The best third shot drop drills build the shot in stages: soft touch from close range first, then full drops from the baseline against a feeder, then drops you have to follow to the net, then live points where a high drop gets punished. Practice each stage until about 7 of 10 balls land in the kitchen, then move one step back or add pressure.

Below are eight drills (solo, partner and four-player), each with a setup, a rep count, a success target and the mistake that usually breaks it, plus a simple rule for when to drop and when to drive.

Why is the third shot drop so important (and so hard)?

Because of the two-bounce rule. The serve and the return of serve must each bounce before being returned (Rule 10.A in the 2026 rulebook), so the serving team has to stay back while the returning team walks up to the kitchen line. By the third shot, your opponents are at the net and you're at the baseline. The drop is how you get up there without handing them an easy volley. Our third shot drop glossary entry covers the basic idea.

It's hard because of the geometry. You're standing around 22 feet from the net, the net is 34 inches high in the middle, and you're trying to land the ball in a zone that only extends 7 feet from the net. The ball has to rise, clear the tape, and fall short of two players who are waiting to pounce on anything that sits up. Too firm and it floats into their strike zone. Too soft and it dies in the net.

That's why drop practice beats drop theory. You need hundreds of repetitions to learn what "just enough" feels like.

How to hit a third shot drop

A quick technique checklist before you start drilling:

Get low and get set. Bend your knees and be stopped, or nearly stopped, when you make contact. Most bad drops are hit on the run.
Open the paddle face slightly. You need lift, not topspin and not a chop.
Swing from the shoulder, low to high. Keep your wrist quiet and push the ball up and out with a smooth, long stroke. Think "lift," not "hit."
Peak the ball on your side. The highest point of the arc should come before the net, so the ball is already falling when it crosses.
Follow it in. As soon as you finish the stroke, move forward and split-step when your opponent hits.

Where to aim a third shot drop

Aim for the middle of the kitchen, a little short of the kitchen line, with plenty of margin over the net. Landing it right next to the net is a bonus, not the goal. The middle between your two opponents is the safest target because it creates a moment of "yours or mine?" and narrows their angles. Once you're consistent, add a target toward the backhand side.

Third shot drop drills at a glance

#	Drill	Players	Reps	Success target	Most common mistake
1	Wall touch	Solo	3 x 2 min	20 soft hits in a row above the tape	Hitting too hard
2	Drop-in ladder	Solo	5 per distance	3 of 5 in the kitchen before stepping back	Rushing back to the baseline
3	Self-feed baseline drops	Solo	30 balls	15 of 30 in the kitchen	Swinging with the wrist
4	Feed and drop	2	50 balls	7 of 10 in the kitchen	Ball peaks on the far side
5	Drop and step	2	30 balls	Reach the transition zone without a pop-up	Moving while hitting
6	Drop or drive call	2	40 balls	Right choice 8 of 10 times	Dropping a high ball
7	Serving-team-must-drop game	4	Games to 7	Serving team wins a third of points	Charging the net behind a bad drop
8	Two-player transition game	4	10 min, then rotate	Both servers at the line in 4 shots	Staying back after a good drop

The targets are practice benchmarks, not official standards. If you're well below one, stay at that drill. If you're well above it, move on.

Solo third shot drop drills

You can build most of the touch for this shot alone. You can't fully replace a live opponent, but you can get your first few hundred reps in without waiting for anyone.

Drill 1: Wall touch

Setup. Put a strip of tape on a practice wall at about net height (34 inches). Stand 8 to 10 feet back.

Reps. Three rounds of two minutes, forehand only, then backhand only, then alternating.

Target. 20 soft hits in a row that strike the wall just above the tape and come back to you on a bounce.

Mistake fix. If the ball comes back hard and fast, you're punching. Slow the paddle down and lengthen the stroke so the ball comes off the face rather than being slapped.

A wall can't teach the arc of a real drop, because the ball never crosses a net and falls. Use it for paddle control and soft contact, then take the shot to a court.

Drill 2: Drop-in ladder

Setup. On a court with a bucket of balls, start one step behind your kitchen line and drop-feed yourself (bounce the ball and hit it).

Reps. Five balls from each distance. After every set where at least 3 of 5 land in the opposite kitchen, step back about three feet. Keep going until you reach the baseline.

Target. Reach the baseline in one session without restarting.

Mistake fix. Players rush back to the baseline because that's where the "real" shot is. Don't. If you miss two sets in a row, step forward one spot. The ladder teaches you how the stroke has to lengthen as you move back.

Drill 3: Self-feed baseline drops

Setup. From the baseline, bounce-feed yourself and hit drops to a target in the opposite kitchen. A towel or a few cones in the middle of the kitchen works.

Reps. 30 balls, then collect and repeat from the other side of the court.

Target. 15 of 30 in the kitchen. Count only balls that clear the net with room to spare.

Mistake fix. Wrist flicks give you a different ball every time. Lock the wrist and let the shoulder make the swing. If the ball still floats, hit it a little lower in your stance rather than swinging softer.

Third shot drop drills with a partner

A partner adds the two things solo practice can't: a real incoming ball and someone at the net who makes a high drop feel dangerous.

Drill 4: Feed and drop

Setup. Your partner stands at their kitchen line and feeds deep, medium-pace balls to you at the baseline, like a return of serve. You drop. They catch or softly block back.

Reps. 50 balls, split between forehand and backhand. Switch roles.

Target. 7 of 10 land in the kitchen without giving your partner anything to attack.

Mistake fix. If your partner can volley your drops at shoulder height, the ball is peaking on their side of the net. Aim to have the arc's highest point over your own court, so the ball is falling as it crosses.

