Every new player loses points to the same few habits. The good news is that most of them take one open-play session to fix, not a season of lessons. Here are 11 of the most common, with the fix for each, based on USA Pickleball’s guidance for new players.
The short version
- Consistency beats power, on the serve and in rallies.
- Return deep, then get to the kitchen line.
- Let the serve and the return bounce.
- Keep your paddle up and face the player who’s hitting.
- Aim for the middle, and let your opponents make the mistakes.
1. Trying to serve too hard
A booming serve feels great until it sails long. Each server gets only one attempt, so a missed serve costs your team a turn. Fix: serve for consistency first, aim deep rather than fast, and keep a little distance from the lines.
2. Returning short
A short return lets the serving team step in and attack, and it leaves you stuck at the baseline. Fix: hit a deep return with some loft on it. The extra air time lets you walk up to the kitchen line before the next ball comes back.
3. Forgetting the two-bounce rule
The serve must bounce before it’s returned, and the return must bounce before the serving team hits it. Volley either one and it’s a fault. Fix: if you’re on the serving team, stay back until the return has bounced. If you’re returning, let the serve land first, every time.
4. Staying back (or stopping halfway)
USA Pickleball calls the non-volley zone line the strongest position in pickleball, yet many beginners stay parked at the baseline. Others stop halfway, in the transition zone, where opponents can hit shots at their feet. Fix: once the two bounces have happened, move up to the kitchen line as soon as you can, and don’t linger in between. Our doubles strategy guide explains how to get there.
5. Volleying from the kitchen
Once you’re at the line, it’s tempting to lean in and take a ball out of the air with a toe on the line. That’s a fault: the line is part of the kitchen. Fix: keep both feet behind the line when you volley, and watch your follow-through, because momentum that carries you into the kitchen after a volley is a fault too. The full rules are in our kitchen rules guide.
6. Letting your paddle drop
A paddle hanging by your knees has a long way to travel when a fast ball comes at your chest. Fix: hold it up and in front of you, around chest height, between shots. You’ll react faster and block more balls back.
7. Watching the net instead of the hitter
Standing square to the net while the ball is on the far sideline leaves you a step late. Fix: turn to face the player who’s about to hit, and watch their paddle. Its angle gives you early clues about where the ball is going and how fast.
8. Going for winners too early
USA Pickleball’s tips for new players note that about 75% of rallies end on unforced errors. Every low ball you try to smash is a chance to hand the other team a point. Fix: keep the ball in play, and save the put-away for a ball that clearly sits up.
9. Aiming for the lines
Sideline winners look great on video and miss constantly in real life. Fix: aim for the middle of the court. It’s a bigger target, it leaves your opponents fewer angles, and it can make them hesitate over who takes the ball. Placement beats power.
10. Moving while your opponent hits
If you’re still running when your opponent makes contact, you can’t change direction in time. Fix: get balanced, with a small split step, just as they hit, then move to the ball.
11. Crowding your partner
Two paddles going for the same ball usually means neither hits it well, and the other half of the court is wide open. Fix: give your partner room. If they get pulled wide, shift toward the middle to cover the gap, and settle middle balls early with a quick “mine” or “yours.”
One habit to take into your next game
If you only fix one thing, make it this: deep return, then walk to the kitchen line. It solves mistakes 2 and 4 at once and puts you where most points are won. Then brush up on how scoring works, so you’re not the one who calls “four–three–seven.”
Sources
- USA Pickleball, Top Tips for New Pickleball Players (October 2025)
- USA Pickleball, Pickleball Basics: Positioning, Patience, and Kitchen Line Strategy (September 2025)
- USA Pickleball, Pickleball Rules Summary
- USA Pickleball, 2026 Official Rulebook (Rule 10.A, two-bounce rule; Section 11, non-volley zone)
