What is padel?
Padel is a racket sport, often described as a cross between tennis and squash. The courts are enclosed with walls of glass and metallic mesh. Padel is played in doubles with the same scoring system as tennis.
Padel 101
From court etiquette to mastering those basic shots we’re here to help.
Padel is a racket sport, best described as a mix of tennis and squash. It is a fun, social racket sport for all abilities and ages. It’s usually played in doubles on an enclosed court a third of the size of a tennis court, surrounded by walls of glass and wire mesh.
Padel tennis is becoming more popular every year. We have clubs across the UK and are opening more all the time.
You can find a list of our padel venues here.
If you want to familiarise yourself with the basic rules of padel ahead of a game the Padel Rules 101 video from our ambassador, The Padel School’s Sandy Farquharson, is a great place to start.
Here are some additional useful resources for when you’re starting out:
Below are some handy videos on the most common shots to get you started before you get on the court.
All of our venues run regular Intro to Padel sessions. Get in touch with your local club to find out more!
Padel is generally understood to have originated in Acapulco, Mexico, when businessman Enrique Corcuera built the first-ever padel court in the garden of his holiday home. The sport, originally dubbed Corcuera Paddle by its inventor, was brought to international attention by Spanish entrepreneur Alfonso de Hohenlohe, a friend of Corcuera’s, built Spain’s first two padel courts in Marbella in 1974. The following year, the sport was discovered by Argentinian millionaire Julio Menditenguia, who brought the racket sport to his native country.
If you do not have a partner ready to go there are plenty of ways to get on court.
Our booking platform, Playtomic, allows you to join or start ‘Open Matches’ where you will be paired with players of a similar skill.
To make it even easier to get started all our venues run weekly Intro to Padel and group socials so all you need to do is show up and we’ll take care of the rest. Including equipment rental and refreshments!
You do not need any specialist clothing or footwear to play, particularly if you are just getting started.
Just wear comfy exercise clothes and grippy trainers and you’re all good to go!
You can get on court at any of our venues through the Playtomic booking platform. Download the Playtomic app (iOS/Android) or visit Playtomic.io.
We offer group classes, such as the Intro to Padel and social sessions, available to book in the Academy section of Playtomic.
Download the Playtomic app to make a booking
For the best mobile experience, you can create an account, make bookings and connect with other players by downloading the Playtomic app. Available for both iOS and Android devices.
Booking FAQs
Your most commonly-asked booking questions, answered.
You can get on court at any of our venues through the Playtomic booking platform. Download the Playtomic app (iOS/Android) or visit Playtomic.io.
As well as standard court hire you’ll find our group classes, such as the Intro to Padel and social sessions, available to book in the Academy section of the Playtomic app.
Prices vary by venue, check prices at your local venue.
You can book as a group, or individually (and be matched up with other players, or add friends at a later date).
Cancellations can be made at any time up to 24 hours ahead of the booking time, with a full refund. Otherwise, the booking will be charged in full. The cancellation must be made via the Playtomic app.
In adverse weather conditions, the player should contact the venue directly to check if play is possible. The venue and its coaches will make the final decision. If the court is deemed unplayable, (lightning or very high winds), cancellation with a full refund will be applied.
If you do not have a partner ready to go there are plenty of ways to get on court.
Our booking platform, Playtomic, allows you to join or start ‘Open Matches’ where you will be paired with players of a similar skill.
To make it even easier to get started all our venues run weekly Intro to Padel and group socials so all you need to do is show up and we’ll take care of the rest. Including equipment rental and refreshments!
While we offer memberships ,you do not need to be member to play at any of our clubs. Inclusivity and building communities is a core part of our mission.
We have thriving padel clubs across the country and are opening new ones all the time. We have venues in Wembley, Brent Cross and Sutton in London as well as Bristol, Derby.
You can find a full list of our venues here.
Have a question for us?
If there’s something we haven’t covered on this page, we’d be happy to answer your question directly so please get in touch!
