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Rinky-Dink Means Small-Time, Not a Pickleball Shot

Rinky-dink means small-time or old-fashioned. On a pickleball court, the actual shot is a dink—a soft ball that lands in the Kitchen.

Marcus Tran · 2 min read

Rinky-dink is an informal adjective meaning small-time or old-fashioned, according to Merriam-Webster. It often carries a mildly dismissive tone, suggesting that something is minor, unsophisticated or behind the times.

Examples:

  • “We started with a rinky-dink court marked in chalk.”
  • “The club replaced its rinky-dink portable net.”
  • “It was a rinky-dink local event, but everyone had fun.”

The usual spelling is rinky-dink, with a hyphen. Be careful when describing someone else’s court, equipment or event: the term can sound insulting rather than playful.

Is a rinky-dink a pickleball shot?

In standard pickleball terminology, the shot is called a dink, not a rinky-dink.

USA Pickleball defines a dink as a soft shot hit after a bounce and intended to arc over the net into the opponent’s non-volley zone, commonly called the Kitchen. An effective dink is descending as it crosses the net, which makes an aggressive reply more difficult (USA Pickleball).

Context usually reveals what a player means:

  • “That’s a rinky-dink net.” The net seems inadequate or old-fashioned.
  • “We played at a rinky-dink event.” The event seemed small-time or informal.
  • “Hit a rinky-dink.” This is playful or mistaken wording; the intended shot is probably a dink.

A dink may be soft, but that does not make it unimportant. Its low bounce can limit an opponent’s opportunity to attack downward. For the shot’s technique and a partner drill, see the full dink definition.

How to recognize a dink

Watch the bounce and trajectory, not just the speed. A dink should:

  1. Be struck after the ball bounces.
  2. Clear the net under control.
  3. Land in the opponent’s Kitchen.
  4. Descend low enough to discourage an easy downward attack.

For a quick check, stand at opposite Kitchen lines with a partner and play five cooperative crosscourt dinks, letting each ball bounce. Count only shots that land in the Kitchen and are descending as they cross the net. If the ball floats high, shorten the backswing and use a gentle lifting motion from the shoulder.

Rinky-dink describes something small-time or old-fashioned. Dink is the pickleball shot.