CARL TAIBL AND KYLE MCMAKIN WAITING FOR THE FOURTH SHOT DURING A TOURNAMENT IN CALABASAS, CA.
they’ ll execute a real drop and start transitioning toward the kitchen together. That’ s when the fourth shot stops being a formality and starts being where the point is won or lost.
At this level, your fourth shot must do two jobs at the same time: apply pressure to whoever is coming in and not give them a ball they can attack. That balance is harder than it sounds. A lot of players at 3.5 try to overpressure. They swing big and either miss or leave it high, and the serving team can attack the high ball.
The fix is awareness. Don’ t just track where your opponents are right now— track where they’ re heading and how fast they can get there. Too often we see them in their current spot, but by the time our shot travels to them, they’ ve closed enough space that the ball arrives much higher than we wanted.
You have to read how quickly each player closes ground. If they don’ t close well, it doesn’ t matter as much. If they do, you need to hit the ball well in front
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MAY / JUNE 2026 | MAGAZINE 19