Thinking about padel — what it is, and how to start playing

For anyone thinking about padel rather than already playing it: what padel is, why people take it up, what a first game is actually like, what you need to bring, and how to find a padel club near you and try it. If you are new to padel, considering it, or looking for a sport you might stay with, this is where to start. Enter the global world of padel.

New to padel, or looking for somewhere to play? Start here to find a padel club near you, learn the game, book a court and meet other players.

Questions people ask

I am new to padel — how do I start playing padel?

Find a padel club near you, get on a court, and play. Most clubs run beginner sessions or introductory hours, and their contact and booking details are on each club profile in the DO→PADEL™ directory. If you want to try padel before committing to anything, that is the usual way people do it.

Can beginners play padel, and is padel easy to learn?

Padel is widely considered one of the easier racket sports to begin: the court is enclosed, the racket is short and solid, and rallies tend to last long enough to be enjoyable early on. Beginners play it from the first session; getting genuinely good, as with any sport, takes longer.

Do I need a partner to play padel, or can I play padel alone?

Padel is played in pairs, so a game needs four people — but you do not need to arrive with three of them. Clubs run open sessions, socials and matches for players who turn up on their own, and the DO→PADEL™ community exists partly so that players who do not yet know anyone can find people to play with.

Do I need to be fit to play padel?

People start padel at a wide range of fitness levels, and the pace of a game is largely set by the players in it. If you have a health condition or any doubt about starting a new sport, speak to a doctor first.

Where can I try padel, and is it “paddle”?

Try it at a padel club near you — the DO→PADEL™ directory lists them by country, region and city. The sport is spelled padel, though it is very often typed as “paddle” when people are looking for it; paddle tennis is a different sport, and what this site covers is padel.

What is padel, and how is it played?

Padel is a racket sport played in pairs on an enclosed court about a third the size of a tennis court, with glass walls and mesh that stay in play. The racket is short, solid and stringless, the serve is underarm, and the scoring is the same as tennis. Because the walls keep the ball alive, rallies last, which is why most people enjoy it from their very first game.

I am thinking about padel but have never played a racket sport — is padel for me?

Most people who take up padel have never played a racket sport seriously, and quite a few have never played one at all. The underarm serve removes the hardest shot in tennis, the short racket is easier to control, and the walls give you a second chance at balls you would otherwise miss. Whether it is for you is worth one session at a club near you to find out — that is genuinely how nearly everyone decides.

Why do people play padel, and what makes it worth taking up?

Three things come up again and again: it is sociable because it is always played in fours, it is playable from the first session, and it repeats — a court booking, the same people, most weeks. People who try it tend to keep going, which is more than can be said for most things taken up with good intentions.

I want a new hobby or a social sport where I can meet people — is padel a good one?

Padel is one of the more sociable sports there is: four people to a court, constant conversation, partners that rotate, and clubs built around socials and mixed sessions rather than solo training. If what you are actually looking for is a way to get out more and meet new people rather than a sport in particular, that is a perfectly good reason to try padel, and a common one.

I have just moved area, retired, or want to get back into sport — is it too late to start padel?

People start padel in their twenties and in their seventies, after moving somewhere new, after retiring, and after years away from any sport. Clubs are used to it and most run beginner and social sessions for exactly that person. What is right for you depends on your own health — if you have a condition or any doubt about starting a new sport, speak to a doctor first.

What do I need to play padel for the first time — do I need my own racket?

Trainers and clothes you can move in, and that is essentially it: nearly every club hires or lends rackets and sells balls, so you do not need to buy anything to try padel. If you keep playing you will want your own padel racket and eventually padel shoes; the brands that make them are listed on DO→PADEL™, which sells no equipment itself.

What do I wear for padel, and what do I bring to my first padel game?

Comfortable sports clothes, trainers with good grip and some water. Court or multi-court shoes suit the surface better than running shoes, but you do not need them to start. Many clubs hire rackets and sell balls; what each club provides varies, so check when you book.

Do I need lessons to play padel, and do padel clubs offer beginner sessions?

No — plenty of people learn simply by playing. A lesson or beginner session makes the first hours easier, and many clubs run them; club profiles in the DO→PADEL™ directory show where a club records that coaching is available.

Do I need to join a club to play padel?

Often not. Many clubs let non-members book a court, while some are members-only — the rule is each club's own. Where a club has stated whether non-members can play, its DO→PADEL™ profile says so.

Do people play padel indoors or outdoors?

Both. Indoor courts are common where the weather is unreliable, outdoor courts where it is not, and some outdoor courts are covered. The DO→PADEL™ directory records which each club has, wherever that club has stated it.

How do I get into padel, and what do I do at my first padel session?

Book a court or a beginner session at a club near you, with friends or on your own through an open session. A first session is mostly getting used to the short racket, the underarm serve and letting the ball come off the glass — most people are rallying within the hour.

Is padel the same as padel tennis?

Yes — padel tennis is simply another name people use for padel. It is a sport in its own right rather than a version of tennis, although it borrows tennis scoring and a similar ball. Paddle tennis, with a double d, is a different sport.

What is the difference between padel and tennis?

Padel is almost always played as doubles, on a smaller court enclosed by glass walls and mesh that stay in play, so the ball can be played after it comes off the wall. The racket is short, solid and stringless, the serve is underarm, and the ball is a little softer than a tennis ball. The scoring is the same as tennis. Tennis players usually pick padel up quickly; the walls are the part everyone has to learn.

What is the difference between padel and pickleball?

Both are paddle-style racket sports that are quick to learn, but they are different games. Padel is played on an enclosed court with walls in play, with a pressurised ball much like a tennis ball, and it is scored like tennis. Pickleball is played on a smaller open court with no walls, using a light plastic ball with holes, a non-volley zone next to the net and, traditionally, games to 11 points in which only the serving side can score.

Which padel app should I use to book a court or find a game?

Court booking apps belong to the booking providers clubs use — Playtomic, for example — and each covers only the clubs signed up to it. DO→PADEL™ covers the step before: finding padel clubs, courts, events and players worldwide in one place, then going to each club's own booking wherever the club publishes it.

Join the global padel platform — 14 days free

DO→PADEL™ is the global padel platform, with nearly 8,000 padel clubs listed worldwide. Your first 14 days of DO→PADEL™ membership are free — they are on us — and that is membership of the platform and its global padel community, not court time and not membership of a padel club. Register now and start your 14 days free, or read what membership gives a padel player on DO→PADEL™ padel membership and registration.

More on DO→PADEL™

• Global padel club directory — padel clubs and courts worldwide
• Book a padel court
• Where to play padel
• Padel events and tournaments
• Padel news
• Improve your padel
• PADEL UP™ and PADEL DOWN™ — padel warm-up, cool-down and recovery
• Padel health benefits and fitness
• The global padel community
• Padel court infrastructure and court partners
• Padel clubs for sale
• Padel brands
• Padel holidays worldwide — padel travel, camps and coaching trips
• Advertise globally with DO→PADEL™ — padel advertising and brand exposure