before hitting?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Dave. A toss is not allowed. The ball must be dropped from your hand.

[@rtk25301]

@@BestPickleballCoach Oops. 5:19 demo in video, and rulebook is a bit ambiguous.

[@stevenkraslen6649]

I use it as a change of pass. But I don’t see the Pros use it in tournament play. Seems they think it’s only for Rec Play -'-.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

The best basketball free throw technique for a player to us is underhand.

[@gunsandpolitics5510]

@@BestPickleballCoach Truth. For a basketball, it provides the best angle and gives you the biggest 'apparent' ellipse to drop the ball through.

[@dominionn09]

Do you like that icon paddle?

[@BestPickleballCoach]

That is the one we play with - we did a full review of it. You can read it at wearepickleball.com. There is a code there if you decide to get one.

[@dianep7993]

I had tried the drop serve and failed miserably. It had taken me a long time to serve correctly, so I am afraid it will mess up my serve.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hi Diane - if you are good with your serve, do not change it. The Drop Serve is primarily for those who are having trouble with their serve or do not have a racket/paddle sports background.

[@dianep7993]

@@BestPickleballCoach Thank you for the encouragement!

[@chuckpeter]

I should make a video of my drop serve. I use a variety of regular, and drop serves. But, my drop serve is so nasty, that I'm surprised when it's returned. if everybody did it, they'd probably make it illegal. For that reason, I'm Thankful the 4.0 - 5.0 players are ignoring it.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Would be interested in seeing a video of the serve in action. If you record it please send me the video to [e-mail]. Thanks.

[@LatiNoble]

Ok so the pre-spin finger roll is still legal. I get way more rpms with that than the chainsaw.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

It is still legal. We are curious about who is using the finger-spin. Would you mind sharing your age, approximate level, who you mostly play against and how effective the serve is? Thanks

[@Riker-ER]

Thanks👍

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Pleasure. - good name btw

[@fishinman69]

I think serving is unfair for shorter people. Taller people can hit the ball at a height higher than the net and the trajectory is straight down and you can hit it harder than someone whose trajectory is going up to clear the net and then down. Also with the drop serve, the taller you are the higher you can drop the ball hence the ball will bounce higher.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

I believe it would be the same issue no matter what type of serve: drop or volley.

[@Skyhi106]

could have also mentioned that you can't throw the ball upwards either. just a simple drop from your hand.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Agreed. Thought of it after the video had flown the coop :).

[@rtk25301]

Still confused. See 5:19 and rulebook.

[@Christina4758]

You can step with your second foot over the baseline.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hi Christina. Not following. If you mean after the serve is hit, then you can step across with any foot or both feet. If before the serve is hit, that would be a foot fault.

[@pattipeck6182]

When serving with a drop serve, can you use a sideway motion to hit forward? I thought you had to have an upward motion. Just need to clarify with new rules.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Patti. The 3 rules of the serve, including upward motion, do not apply to the drop serve. The only rule (as to the serve itself) is that you must DROP the ball. Not bounce it or toss it upwards.

[@rogerfromcabo4942]

I LIKE PICKLE BALL but i think the rules are too much.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

I think of pickleball as a pretty simple sport actually. Most of the rules are over peripheral matters that do not affect 99% of what happens out there

[@mariolombardi4766]

Do you ever see a pro use a drop serve, never not once have I ever seen it done. I see lots of people at the lower levels use it.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Not following this Mario. Pros don't use drop serves so don't use drop serves? They can serve however they want - they are pros.

[@mariolombardi4766]

@@BestPickleballCoach - I am not saying don’t use drop serves because pros don’t use them, I see a lot of people at lower levels using drop serves very effectively. All I am saying is that I never have once is 3 years of watching PB matches at the pro levels seen one pro use a drop serve. It’s just my experience and observation.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@mariolombardi4766 it is true. I also do not use the drop serve as I am used to tossing the ball to serve it. The idea is that the drop serve is the best serve generally. To get it in and get the job done. For most players the drop serve is going to do the work. Appreciate your reply.

