The easiest racket sport to pick up. Here is exactly what to do, in order.
Think tennis, played in pairs, on a smaller enclosed court with a short solid racket. The serve is underarm and the walls stay in play, which is why rallies last and why beginners are competitive almost immediately.
Padel is doubles only, so there are four of you on court and someone alongside you the whole time. You are never the only one covering the space, which is a large part of why it is friendlier than singles tennis.
You bounce the ball and strike it below waist height, diagonally into the opposite box. Nobody is firing down aces, so points begin evenly whether you started last week or last year.
The court is enclosed in glass and mesh. If a ball passes you, it will often rebound off the back wall and come straight back into play, so you get a second chance at balls that would be gone in tennis.
Fifteen, thirty, forty, game. Six games takes a set, best of three sets takes the match. If you have ever half-watched Wimbledon, you already know how to keep score.
No strings. A padel racket is a light perforated bat with a bigger sweet spot and far less power than a tennis racket, which makes it much easier to control from the first swing.
Between the walls, the underarm serve and the smaller court, far fewer points end in one shot. Beginners spend their first hour actually hitting the ball rather than picking it up off the floor.
There is not much to learn. These four cover almost everything you will meet in your first few games, and a coach will fill in the rest on court.
Want the detail? The LTA publishes the full rules of padel. Or just book a beginner session and let a coach walk you through it.
From never having held a racket to playing every week. Most people get through the first three steps inside a month.
A coach-led hour with other first-timers. You will learn the serve, the scoring and how to use the walls, then play points by the end.
Give yourself time to park, find the courts and say hello. The coach will explain the format before you start, so nothing is a surprise.
Socials are organised games with rotating partners, grouped roughly by standard. It is the fastest way to get court time and meet people who play.
Once you are rallying, grab three friends and book whenever suits. Off-peak is the cheapest way to get regular court time.
When you are playing most weeks, a membership pays for itself in discounted courts and gets you priority booking before courts go on sale.
Very little. This is the whole list.
Open seven days a week. Choose a club for beginner sessions, socials, prices and directions.
Not at all. Padel is beginner-friendly and easy to learn. We offer coaching, social sessions and beginner-friendly games so anyone can get started.
All court bookings are made through the Padel Mates app. Simply:
You can play as a non-member, but members enjoy discounted court rates, priority booking, exclusive events and access to member-only sessions.
We offer a range of memberships including:
Each membership offers different benefits depending on how often you want to play.
Founding Memberships are limited-time memberships for our newest clubs. Founding Members receive exclusive benefits, preferential pricing and priority access as part of the founding community. Once they’re gone, they’re gone.
Yes. We offer coaching for:
Sessions include group coaching, private lessons and clinics.
Yes. We offer racket hire and balls can be purchased at the club.
Absolutely. Our social sessions are one of the best ways to meet new people, improve your game and enjoy the community. These are open to all levels.
Yes. We run junior coaching, holiday camps and beginner programmes for kids of all ages.
Facilities vary by location but typically include:
Yes. We host:
Contact us for bespoke packages.