Pickleball Passing Shot: Down the Line, Crosscourt & When to Go

A pickleball passing shot is a groundstroke hit past an opponent who has moved forward toward the Kitchen line. The goal is not simply to hit harder. It is to combine timing, direction, height and the opponent’s movement so the volley becomes difficult—or impossible—to reach.

Passing shots matter most in singles, where one player must cover the full width of the court, but they also appear in doubles when one opponent is pulled out of position or both players crowd the middle.

Current USA Pickleball singles guidance emphasizes playing against momentum: watch where the opponent is moving and send the ball the other way. Recent 2026 pro coverage also shows that elite singles players such as Chris Haworth build large parts of their game around high-quality passing shots rather than automatically rushing forward.

What Is a Passing Shot?

A passing shot is usually hit from the baseline or transition area after the ball bounces. You are trying to send it:

• outside the opponent’s volley reach;
• behind their movement;
• through a gap they cannot close in time;
• low enough that even if they reach it, the volley is difficult.

The passing shot is different from an ATP. An ATP travels around the net post after the geometry opens outside the sideline. A normal passing shot still crosses the net in the normal way.

Passing Shot vs Drive

Drive	Passing shot
Describes the stroke style	Describes the tactical goal
Can be hit at any opponent position	Used when opponent is forward / closing the net
May target body, feet or middle	Usually targets space beyond their reach
Can set up the next ball	Often tries to finish or force a very weak volley

Most passing shots are drives, but not every drive is a passing shot.

The Four Passing-Shot Inputs

1. Opponent position: where are they now?
2. Opponent momentum: where are they moving?
3. Your contact: how balanced and high is your ball?
4. Available margin: which target gives you enough court and net clearance?

Those four inputs matter more than a fixed rule such as “always pass down the line.”

Down the Line vs Crosscourt

Down the Line

Down the line is the shortest path to the opponent’s side, so the ball reaches them quickly. It can be especially strong when the opponent is leaning or recovering toward the middle.

• Advantages: less travel time, can punish middle movement, often simpler visual target.
• Risks: shorter court length, higher part of the net, less lateral margin.

Crosscourt

Crosscourt gives you more diagonal court length and can move the opponent farther laterally. It is often the better choice when they are protecting the line or when your contact naturally creates angle.

• Advantages: more court length, can pull opponent farther, often better margin.
• Risks: more travel time, opponent may have time to stretch across if they read it early.

The better passing shot is usually the one that attacks the opponent’s current movement, not the one you prefer in isolation.

Play Against Momentum

This is one of the clearest principles in USA Pickleball’s current singles strategy guidance.

If the opponent is moving hard to their right, the space to their left may be more valuable than the visibly open court they can still reach while moving.

Look for:

• a crossover step;
• hips already committed toward one sideline;
• a player recovering back toward center;
• an opponent who has just lunged or reached;
• a net player shading early toward your favorite target.

The pass becomes easier when the opponent has to stop, reverse and reach instead of simply continuing their movement.

Use Height Before You Use Power

A passing shot is much easier from a comfortable ball.

Best opportunities usually include:

• a short ball that sits up;
• a bounce at or above comfortable strike height;
• enough time to set your feet;
• contact in front;
• a ball that lets you accelerate without falling away.

If the ball is low, stretched or behind you, trying to hit a clean winner around a net player often shrinks the margin too far.

That is where a reset, drop or neutral groundstroke may be better.

Topspin Helps You Create the Dip

Topspin can help a passing shot travel fast enough to beat the opponent while still dropping back into the court.

Use:

• early shoulder preparation;
• clean spacing;
• contact in front;
• a low-to-high swing path;
• enough forward acceleration that the ball penetrates rather than loops.

Our forehand groundstroke and backhand groundstroke guides cover the stroke mechanics in detail.

Aim Lower Than a Normal Rally Ball

When the opponent is at the Kitchen, a chest-high passing attempt can become an easy volley even if it is fast.

The useful target is often:

• through the gap but low;
• past the outside hip;
• near the sideline with margin;
• toward the feet if the clean pass is not available.

If you cannot beat the player cleanly, making them volley from below or near net height can still improve the next ball.

Pass the Player or Jam Them?

Not every “passing-shot situation” requires a clean winner.

If the opponent covers line and angle well, a hard low ball at the hip or feet can force a weak volley. That may create an easier second pass.

Think in two stages:

1. make the first volley difficult;
2. pass the next ball if the court opens.

This is especially useful against strong net players who rarely get beaten cleanly on the first attempt.

Passing Shots in Singles

Singles creates the clearest passing-shot geometry because one player has to cover the entire court.

USA Pickleball’s current singles strategy recommends:

• deep serves and returns;
• tracking the opponent’s movement;
• playing against momentum;
• following good shots forward when appropriate;
• avoiding low-percentage winners that are not there.

Recent 2026 pro reporting illustrates the same tactical tension. Chris Haworth often stays back and wins with passing shots, while Hayden Garnett has countered that pattern by protecting the line and making Haworth hit another pass rather than giving him the first winner.

