The Lob: Use It With Intention

The lob is one of the most misunderstood shots in pickleball. When it’s rushed or random, it’s a gift. When it’s timed and intentional, it can completely flip a point.

As Coach Rosa puts it: the lob is most effective when opponents are settled at the kitchen and you’re looking to pull them out of position—not when you’re under pressure.

Pickleball player running back to get a lob

When to Lob

When the Lob Works Best

The key is reading the ball before you lob. High-percentage lobs usually come off:

• Dead dinks (balls sitting up with no pace)

• No-spin balls that give you time to shape the shot

• Dinks that land a little too deep in the kitchen

If the ball is floating and you’re balanced, you have options. That’s when the lob earns its place.

What a Good Lob Does

A smart lob isn’t about winning the point outright. It’s about:

• Forcing opponents to retreat from the kitchen

• Creating confusion about who takes the ball

• Opening space for your next shot

• Resetting a neutral rally when both teams are locked in

What to Avoid

• Lobbing from below net height

• Lobbing off fast, spinning dinks

• Using the lob as a panic shot

• Overusing it (once they expect it, it loses its edge)

Technique Cues

• Aim high and deep, not flat

• Give yourself margin over the opponent’s paddle

• Think placement first, power second

• Recover quickly and be ready for the overhead

  
  

Bottom line:The lob is a situational weapon. Read the ball, pick the right moment, and use it to disrupt—not to gamble.

Now it’s your turn. Get on the courts, read the dead ball, and test the lob in real play—because the best way to learn this shot is to feel it work.