Touch/Push or Flick?

Dear Pingskills,

I am having trouble sometimes deciding whether or not to do a touch or a push, or go for a flick.

I am comfortable with flicking the ball, but am not very experienced or comfortable with touching the ball over the net or the strategies behind it. Could you please explain some of the strategies behind the touch and explain some of how to properly perform and place a touch or push. Thank You.

John Wamp 

Hi John,

The touch is just a short push.  Think of it as a small push stroke where you don't need to generate any forward momentum.  You need to get the position of your bat correct and then the angle of your bat right to get the ball back onto the other side close to the net.

It is very much a matter of feel to get the right angle on your bat. The main thing I see is that players try to do too much with this ball.  Let the pace already on the ball and the angle of your bat do all the work for you.  It is just a matter of fingers and perhaps a little wrist but not any other part of your arm that will make this shot work for you.

Get as much experience with this as you can.  It will improve.