Keeping it in the Lines

If you are a regular reader of my column, then you are aware of my obsession with unforced errors. Having a winning strategy in pickleball, like in tennis, is very simple: be the last person to hit the ball over the net and inside the lines and you win the point. This fact is especially true in beginner-level play because players are still working on developing their strokes and understanding strategies. Unfortunately, at this point in a player's career, the majority of points are being decided on errors instead of winners. With all of those facts understood and accepted, even on higher levels of play, sometimes our biggest opponent is ourselves! 

Being a lifetime avid recreational golfer, I have an annual ritual of watching The Masters golf tournament. During this year's tournament coverage, one of the commentators was talking about how challenging the course is at Augusta National and stated that while all of these players competing in this tournament are capable of hitting spectacular shots, the cold hard fact is that the players who can control their nerves and emotions, consistently keep the ball in the fairways for 18 holes over four rounds of play, and come up with the big shots in the big moments, are the ones who become the champions. This got me thinking about how this theory relates to tennis and pickleball. As a recreational player, I might not necessarily be capable of hitting spectacular shots like the pro’s. However, if I can consistently keep the ball in play, control my nerves and emotions, and occasionally come up with some big shots in the big moments, then I, too, can become a champion!

To accomplish this, as long as we are not being forced or pressured by our opponents, we must be consistent in our ability to simply keep the ball in play. As a tennis player, if I find myself experiencing issues with my abilities to clear the net and keep the ball inside the lines, aka unforced errors, I would begin to utilize what I call the “two by two rule.” Two by two means keeping the ball two feet over the net and two feet inside of the lines. By applying this rule, I could continue with my strategy of play yet maintain a safety margin, which would lower my number of unforced errors. Because of the smaller court space I am utilizing in pickleball, I would change the formula to one by one, which meant keeping the ball one foot over the net and one foot inside of the lines.

As long as my opponent is not hitting a barrage of winners against me, the result of applying this strategy is quite simple; the fewer errors I make on my own (aka, unforced errors), the more points I will win. If my opponent is forcing me to make mistakes and hitting winners against me, then I need to have an alternate plan B, aka a backup strategy, to hopefully get the momentum to swing back into my favor. Having a backup plan is a subject I will cover in a future column.

So apply the strategy of a title-holding pro playing the course at Augusta National and you too can be a champion!