[@terisinopoli9257]

Truthfully, don’t like the change -why change the way the game was originally played. But as the rules have been changed by people who I suppose weren’t there at the beginning, please tell me the answer to the 2 bounce rule. If you use the drop serve that is technically a bounce which to me it means the serving team can hit the return ball from the receiving team on the volley. Because that is 2 bounces the serve, and the bounce from the receiving team.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

The first bounce is the serve. The "bounce" from the serve precedes the beginning of the rally. For example, the server can drop the ball, pick it up, drop it again, etc. The serve is the first shot that begins the rally. Hope this helps.

[@terisinopoli9257]

@@BestPickleballCoach okay so the serve “bounce” is not a bounce

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@terisinopoli9257 Correct :)

[@terisinopoli9257]

Was the drop serve approved to get more tennis players to take up PB to make it more accommodating for them? Will we see future rules change such as playing in the kitchen allowable in the volley?

[@stevenkraslen6649]

Forgot to mention that you cannot toss the ball up and let it bounce

[@BestPickleballCoach]

That is true. Appreciate the feedback

[@robbarnhill87]

U Have to bounce the ball when serve

[@BestPickleballCoach]

For the drop serve correct

[@skidz8426]

This is absolutely wrong. Assuming people are watching this to advance their play. The short answer what pro uses the bounce serve??? Everything that the pros do you should ask yourself why do that do that? Why do the pros dink? To gain advantage on their opponents, if a team comes out knowing they’re better they’re going to play aggressively and not dink. Why in singles does return server return down the line, or cross court basically to make the opponent run. Bounce serve is a weak non aggressive serve, it’s not like a ground stroke as presented, when you hit a ground stroke you’re using your body’s momentum and the power of the ball moving toward your paddle to hit the ball back towards your opponent. You already know the bounce serve is not good it’s logic. If I say it’s physics you’ll get afraid ohh science but you do know this. So imagine this you have a paddle holder a stand that holds your paddle at a 45 degree angle. You stand 10 feet away and toss a ball to hit your paddle. Observe the distance the ball comes back….. now you toss the ball so the ball bounces off the ground and than hits your paddle. Does the ball come back as far when you directly hit the paddle with a toss. No not even close. When you drop the ball it has energy the moment that ball hits the ground it now has less energy. Which means in order to serve the ball at the same speed you will have to hit it harder. Its ok to bounce serve its a lot easier to hit the ball but if you’re just learning and you want to improve your game learn to serve tossing the ball. Bad habits are hard to unlearn.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Appreciate the comment and am happy to agree to disagree on this one. Would correct one thing. Learning the drop serve will not develop a bad habit. A drop serve is a return of serve and you will always hit that shot.

[@patdawson3555]

Too much talk.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

We do tend to do that. Thanks for giving us a try. Be well.

[@lymedog3176]

That’s total Crap that the hitting format doesn’t apply to the drop serve…. Then why have a rule for the standard serve… it’s idiotic! The reason for the regulation was to eliminate top end players from getting a technical advantage over the others. You give me a chance to chop a drop serve, I’ll put it just over the kitchen line and the ball will die out of bounds. It makes no sense?!? Thanks for the tip I’ll be winning a lot of matches..,here comes the drop “dead” serve… racket ball play is back!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Lyme. Not following. Why could you not hit the dead serve off the current volley serve?

[@lymedog3176]

What is there to explain , you can’t hit paddle above wrist, a serve from the side across ,only upward and you can’t hit it chopping on a downward motion… all things you CAN do with a drop serve.

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@lymedog3176 okay. Be well

[@lymedog3176]

Sorry to come on strong, but yes this gives me an advantage, but 4.5 players and above, will be unstoppable!... Kinda unfair to the recreational player,but nonetheless it'll give me an arsenal of left right, drop and static serves... Keep up the great content, God bless!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

@@lymedog3176 thanks for clarifying. You may be right but the drop serve has been around for a couple of years now and I do not think the 4.5+ players have found an edge with the drop serve. They may though as the pre-spun ball lay dormant for 40 years :).

[@6966jose]

Simply it’s a dumb game

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Don't be so hard on yourself. It's gonna be alright.

[@temeculagoldxchange]

I am 2 weeks into my pickleball journey and am 99% consistent with a backhand drop serve. For the life of me I can’t serve any other way!

[@BestPickleballCoach]

Hello Brian. Welcome to pickleball. If the serve is working for you, just keep doing it. There are 93 other things to focus on right now if that is handled. You can circle back to it later if you want to add a different serve technique. Just get the serve in and deep.