6 Tennis Ball Machine Practice Drills
Here are some ideas for utilizing your tennis ball machine in your practice sessions. Before we get into details of the drills though, a word of caution: make sure you’re reinforcing good technique, not bad! To help with this you may want to:
- work with a coach or friend who’s at least as good as you
- consider video-taping your session – you may spot things as an observer that you can’t as a player
Practice Drill 1
Fire ball after ball to the same position on court, to allow you to really groove a particular shot. Bye bye, dodgy backhand. You can do this for just about any shot: ground-strokes, half-volleys, volleys, overheads, return of serve, etc.
Practice Drill 2
Fire balls up the middle of the court and play alternating forehands and backhands by running around the ball – also good for your fitness and footwork.
Practice Drill 3
Use a two line setting (if your machine has one) to alternate hitting forehands and backhands. As you get better at this you can space the shots out more, and crank up the speed too, to really get the feet moving and practice hitting your shots on the run.
Practice Drill 4
Put your machine on a random oscillation setting so you get a mix of balls coming at you, and aim your returns at specific areas of the court. For example, play all shots deep and cross-court, or alternate between cross-court and down the line. If possible, set the machine to deliver a mix of topspin, flat and backspin balls.
Practice Drill 5
Again with your machine on random oscillation, practice specific patterns of play or shot combinations. For example, hit a couple of ground strokes, followed by an approach shot, half-volley, then a couple of volleys, to practice working your way into the net.
Practice Drill 6
If you have one of those super-duper programmable machines, punch in a specific sequence of balls so you can practice specific plays over and over. This could be a tactic of your own devising, or perhaps you want to recreate a point from a Federer-Nadal match…
These are obviously just the tip of the iceberg, and with most tennis ball machines the major limitation is your imagination! What are your favourite drills? Feel free to share in the comments below.
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Lobster tennis ball machines
Lobster tennis ball machines are some of the most popular on the market. I also happen to think they’re the best looking, although that’s not necessarily one of the main features I would base a purchasing decision on! The product line is divided into two main streams: the older electric models, and the battery powered Elite range. They start at a little over $500 for the basic Ball Bucket electric model, to well over $2,500 for the top of the range Elite Grandslam V battery model, once you factor in all the optional extras. So they cater to all sectors of the market, from individual buyers to clubs and schools.
Electric Lobster machines
Lobster sells three electric models: the Ball Bucket Model 201, Lobster Hybrid Model 301, and Tournament Model 401. These machines tend to be smaller and cheaper than the newer battery-powered Elite range, and while they don’t have some of the advanced features of the Elites, are still more than capable. They can toss the ball at speeds between 15 and 70 mph, can produce 80 degree lobs, and are capable of heavy topspin and backspin with the optional spin adaptor. Both the Ball Bucket and Lobster Hybrid provide random horizontal oscillation, and the Tournament Model adds vertical oscillation into the mix. Add to this the fact that electric machines are probably more durable, and you have a fairly compelling reason to seriously consider them. The one major downside is that not all courts provide access to mains power, so be sure to check this before buying!
Battery-powered Lobster machines
There are several battery-powered Lobster tennis machines to choose from: Elite Freedom, Elite 1, Elite 2, Elite 3, Elite Grandslam IV, and Elite Grandslam V. They all look very similar, but vary in features and associated price, from the entry-level Freedom, to the advanced Grandslam V. These tend to be a little more expensive and heavier than the electric machines, mostly due to the weight of the battery – they top out at about 44lbs. However, their big handles and wheels make them relatively easy to move around.
All these machines feature random horizontal oscillation, while the Elite 2 and upwards add vertical oscillation into the mix. The Elite 3 and above also have “2 line” settings to alternately hit two different spots on the court. All but the Elite Freedom feature topspin and backspin settings, and the Freedom also seems to have a shorter time between needing to charge the battery.
While battery powered models have the obvious advantage that you can use them on any court, bear in mind that the machine’s performance will degrade over the course of a session, and that this will happen quicker as the battery becomes older too.
Two year warranty
Lobster is very proud of their two year warranty, and I must say, it does give greater peace of mind knowing that there’s a safety net in case something goes wrong. I should point out though that the two year warranty does not extend to batteries – these are covered only for six months. So if you’re considering purchasing a battery machine, remember to factor in the price of a replacement battery.
For more information, please check out the manufacturer’s website.
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Tennis Ball Machine Feature Guide
Buying a tennis ball machine is an investment in your game, but considering that most machines on the market are not cheap, it makes sense to do a bit of research beforehand. This article will give an overview of the most common features found in today’s tennis ball machines to help you choose one that’s right for you.
Ball Capacity
How many tennis balls can a machine hold before you have to walk over and refill it? As with most other features, there is a wide range, but most good tennis ball machines have a capacity of 100 to 200 balls. Entry-level machines sometimes have lower capacities, while top-of-the-range ones can be significantly higher. Better make sure you have enough balls to fill it though!
Oscillation
This refers to the ability of the machine to create a random pattern of shots from side to side, instead of feeding balls to a single spot on the court. Oscillating machines can of course be set to not oscillate so you can practise a particular shot, but in general oscillation is a must-have feature or you will outgrow the machine very quickly.
Some high-end machines also feature vertical oscillation to randomly vary the trajectory of the ball and give you a more realistic mix of shots to deal with.
Ball Feed Rate
How many balls can a machine feed in a particular time? All but the most basic machines have settings that allow you to vary the rate from a ball every couple of seconds to a ball every 10 or twelve seconds. The more expensive machines tend to give you more control than the cheaper ones.
Ball Ejection Speed
How hard can the machine deliver the ball to you? Ideally you want one that won’t knock the kids’ heads off, but can still challenge you as your game develops. Most good machines can deliver balls at a gentle 10mph, or in excess of 60mph.
Spin
Can the machine impart spin to the ball? Backspin and topspin are standard on higher-end machines (including a no-spin option in the middle), which obviously provides a more realistic experience. The top machines can mix up balls with different spins, just as a human player would.
Trajectory
Most good ball machines can deliver flat groundstrokes to steep lobs and anything in between. This is important so you can practice a wide range of shots.
Size and Weight
Size and weight is an important consideration, as by necessity you are likely to have to lug the machine down to your court every time you want to use it. None are particularly portable, with the smallest machines standing about a foot high and weighing in at around 30lbs, and the largest can be four feet tall and weigh up to 100lbs!
Power Source
Most modern machines come with a rechargable battery as standard, but it is possible to find ones that run off mains power. Bear in mind that not all courts have accessible power outlets, so it’s safer to choose a battery-powered machine. However, performance is likely to degrade as the batteries run down, so if you’re planning on any seriously long sessions, you may need a spare battery pack. Most batteries should give you at least a couple of hours playing time though.
Portability
Portability here refers to whether or not a machine runs off mains power; battery-operated machines are considered ‘portable’, whereas mains ones are not, regardless of size!
Remote Control
Remote-controlled machines offer a convenience factor that allows you (or your coach) to control the machine without having to continually walk around to the other side of the net. It costs a little more, but you’ll be glad you did!
Price
Expect to spend upwards of $1000 (USD) for a decent machine, although it may be possible to pick up a bargain on . My best advice is to shop around, as prices vary tremendously between different retailers.
Manufacturer’s Warranty
Most tennis ball machines come with a one or two year manufacturer’s warranty for your peace of mind.
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