There’s no shot more controversial in pickleball than the lob. For some, it’s part of the game, and all is well. For others, the lob is taboo and ruins the game.

The differences in opinion become more pronounced when you consider the type of lob. A lob from the kitchen line is a much more accepted shot than the third-shot baseline lob. Despite its polarizing nature, there are plenty of sky-bound balls being hit every day across the country.

The third-shot baseline lob has even carved out a small amount of legitimacy in our game, with the pros employing it from time to time. Any time Ben Johns or Anna Leigh Waters hit a baseline lob, pickleball’s social media space sounds off with news that the third-shot lob is becoming a thing (it’s not really a “thing” on the pro scene – at least not yet).

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I, for one, have always been a fan of the shot. I am as good an all-around lobber as any player I have played against (and there are many good Sr. Pros in that group). I can effectively hit the lob from everywhere on the court, including the baseline.

And my shot has proven tremendously effective over the years. I know that when things are not going my team’s way in a rec game, I can throw up a couple of third-shot lobs to get back into the game. And I have won my share of medals by leaning – sometimes heavily – on that shot.

But … I have spent some time recently thinking about things (as I tend to do). And my conclusion is to stop using the baseline lob as a third shot. At least in rec game situations.

In this article, I share my thinking about why the baseline lob should be shelved for rec games. See if you agree. If you do, share this article with your lobbing friends and see what they think about the idea. Who knows? Maybe you can convince a few of them to take it easy on the lobs.

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A strategic perspective

It’s helpful to start our thinking on the shot from a strategic perspective. From this vantage point, the third-shot baseline lob is – in my view – not just a good shot. A well-executed third-shot baseline lob is the best third shot you can hit – at least strategically. Here’s why:

Pickleball’s framework, at the time of the third shot, puts the serving team at a positional disadvantage. More specifically, the serving team is at the baseline and the returning team (if it has done its job) is at the kitchen line.

The serving team’s positional disadvantage is the whole reason the third-shot drop exists. The shot uses the kitchen to activate the net and create a safe transition zone for the serving team to navigate forward up to the kitchen line.

This approach to overcoming the serving team’s positional disadvantage requires hitting the most difficult shot in pickleball while also engaging in the most difficult part of the game: Moving through the transition zone without getting “killed.”

But what happens if you are successful with your third-shot drop and your movement forward? The result is you have removed the return team’s positional advantage by drawing level with them. You are both playing now from “even” ground.

Compare that outcome to the layout of the court after a third-shot baseline lob. A successful third shot lob does not put you on “even” ground with the return team. Rather, it flips the script: You and your partner can now take the kitchen line and your opponents (the return team that, a moment ago, had control of the kitchen line) have been pushed back toward the baseline.

This is the power of the third-shot baseline lob: The serving team gets to go from positional disadvantage to positional advantage with a single shot. I can personally vouch for the effectiveness of the shot. Whenever we fall behind in a game and I need a point, I can turn to the baseline lob.

I know that the shot will apply maximum pressure on my opponents and give my team the edge in the rally.

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Why I am shelving my (amazing) third shot baseline lob

If the third-shot baseline lob is so strategically advantageous, why will I not be using it anymore? First, let’s get this out of the way: there is nothing wrong per se with hitting a baseline lob, including as a third shot. It’s a perfectly legitimate shot to hit.

The reason I will not be using this shot any longer is NOT that it’s improper or strategically flawed. The reason I will no longer be baseline lobbing is out of consideration for my friends with whom I am playing.

Hear me out and see if I can make the case. We all go to the pickleball courts to enjoy a friendly (hopefully) and challenging (again, hopefully) contest where we bat the ball back and forth a few times each rally. One of us wins the rally. One of us loses the rally.

The fun in pickleball comes from the batting of the ball back and forth. Remember the chainsaw serve? If you do not, it could be virtually unhittable when well struck. That serve changed the nature of the game to such an extent that games were not fun. I remember watching footage of a 4.5-level game where one team won in a super lopsided manner (11-1, I think) with nothing but serves.

It had to have been an awful playing experience for those on the court – both the serve team and the return team. Serve. Rally over. Switch left to right. Serve again. Rally over. Booooring.

It can be the same with the third-shot baseline lob. I could hit my lob every single third shot. And I would have success. But what about my friends? What would their experience be that day? Run back. Retrieve lob. Run back. Retrieve lob.

From my perspective, using this powerful shot in rec games could detract from my friends’ experiences on the court. And so, I, in full control of how I choose to play the game, can decide to say “Nah, not gonna do that to them.”

I would also add that my not lobbing in rec games pushes me to work on other parts of my game. I am “forced” not to lean on the lob, which creates opportunities to improve my other shots.

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Safety is also a consideration

This is not so much a concern in my general circles of play. Most of my opponents know how to safely move back to retrieve a lob. That is not the case, though, with most pickleball players. Many rec players do NOT know how to safely move back to retrieve a lob.

And lob coverage is the most dangerous movement on a pickleball court – by a mile. Broken arms and wrists, and even head injuries. Throwing up a lob in rec play does not make you responsible for your opponent’s fall. But … if you can remove this danger by not hitting one shot, wouldn’t you at least consider it?

Where the baseline lob still has a place

We started this conversation with the idea that I am shelving the baseline lob … mostly. There is one time when the third-shot baseline lob is still on the table: Competitive settings.

Tournament or league play, watch out: I’m bringing a heavy dose of the third-shot baseline lob. When executed well, it can be a game changer. In those settings, use whatever legal advantage you can.

I hope that this article provides you with a perspective on the lob that allows you to make a fuller decision about whether you will continue to use your baseline lob or, as I will, save it for competitive situations where it’s game on.

If you’re looking for more insights into high-level pickleball, the Better Pickleball Academy has you covered. You’ll also gain access to their easy to use “BP Play Guides” including middle dinking patterns and more. Use code “KITCHEN26” at checkout for a special offer just for Kitchen community members (3 months for the price of 2).

Tony Roig is a nationally-recognized coach, Sr. Pro Player, developer of “Respect the X” on the In2Pickle YouTube channel, and the voice behind the Pickleball Therapy podcast. Visit BetterPickleball.com for information on coaching from Tony and the BP team through their Camps, Academy, and No. 1 online training program: The Pickleball System.