Ever tried to lob a pickleball serve and ended up looking like a flamingo on ice? We’ve all been there. The pickleball lob serve is a high, looping serve that can turn the tide of a game when executed correctly. Stick around, and we’ll turn that pickleball lob serve from a comedy show into your secret weapon.
This is part 5 in our series about mastering the pickleball serve as a beginner. We covered all the basics in part one. Now it’s time to move on to more advanced serving concepts. If you’ve got the basics down and can consistently hit a serve in the court, read on, my friend, and explore the crazy world of lob serves.
Understanding the Lob Serve
Imagine launching a pickleball high into the air, watching it arc gracefully before it lands deep in your opponent’s court. That’s the magic of the lob serve – a game-changer that’s more than just a serve. Unlike its straight, flat cousin, the lob serve is a strategic masterstroke, designed to push your opponents back and disrupt their rhythm. It’s like throwing a wrench in their game plan, forcing them to hit the return at an awkward height and pace. And the best part? It sets you and your partner up for a power-packed third shot drive. It’s not just a serve, it’s a power move!
It might seem risky to throw up a slow serve that doesn’t have all the crazy spin of a normal serve. But rest assured my friend, when used at the right moment this changeup can radically mess up your opponent’s timing and lead to confidence boosting third show smashes for you and your doubles partner.
Benefits of the Lob Serve
The lob serve offers several strategic advantages:
Executing the Perfect Lob Serve
The mechanics of hitting the lob serve are similar to your basic driving serve, with a few key differences. Here’s what you need to know:
Contact Point
For a lob serve, you will strike more of the underside of the pickleball, with a more open paddle face up toward the sky. This will cause the pickleball to take a higher trajectory.
Follow Through
Your follow through for a lob serve will be more vertical compared to a driving serve. This upward follow through is designed to cause the pickleball to take a higher trajectory. Remember to keep your paddle face toward the sky all the way through your follow through.
Paddle Speed
The lob serves will have a slower paddle speed and will be a softer shot in terms of pace compared to a driving serve. Usually, you can shoot for around 60-80% of the paddle speed that you would normally use on a flat serve.
When to Use a Lob Serve
The lob serve is particularly effective against opponents who prefer to play close to the net or have a strong groundstroke game. By forcing these players to move back and deal with high-bouncing balls, you can disrupt their game plan and create opportunities for your own offensive shots.
This may sound a little cruel but the lob serve is terribly effective against unathletic players. If you are a beginner playing against other beginners, chances are it isn’t Raphel Nadal on the other side of the net and forcing them to move a couple steps could make a huge dent in their ability to return balls. So if you see your opponent stumble a little or if they’re just plain clumsy, you can bet the making them back pedal and judge a high bouncing lob serve is a golden strategy.
Be Wary Of Wind Conditions
Ever tried to use a kite without wind? It’s about as effective as a chocolate teapot. Now, imagine that kite is your lob serve in pickleball. The wind can be your secret ally or your worst enemy. With a high-flying lob serve, the wind can either carry your serve to new heights or blow it off course faster than a toupee in a hurricane. So, before you launch that serve, take a moment to feel the breeze. Is it a gentle whisper or a gusty shout? Use it to your advantage, and you’ll have your opponents chasing your serve like cats after a laser pointer. If the wind is blowing towards you and you think your opponents aren’t expecting it, I say go for it. You can hit the ball almost as hard as you possibly can and if it lands in, the receiver will be scrambling forward to make contact.
If the wind is blowing out you are really taking risks with a lob serve. Unless your regular serve is totally ineffective, or it’s the perfect point in the match, or you just feel an intense inspiration, don’t hit the lob serve when the wind is blowing away from you.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One common mistake players make with the lob serve is not getting enough depth on the serve. A short lob serve can be easily attacked by your opponents, so it’s important to aim for a spot deep in the opponent’s court. However, be careful not to hit the serve too long and out of bounds. Aim for about 2 to 3 feet inside the baseline to avoid unforced errors.
Conclusion
Mastering the lob serve can add a new dimension to your pickleball game. It’s a strategic tool that can disrupt your opponents’ rhythm and create offensive opportunities for you and your partner. Remember, practice is key to perfecting this serve. Sure, it might take a bit of practice to nail the perfect arc and depth, but remember, it’s the one shot where you’re the puppet master. And even if you only use a handful of times in a match, the knowledge that you have it in your arsenal will keep your opponents off guard for all of your other serves making each of them that much more effective.
So, lace up, grab your paddle, and start practicing that lob serve. And remember, variety is the spice of life, so keep ’em guessing on the pickleball court!
FAQs
Q1: What is a lob serve in pickleball? A lob serve is a high, looping serve that lands deep in the opponent’s court. It’s designed to keep your opponents at the back of the court and disrupt their rhythm.
Q2: When should I use a lob serve in pickleball? The lob serve is particularly effective against opponents who prefer to play close to the net or have a strong groundstrokegame. It forces these players to move back and deal with high bouncing balls, disrupting their game plan.
Q3: What are the benefits of a lob serve in pickleball? The lob serve offers several strategic advantages. It keeps your opponents deep in the court, gives you and your partner more time to react to the return of serve, and disrupts your opponents’ rhythm, making it harder for them to execute aggressive shots.
Q4: What kind of opponents should I lob serve against? The lob serve is particularly effective against opponents who prefer to play close to the net or have a strong groundstroke game. By forcing these players to move back and deal with high bouncing balls, you can disrupt their game plan and create opportunities for your own offensive shots.
Q5: What are common mistakes people make with the lob serve? One common mistake is not getting enough depth on the serve. A short lob serve can be easily attacked by your opponents. It’s important to aim for a spot deep in the opponent’s court, but be careful not to hit the serve too long and out of bounds. Aim for about 2 to 3 feet inside the baseline to avoid unforced errors.
I've always been someone who takes care of their health by eating well and staying active. My lean build is a testament to my dedication to tennis, which has kept me in great shape over the years. Although I'm a bit hesitant about pickleball, I'm looking forward to trying something new and keeping up my fitness.
As someone who has been deeply involved in tennis for most of my life, it's hard to imagine playing anything else. However, I understand that pickleball has a growing following, and I'm willing to give it a try. Who knows, maybe I'll even come to enjoy it as much as I love tennis.
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