Mastering the Lob in Pickleball

Technique & Timing to Elevate Your Game Over the Net

What Is a Pickleball Lob?

A Shot Played Tactically from a High Position

In pickleball, a lob is a shot that sends the ball high into the air to land deep in the opponent’s court. It’s an offensive shot to push back the opponent and, when executed well, can be a beautiful shot to watch. But a lob can also function as a kind of “change-up” in your shot selection to mess with your opponent’s timing and rhythm.

How to Perform a Pickleball Lob

Steps for a Flawless Lob Shot
  • Angle of the Paddle: Maintain the paddle face at a slightly more open angle compared to the ball’s path. This imparts a higher trajectory to the ball than it would have if the paddle were directly aligned. This is very good for avoiding a losing hands battle.
  • Controlled, smooth swing: This is the principle of lift in action. If the swing is fast, too much force and spin are put into the ball, and it flies out. If the swing is slow, not enough lift is generated and it goes into the net or into your opponent’s overhead.
  • Transference of Weight: During follow-through, ensure that weight transfers to the front to assure accuracy.

Common Mistakes

Too Low

An opponent can easily attack a lob if it is hit too low.

Too High

Extremely high balls gives too much time for the opponents to react.

Poor Placement

If the lob falls short and on their dominant side, the opponents can simply meet it with a strong overhead shot.

Telegraphing the Shot

If you’re going to lob, you must be unpredictable on the height, depth, and angle of your lobs. Give each with enough margin of error that the opponents will have to guess if the ball is going over their heads or coming right at them.

Incorrect Paddle Angle

A flat paddle surface causes inconsistent height and position.

Types of Pickleball Lobs

There are various methods of playing lobs to obtain different results
  • Offensive Lob: Utilized as a shot to attack the opponent. It may at first seem contradictory to think of lobs as offensive shots. After all, we think of defensive shots that give us time to get back into position. But lobs in the air can be used to pressure your opponent. A well-executed lob in an aerial game leaves your opponent with few options.
  • Lob Defense: Utilized when a person finds themselves under pressure and requires a reset of the current rally in order to regain proper positioning.
  • Topspin Lob: Gives spin to the drop so that it travels downward more rapidly, making the return shot more difficult.

Drills to Improve Your Lob

Exercises Essential for Perfecting Your Lob’s Sharpness and Tactical Use
  • Target Practice Drill: Place cones or markers in the back half of the court and throw high, arching balls to them.
  • Defensive Lob Drill: Have a partner hit aggressive shots while you drill defensive lobs.
  • Surprise Lob Drill: This drill is not just about lobbing. Keep your enemies off balance by incorporating lobs into a mix of dinks and drops.

Your Pickleball Technique Toolkit

Backhand

The shot on your non-dominant side

dink

A soft shot with a big impact

drills

Repetition with intention

drive

A fast-paced, offensive shot

drop

A soft landing that sets you up for success

flick

A sudden, aggressive shot from a neutral position

Forehand

Your go-to shot for control and power

Lob

High shot to move opponents backward

Overhead

Powerful smash to finish the point

punch volley

A quick, compact volley that redirects pace

Reset

Soft shot to slow play and regain control

Return

Deep shot to push opponents back

roll

A topspin-heavy shot designed to dip quickly and kick high

serve

The first shot that sets the tone

spin

Control the ball’s bounce, flight, and direction

transitioning

The space between defense and offense

Frequently Asked Questions

A pickleball lob is a high-arching shot aimed deep into the opponent’s court. It’s used to push opponents back, disrupt their rhythm, and create offensive or defensive opportunities.

Use a lob when your opponent is close to the net or when you need to reset the rally. It’s effective for changing pace, regaining positioning, or applying pressure from a distance.

To execute a lob, use a slightly open paddle angle, a smooth and controlled swing, and transfer your weight forward during follow-through. These elements help generate lift and accuracy.

Mistakes include hitting too low or too high, poor placement near the opponent’s dominant side, telegraphing the shot, and using a flat paddle angle that reduces consistency.

An offensive lob is used to pressure opponents by sending the ball deep and high. A defensive lob helps reset the rally when under pressure, giving you time to reposition.

A slightly open paddle angle helps lift the ball into a high trajectory. A flat paddle face can cause the ball to fly out or drop short, making it easier for opponents to attack.

A topspin lob adds forward spin to the ball, causing it to dip quickly after reaching its peak. This makes it harder for opponents to return and adds unpredictability to your shot selection.

To stay unpredictable, vary the height, depth, and angle of your lobs. Mix them with dinks and drops so opponents can’t anticipate when a lob is coming.

Try the Target Practice Drill, Defensive Lob Drill, and Surprise Lob Drill. These exercises build precision, timing, and strategic variation in your lob game.

Proper lob placement is deep in the court and away from your opponent’s dominant side. This reduces their ability to respond with an overhead smash and keeps you in control of the rally.

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