This article is part of a series in which we debunk three big myths that pervade our game.

Myths are tricky – they sound right, and everyone is repeating them. So we follow them. And our game suffers as a result.

The first myth we tackled was “Move with your partner.” Here’s why that’s not always the right approach.

The second myth is a player favorite: “Forehand in the middle.” But what if a backhand would actually be better?

Today we tackle Myth 3: “Get to the Line!!”

Sounds good at first. Why wouldn’t you want to quickly get up to the line? However, it often ends up doing much more harm than good. In my coaching, I see player after player who has been misled by this myth. Let’s see if we can avoid you heading down that path.

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The Kitchen line is the goal, but it’s not mandatory

There is zero doubt that the best place from which to play a pickleball rally is up at the kitchen line. The issue we are dealing with here in Myth 3 is NOT about the strategic advantage of playing from the line. Rather, we are dealing with HOW you get to the line.

“Get to the Line!!” is not the right approach. In fact, in most rec games, it’s the absolute wrong approach.

The strategy changes based on who is serving

Before moving forward, we need to be clear about the side of play we are discussing. When you are the returner, you 100% want to get to the line after you hit your return. You can do this on the return side because of the protection given to you by the 2-bounce rule.

The problem we are dealing with in Myth 3 arises when you are on the serve side. The same rule that protected you on the return side now hampers you. By the time you are “released” from the 2-bounce rule so that you can move forward, your opponents — the return team — are up at their line.

Too late to just run up. If you’re playing pickleball without distinguishing between serve and return side play, you’re missing a big part of pickleball strategy. Join me at YourPickleball.Coach for pickleball coaching that’s built around this critical distinction.

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So what’s the problem?

Remember when we said that being at the line is the best place to play pickleball from? That’s the problem. Our opponents are up there. At the line.

We, on the other hand, are not at the line. If only it were as simple as running forward to the line, all would be well. But that’s not how things work out on the court.

WE’RE OPEN TO ATTACK

The moment we step into the transition zone, we are vulnerable to attacks from players in a much better court position than we are.

Extra coaching tip: Next time you’re playing, ask your friends to go up to the line. Then stand in the transition zone opposite them. Look at their shoes – they’re going to be protected by the net. Ask your friends if they can clearly see your shoes over the net. That’s the problem: You cannot hit their feet, but they can hit yours.

A LOT DEPENDS ON THE THIRD SHOT

If you were playing on the pro tour, perhaps you could just move forward and not worry about the quality of the third shot hit by your partner. But in the real world, particularly in recreational play, it’s unreasonable for us to expect our partner to consistently hit high-quality third shots.

So not only are we in a precarious position as we move through the transition zone, but our opponents are often hitting a ball that they can easily attack. As you’ve probably experienced in your own play, this combination often does not end well for us.

What usually happens to us as we run through the transition zone? We get passed with the ball. Or, worse yet, we get smashed.

This is what “Get to the line!!” gets us. Let’s explore a more productive approach to serve side play through the transition zone.

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Making the read – stay or go

Below, I’ll share an approach you can start using immediately, regardless of your current level of play. But first, let me give you the full answer to how to navigate the transition zone.

Moving through the transition zone when you’re on the serve side depends on these three factors:

  1. Position of the players on the return side.
  2. Existence (or not) of an early attack opportunity.
  3. Quality of the third, fifth, etc. shot

In the paradigm rally, both players on the return team will be up at the kitchen line at the time of the third shot.

In this case, movement depends entirely on the quality of the third shot that is hit. In this situation, you make a read to determine whether to stay or go.

On a good shot, you go.

On a not-so-good shot, you stay.

Even when it’s “go” and you move, you’ll need to determine how far you can get.

There are times when you may be able to make it all the way to the line in one movement. But more likely than not, you will need to make at least one stop along the way.

My friend and fellow coach Lon Krantz refers to these stops as connections along your flight. Using Lon’s framing, you will, more often than not, be taking a connecting flight from the baseline to the kitchen line. Nonstop flights are the exception.

What to do now?

First things first: Discard “Get to the line!!” from your playing vocabulary. It’s getting you “killed” up there.

Next, learn how to stay back, particularly when you’re not sure what to do. I tell my students, “If you’re not sure whether to stay or go, err on the side of staying.”

From the back, work on staying alive. Give your opponents shots that are increasingly difficult for them to attack you from. Then move forward opportunistically. This approach will result in many more points scored and far fewer smashes suffered.

Use it until you’re ready to focus on your transition zone movement. And enjoy the journey along the way.