The Erne

No, we aren’t talking about Sesame Street. The Erne shot is a trick shot in pickleball that takes precisely the right setup and execution. In this article we will address the two ways in which to do an Erne, as well as when to look for the opportunity.

Firstly, we must define it. An Erne is a shot made by a player in which they hit the ball out of the air while being positioned outside of the court near the net.

As all pickleball players know, the one place you cannot go when hitting the ball out of the air is the kitchen. So, how do players make the Erne happen when the kitchen is in the way? Well, the primary way is to jump over the kitchen, making sure to land both feet out of bounds.

For those who can’t make the leap, there is another way to get where you need to be. A player may run through the kitchen to make an Erne as long as BOTH feet are planted out of bounds before the ball is contacted. NOTE: you cannot touch the net, however, you may reach over the net as long as you make contact with the ball.

Why Erne? An Erne is an offensive shot that can be hard to return. It is usually hit as a hard drive. But it is done so seven feet closer than when driving from the kitchen line. Likewise, this sneak attack can catch opponents off-guard.

But practicing an Erne isn’t just about getting the mechanics correct. Unless you have ridiculously long arms, the ball must be at just the right spot in order for you to hit it. The prime time for this is when you are involved in the straight dink battle across the net. If your opponent is putting their dink straight at you near the line, you will more than likely be able to hit an Erne. On the cross-court aspect, this is again if your opponent is putting the ball near enough to the line that you are able to reach it from out of bounds. However, you must make sure the ball is high enough to drive through or hit down on. A low, faster dink is most likely going to go in the net on an Erne attempt.

Primarily, the best side of the court to do an Erne on is the one in which your forehand is in the middle. This allows you maximum reach when hitting the ball. However, backhand Ernes are just as possible. Just make sure there is enough room for a comfortable swing, because you have to reach across your body in order to contact the ball.