You’ve probably heard it courtside: “Just smash it!” But if you’ve ever found yourself in a dead sprint after a perfectly placed dink or lunging off balance because of a feather-light reset, you know that brute force alone doesn’t win rallies. In fact, some of the most frustrating — and effective — pickleball is played with what Coach Marko Grgic calls “the soft game.”
In a new Pickleball Union training session, Coach Marko shows us how dialing back your grip pressure and learning to control the ball with precision can neutralize even the most aggressive power players. It’s not about playing passively — it’s about playing smart, soft, and surgically.
Let’s dig into the techniques he teaches, plus the why behind them, so you can start winning more points without even thinking about the big swing.
Watch the Soft Game in Action: Coach Marko’s Demonstration
Before we break everything down, don’t miss the video demonstration. Coach Marko walks through each drill in real time, explaining body positioning, paddle angle, and grip feel as he goes.
It’s an excellent visual reference for everything below and a must-watch if you’re serious about developing a high-IQ soft game.
Why Power Players Struggle Against the Soft Game
Power players often dominate at the recreational level because they hit hard, fast, and with confidence. But what happens when the ball doesn’t come back fast enough for them to feed off their own momentum?
That’s where the soft game thrives. By controlling pace, placement, and spin — especially from the kitchen line — you force your opponent to generate their own power while constantly adjusting their balance and footwork. You expose cracks in their control and consistency.
In Coach Marko’s words, “Soft grip pressure gives you touch, and touch gives you control — and control wins rallies.”
Step 1: Rethinking Softness – It’s All in the Grip
Coach Marko gives us the perfect mental model:
“Think about walking into the house and gently tossing your car keys onto the counter.”
That moment — relaxed, casual, effortless — is the exact energy you want in your grip. Too tight and you’ll pop the ball up or misread spin. Too loose and you’ll lose paddle control. But just right? That’s where the magic lives.
Try This:
- Hold your paddle like you’re cradling a bird — firm enough so it doesn’t fly away, soft enough not to crush it.
- On a 1–10 scale, keep your grip pressure around a 3 or 4 during dinking and resets.
- Use your fingers more than your palm — this increases feel and reduces tension.
Step 2: The Figure Eight Drill – Feel the Flow
Now that you’ve softened your grip, it’s time to develop touch and directional control.
Drill: The Moving Figure Eight Toss
Grab a partner. You’ll hand-toss balls to each other while moving side to side, tracing a figure-eight path on the court. The goal?
- Stay in motion
- Adjust your paddle angle
- Catch the ball cleanly with a soft touch
- Keep the rally alive with placement, not power
This drill simulates how you’ll need to control the ball during real points — not from a static position, but while moving and reacting.
Coach’s Tip: Use the toss to move your partner around. Don’t just feed it to their paddle — challenge their balance like you would in a real dink exchange.
Step 3: Dink Off the Bounce? Try Taking It Out of the Air
Dinks that bounce give your opponent more time. Dinks taken out of the air apply pressure and preserve your court positioning.
In this final drill, Coach Marko focuses on:
- Leaning in, not lunging
- Reading the arc of the incoming dink early
- Soft hands that guide, not jab, the ball
- Moving the ball around, rather than feeding it back to the same spot
Goal: Keep your dinks low (no more than 12 inches above net height) and directional — to your opponent’s feet, outside shoulder, or into the kitchen corners.
Why It Works: By taking time away from your opponent while staying in control, you gradually push them off balance. They’ll eventually pop one up or miss wide — no big swing needed.
Next Steps
Ready to elevate your game?
- Watch the demo with Coach Marko
- Practice the three drills with a partner
- Focus on grip pressure and ball movement in your next rec game
Trust the process. The more you embrace the soft game, the less you’ll feel pressured to “win” with power — and the more your opponents will start dreading your dinks.
The Takeaway: Soft Doesn’t Mean Passive — It Means Precise
The soft game isn’t about playing defensively or just “getting it back.” It’s about using touch to create opportunities. By mastering grip pressure, staying mobile, and targeting your dinks with purpose, you can:
- Disrupt power players
- Reset chaotic rallies
- Control tempo and space
- Force unforced errors — all without a single smash
In Coach Marko’s approach, the soft game is a weapon — and one that power players absolutely hate facing.
