Pickleball serve training target

Serve with intent.
Score 21.

PickleServe™ 21 improves the accuracy of your serve so you win more points during the first three shots of your pickleball game. Play it solo or with a partner.

Get PickleServe 21 Learn the Game

Guaranteed to improve your game!

PickleServe 21 fan target Illustration of the fan-shaped target mat: a red 5-point zone in the corner, a green 3-point zone in the middle and a yellow 1-point zone on the outside, with a serve arcing in to land on the red 5. 5 3 1
12balls
21points to beat
10balls · advanced

Why it works

Practice the serve that wins the point

Accuracy

Aim every serve at the red 5 in the corner. Keep practicing until you feel confident hitting the red target area — you'll have a new weapon in your pickleball game.

Strategy

When warming up, probe your opponent's weakness — normally the backhand of the weakest player. Serve to it, and a weak return puts you or your partner in a better position to win the point.

Track Progress

Keep track of your PickleServe™ score over time to measure your progress — with the printable scoresheet or the scorekeeper on this page.

Built for players and club pros: play by yourself, with a partner, or run it as a two-target drill.

PickleServe 21 mat scoring zones The mat is a fan of quarter circles from one corner: red is worth 5 points, green 3 points and yellow 1 point, surrounded by a white margin. 5 3 1 white margin
Illustrative layout of the fan mat. The back of the mat has smaller targets.

How it works

Land it. Count it. Reach 21.

Place the mat in the corner of the service box you want to target and serve. Wherever the ball lands is what it scores. Call out the ball number and your running total as you go.

  • 5Red — the corner. The serve you want.
  • 3Green — the middle band.
  • 1Yellow — the outside band.

21+ points in 12 balls

That's the goal for every try. Hit it consistently and it's time to make things harder.

Ways to play

Solo, with a partner, or as a club drill

1 player

Solo Practice

  1. Place the target in the backhand corner of the serve you want to improve — likely your opponent's backhand side.
  2. Serve a total of 12 balls, adding up the points.
  3. Switch to the other backhand side for another 12.
  4. Then practice serves to the forehand sides.
  5. See if you hit a cumulative 21 points each try.

Only one target? A partner can call out balls and scores and return your serves — or do it yourself.

2 players · club pro format

Two Players, Two Targets

  1. Set up two opposing targets, one for each player.
  2. Alternate serving three balls at a time until 12 balls have been played.
  3. Each player calls out the ball number and the cumulative score.
  4. Record it on the printable scoresheet.
  5. Scoring 21 in 12 consistently on all four positions? Turn the targets over to the smaller side.

Variations

10balls to reach 21

Advanced Challenge

  • Orient the target in any one of four places on both the forehand and backhand sides.
  • Switch to the smaller targets on the reverse side.
  • Make up your own challenges as your accuracy develops.

Dinking Drills

Place the targets in and around the kitchen line and practice placing your dinks into the zones. Two targets are optimal for two players practicing with each other.

Serving strategy

Serve to the weakness

When warming up, probe your opponent's weakness. Normally, it is the backhand of the weakest player on your opponent's side. Your serves — and subsequent play — should target that weakness. Should they return your serve with a weak shot, either you or your partner will be in a better position to win the point.

First serve to a right-handed opponent's backhand Top-down court. The server stands just behind the baseline next to the center line and serves straight up the center to the red 5 in the far corner by the center line. 531 R SERVER
1st serve: targeting red #5, the right-handed opponent's backhand. Note: server is standing close to the center line.

Server Receiver (R right-handed, L left-handed) Mat sizes illustrative

5 Red rectangular sideline targets

A large (2 ft wide) and small (1.5 ft wide) rectangular 5-point target for practicing difficult side-court shots. Place them on the far right or left sideline from the kitchen line down. Points here are even more challenging and depend on where your opponent is standing.

Fold the red targets into halves, quarters, or just about any size you want to create the ultimate target challenge.

Running around the backhand?

If your opponent stands too far to the left or right to protect the backhand by running around it to hit a forehand, you can always serve it straight up the opposite side of the service box.

Scorekeeper

Keep score on court

Tap where each ball lands. Three trials make a session, and the session score is the average — just like the scoresheet. Keyboard: 0 1 3 5 to score, U to undo.

Mode
Target side

Ball 1 of 12

Trial 1 of 3

    Session average –

    History

      No sessions yet. Complete a trial and save it to start your history.

      Printable scoresheet

      Take it to the court

      Please feel free to make copies so you can keep score.

      Download original PDF

      PickleServe™ 21

      Guaranteed to improve your game!

      PickleServe™ 21 Challenge Scoresheet

      Thank you for participating!

      Name

      Pickleball level of experience / DUPR DUPR (if known)

      Beginner (to 3.25) Intermediate (to 3.95) Advanced (4.0+)

      Trial 1 · score per 12 balls

      1. 1
      2. 2
      3. 3
      4. 4
      5. 5
      6. 6
      7. 7
      8. 8
      9. 9
      10. 10
      11. 11
      12. 12

      PickleServe™ Score

      Trial 2 · score per 12 balls

      1. 1
      2. 2
      3. 3
      4. 4
      5. 5
      6. 6
      7. 7
      8. 8
      9. 9
      10. 10
      11. 11
      12. 12

      PickleServe™ Score

      Trial 3 · score per 12 balls

      1. 1
      2. 2
      3. 3
      4. 4
      5. 5
      6. 6
      7. 7
      8. 8
      9. 9
      10. 10
      11. 11
      12. 12

      PickleServe™ Score

      Average — add 3 scores then divide by 3.

      Total score =

      Red 5 · Green 3 · Yellow 1 · Goal: 21 in 12 balls

      Care & equipment

      Roll it right

      Rolling & storage

      When rolling the PickleServe™ 21 mat, always roll in the direction away from the red target on the target's long side.

      If curling is observed on the side closest to the server, lightly bend the target to straighten it or tuck it underneath so that it lies flat.

      What you need

      • PickleServe™ 21 targets — with smaller targets on the reverse side
      • A 20-ball pick-up tube for your own practice

      Get yours

      Ask your club trainer or pro

      To acquire the PickleServe™ 21 targets and a 20-ball pick-up tube for your own practice, please check with your club trainer/professional — or get in touch with RCI.

      RCI

      P.O. Box C
      Ironia, NJ 07845