Unlocking The Ernie In Pickleball


You may have heard of the Ernie if you’re around advanced players on the pickleball court or watch the pros play. But what exactly is the Ernie in pickleball and how can you learn this shot?

What Is An Ernie In Pickleball?

The Ernie is when a player runs to the court’s sidelines by the kitchen net to hit a ball in the air. The non-volley zone rules still apply since the ball is taken in the air. Therefore, the player’s foot must not contact any part of the kitchen line before, during, or after making the shot.

The Ernie is considered an advanced shot because it takes setting you or your partner up for one. And more importantly, it requires good coordination and timing. You will need to move, jump around the kitchen’s corners, and contact the ball with your paddle at the right moment.

The Ernie can be an effective shot because it gives the player a good position to hit the ball in the air with power and angle. It makes it a lot harder for opponents to predict where and how the ball will land on their side.

How Do You Do An Ernie In Pickleball?

Executing an Ernie requires looking for the opportunity and setting yourself up for it. Depending on your reach, you want the ball to be dinked to you as close to the sidelines as possible. You also want the dink to be higher and not so close to the top of the net. There are several ways to set up an Ernie so let’s go over them.

Targeting The Backhand

The first way is when your opponent’s backhand is at the sides of the court. So if your opponent is right-handed, they would be standing on the left side of the court. Or if they’re left-handed, they would be standing on the right side of the court.

Your goal is to create a bad dink by having them turn their body and hit the ball with their backhand. This means you will have to aim the ball to the outside of their non-dominant foot, slightly behind them. This will force them to use their backhand while facing away from the net.

Most likely, the only shot they will have then is to dink directly in front of them. This is because their body may be in the way of a good crosscourt dink. This is when you should be jumping to the side of the kitchen to do the Ernie.

Down The Line Dinks

Another scenario where you can set up an Ernie is if you’re directly in front of an opponent that is avoiding dinking crosscourt to your partner. It could be because they consider your partner to be the better player. Or they think you will eventually cause a pop-up dinking down the line.

If you find your opponent to continue dinking directly to you, look for a pattern where they’re dinking as close to the sidelines. Anticipate the ball that you know you can reach for from the side of the kitchen. Then, hop to the side to execute the Ernie.

The Ernie Vs Bert In Pickleball

Similar to the Ernie, you may have also heard of the Bert. The Bert is where you run across the court in front of your partner to execute the Ernie. It requires anticipation, good footwork and timing, and coordination. It is often a putaway shot since it is hard for your opponents to predict this shot coming.

More Pickleball Tips

As with any other shot, learning and mastering the Ernie requires lots of drilling and practice. You can drill with a partner using either of the methods discussed.

Read Also: Pickleball Singles Strategy For Intermediate To Advanced Players

Read Next: 5 Helpful Pickleball Tips For Intermediate Players

Recommended Outdoor Pickleballs: Dura Fast 40 Pickleball Balls

Recommended Indoor Pickleballs: Onix Pure 2 Indoor Pickleball Balls

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