Pickleball tip of the Week: No fourth? Try these three-person drills

There can come a time when you want to get some pickleball action in whether it's to play, practice or run some drills, but you only have three people. Your fourth person is going to be 45 minutes late or says they can't come at all. That's where this week's tip comes in. Coach Mary's Pickleball Tip

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There can come a time when you want to get some pickleball action in whether it's to play, practice or run some drills, but you only have three people. Your fourth person is going to be 45 minutes late or says they can't come at all.

That's where this week's tip comes in.

Coach Mary's Pickleball Tip of the Week: Three-person drills

There is no reason you need to wait for your fourth player to arrive to drill, practice or play. I am regularly incorporating three-person drills into my own workouts. That means more touches, and more accuracy, since the two players must hit to the single players’ side of the court.

Here are some options:

Dinking only 2 on 1. Cutthroat.
Dinking 2 on 1 – add speed-ups and attacks.
2 on 1 with the single player in the transition zone to start, then they can move in.
2 on 1 7-11, with the single player up, or harder version, the single player is back.
Australian, or regular game 2 on 1. The two players must hit to the side the single player is on.

One of our favorite online instructors Jordan Briones has a 2-on-1 drill I like.

It's a 2 on 1, with the single player in the transition zone. He must hit three resets before

he can come in. Play it out, first one to 5 wins.

If the single player misses, they rotate.

Another online instructor Ed Ju has a 2-on-1 drill in which all players at the NVZ. The single player must cover 60% of the court. After 2 dinks, get ready for a speed up!

Online instructor Coriellottpb has a three person drill in which it's 2 on 1 with all players up at the NVZ, playing it out after a courtesy dink feed. Players will each get to be on their own – play to 7 points.

And follow that up with 2 on 1 playing 7-11, with the single player back, trying to execute a 3^rd and follow it in.

And finally, from The Art of Pickleball, there is a good drill with 2 on 1 but playing full court (we used to call this Australian Doubles in tennis).