Drill 5: Drop and step

Setup. Same feed as Drill 4, but after each drop you move forward two or three steps and split-step as your partner blocks the ball back at your feet. Hit that ball softly back into the kitchen (a reset) and keep moving forward.

Reps. 30 sequences. Reset to the baseline each time.

Target. Reach the middle of the court (the transition zone) without popping a ball up.

Mistake fix. Most players try to move and hit at the same time. Stop, hit, then move. When the partner's paddle touches the ball, both your feet should be on the ground.

Drill 6: Drop or drive call

Setup. Your partner mixes feeds: some low and deep, some high and short. You decide on each ball whether to drop or drive.

Reps. 40 balls.

Target. Right choice 8 of 10 times (see the decision rule below).

Mistake fix. The common error is dropping a ball that's sitting up at chest height. A high ball is an invitation to drive; take it.

Four-player third shot drop drills

Live points are where your drop has to hold up. Two four-player games put the shot under real pressure.

Drill 7: Serving team must drop

Setup. Normal doubles, but the serving team must hit a drop on the third shot. If the drop lands in the kitchen, play the rest of the point out. A drive on the third shot loses the rally.

Reps. Games to 7, using rally scoring so every rally counts. Swap serving and receiving teams each game.

Target. The serving team wins about a third of the points. That's a good sign the drops are getting there, because the receiving team has a big advantage in this game.

Mistake fix. Don't charge the net behind a drop that's floating. If your drop sits up, stop, get ready to defend, and reset the next ball before you move forward.

Drill 8: Two-player transition game

Setup. Same as Drill 7, but the serving team only scores if both players reach the kitchen line during the point. Their opponents score normally.

Reps. Ten minutes, then rotate teams.

Target. Both servers at the kitchen line within four shots.

Mistake fix. After a good drop, some players stay at the baseline out of habit. A drop that lands in the kitchen is your ticket forward. Use it.

When you're ready to test this in real games, record them. Pickleball Plus Games keeps the live score on your phone or Apple Watch, and every confirmed game moves your rating on a 2.00 to 8.00 scale, so you can see whether your practice sessions are translating into wins over a few weeks. The app has no drill library or video analysis; it's a scorekeeper and a rating. If you need partners for drills like these, Pickleball Plus Groups is where local players organize play.

Third shot drop vs drive: when to use each

USA Pickleball's Level 3 guidance gives a simple rule: drop low balls, drive high balls, and follow your shot in. That's the right starting place.

Situation	Better choice	Why
Return is deep and low	Drop	A drive from below the net has to go up, which gives your opponents a volley
Return is short or sitting up	Drive	You can hit down, or flat and hard, and keep them on the defensive
Opponents are already set at the kitchen line	Drop	Driving into two set volleyers rarely wins
One opponent is still moving forward	Drive, at their feet	It's harder to volley while running
You're off balance or late	Drop, with extra height	Safer to give up a little height than to miss
You've driven and they blocked it soft	Drop on the fifth shot	The drive moved them back; the drop gets you in

The last row is worth practicing. Many players drive the third shot, then drop the fifth. It's the same skill you're building, just one shot later in the rally. For a wider look at doubles positioning and shot selection, see our pickleball strategy guide.

Pickleball drills for 3.5 players: a 45-minute practice plan

If you're around 3.0 to 3.5, the drop is the shot that most often separates the two levels. Our explainer on what a 3.0 pickleball player is breaks down the gap. Here's a session that fits a typical court booking:

Minutes	Drill	Focus
0 to 5	Dinking warm-up	Soft hands
5 to 10	Drill 2: drop-in ladder	Feel the stroke lengthen
10 to 20	Drill 4: feed and drop	Volume, both wings
20 to 28	Drill 5: drop and step	Moving after the drop
28 to 35	Drill 6: drop or drive call	Decision-making
35 to 45	Drill 7 or 8	Pressure

Two or three of these sessions a week, mixed in with open play, will do more for your drop than a whole weekend of games. Keep a note of your success rate on Drill 4 so you know whether it's going up.

Track your progress with Pickleball Plus

Drills build the shot. Games show whether it holds up. Record your doubles with Games in Pickleball Plus, keep score on your phone or Apple Watch, and watch your 2.00 to 8.00 rating move as opponents confirm results. Download Pickleball Plus and find a drill partner in Groups.

FAQ

How do you practice third shot drops by yourself?

Use a wall for soft contact and paddle control, then take a bucket of balls to a court and self-feed drops from progressively farther back, starting near the kitchen line and finishing at the baseline. Count how many land in the kitchen so you know when to move back. Solo practice builds touch, but you'll eventually need a partner to feed real returns.

Why is the third shot drop so important?

Because the two-bounce rule keeps the serving team back while the receiving team moves to the kitchen line. The drop is how the serving team neutralizes that advantage and gets to the net without giving away an easy volley. Without it, you're stuck hitting up from the baseline.

Where should you aim a third shot drop?

Aim for the middle of the kitchen with plenty of clearance over the net. The middle between your opponents creates confusion about who takes the ball. Once you're consistent, add the backhand side as a second target.

Should I hit a third shot drop or drive?

Drop low balls and drive high ones. If the return is deep and low, a drive has to go up and becomes an easy volley, so drop. If the return is short or sits up, drive it. Many players drive first and drop the fifth shot.

How many third shot drops should I practice?

Enough to repeat the stroke many times per session. Fifty partner-fed drops is a good core block, with solo self-feeding on top. Track your rate (how many of 10 land in the kitchen) and move up a drill when you're consistently hitting the target.

What are good pickleball drills for 3.5 players?

Third shot drop drills top the list, especially feed-and-drop and drop-and-step, because the drop is a core skill at this level. Add dinking drills, resets from the transition zone, and a drop-or-drive decision drill. Finish each session with a pressure game like "serving team must drop."