The lesson is not “stay back like Haworth.” It is that strong passing-shot players still need variation because good opponents adapt.

For the complete singles framework, use our singles rules and strategy guide.

Passing Shots in Doubles

Doubles gives you less open space because two players cover the Kitchen line. Passing shots are therefore more situational.

Look for:

• one opponent pulled wide;
• both players crowding the middle;
• a poacher crossing too early;
• a player recovering from an Erne or sideline movement;
• a temporary gap created by partner confusion.

If both opponents are balanced side by side at the Kitchen, forcing a narrow sideline pass is often lower percentage than using a drop, reset or drive at the feet.

Inside-Out and Inside-In Passing Shots

If you run around a backhand to hit a forehand, two common options appear:

• Inside-out: forehand travels crosscourt away from your body position.
• Inside-in: forehand travels down the line from the run-around position.

The inside-out pass often gives more diagonal court, while the inside-in pass can surprise a player leaning to cover the expected crosscourt ball.

Do not run around the backhand if doing so makes you late or opens too much court. A strong backhand pass is better than a forced forehand.

Passing Shot vs ATP

These are related but different.

Passing shot	ATP
Crosses the net normally	Travels around the outside of the post
Available whenever net player leaves space	Requires a wide ball that creates outside-post geometry
Usually down line or crosscourt	Usually created by an extreme angle
No special net-post geometry required	Recognition of post geometry is essential

If the ball has traveled far enough outside the court that the post no longer blocks the path, the ATP guide is the relevant next step.

Common Passing-Shot Mistakes

Trying to Pass From a Defensive Contact

If you are stretched or late, the ball does not suddenly become a good passing opportunity just because the opponent is at the net.

Aiming for the Sideline Instead of a Zone

You do not need to paint the line. A ball several inches or a foot inside the sideline can still be unreachable if it attacks the correct movement.

Hitting Too Flat

A fast flat ball that travels chest-high may be easier to volley than a slightly slower ball that dips toward the outside hip or feet.

Predetermining Direction

If you decide “line” before seeing the opponent’s movement, you give up the biggest tactical advantage of the passing shot.

Watching the Pass Instead of Recovering

Assume the opponent may reach it. Recover for the volley rather than admiring the shot.

Why Does My Passing Shot Go Wide?

• you aim too close to the line;
• contact is late;
• you open the paddle face while trying to create angle;
• you run around the ball and lose balance;
• you force crosscourt angle from a poor contact.

Use a larger target zone and make the opponent’s movement—not the painted line—create the winner.

Why Does My Passing Shot Get Volleyed Easily?

• the ball is too high;
• your direction is predictable;
• you hit directly into the opponent’s preferred volley zone;
• you attack a balanced opponent instead of their movement;
• you use pace without enough dip.

Reduce the obsession with speed. Improve height, target and timing first.

Four Passing-Shot Drills

1. Line vs Crosscourt Read

One player starts at the Kitchen. The hitter receives a feed from the baseline. Before the feed, the net player subtly shades line or crosscourt. The hitter must pass into the opposite space.

2. Pass the Momentum

The net player begins in the middle and moves on the feeder’s cue. The hitter’s goal is to send the passing shot behind the direction of movement.

3. First Pass → Second Pass

The first pass must be low enough to make the volley difficult. If the net player gets it back, play the point out and look for the second opening.

4. 100-Ball Passing Reps

Recent September 2026 pro-drill coverage quotes world-class singles player Chris Haworth favoring high-volume drop-feed work from multiple court positions, including forehands down the line and crosscourt. You can adapt the same structure:

• 25 forehands down the line;
• 25 forehands crosscourt;
• 25 backhands down the line;
• 25 backhands crosscourt.

Start with large targets. Add movement and live reads only after contact quality is repeatable.

For broader drill selection, see our drills-by-skill-level hub.

A Simple Passing-Shot Decision Rule

Before you try to pass, ask:

1. Contact: am I balanced with the ball in front?
2. Movement: is the opponent committed in one direction?
3. Space: do I have a target larger than the sideline itself?
4. Height: can I keep the ball below an easy volley zone?
5. Recovery: am I ready if they touch the ball?

If the first four answers are weak, a safer shot is probably better.

Bottom Line

The best pickleball passing shots beat the opponent’s position and momentum—not just their reaction speed. Read where the net player is moving, choose line or crosscourt accordingly, create enough topspin or shape to keep the ball low, and leave margin inside the sideline.

In singles, passing shots can become a core attacking pattern. In doubles, use them more selectively when one player leaves real space. And if the clean pass is not there, make the first volley difficult and look for the second opening.

Sources

• USA Pickleball: Singles Strategy Tips
• Pickleball.com: Must-Try Singles Drills From the Pros
• Pickleball.com: 2025–26 PPA Finals Strategy Analysis
• Pickleball.com: Shots & Techniques Library