How to start playing padel: a complete beginner's guide

Day 1: pick a club, book a court

The best padel club is the one closest to home or work. Don't start at a hall 30 minutes away - you'll quit after the second visit.

Open the padel courts directory and pick three of the closest. Check their booking system. Most clubs use Playtomic, their own website, or accept phone bookings.

Take your first booking on a weekday afternoon, not Saturday evening. Indoor courts on weekends are pricier and harder to get. A Tuesday at 5 PM is when the club breathes normally and the staff has time to walk you through the basics.

Day 1: what to bring

• Sports clothes you don't mind sweating in. Padel is dynamic.
• Indoor court shoes with ankle support. Running shoes won't cut it - padel has constant rapid direction changes. If you don't own padel shoes, regular indoor sport shoes work.
• Towel and 1.5 litres of water. An hour of padel = sweat and thirst.
• You don't need your own racket - the club will rent one. Same for balls.

What you don't need: headbands, eye protection, wrist supports, gimmicks. Play padel without unnecessary gear - you'll work hard enough without them.

The first hour: don't panic

Your first shot will probably hit the glass. Instead of flying straight, the ball will dip sideways. That's normal. The walls are an enigma to every padel beginner. Your second rally will already be better.

Around the twenty-minute mark, you'll figure out how it actually works:

• Padel is about placement, not power. If you smash like in tennis, you'll lose.
• The position at the net is an advantage. Hold it and you have more chances to end rallies with a volley.
• The wall is your friend. Once you learn to play off the rebound, you'll get out of impossible situations.

What the second hour teaches you

If you can, take your second hour with a coach. A padel coach typically charges €25-40 per hour (split between 3-4 people, that's a few euros each). What they tell you in an hour saves you months of bad habits.

If you skip the coach, find an experienced partner and ask them three things:

1. How to grip the racket (continental grip, like a hammer).
2. When to volley and when to let the ball bounce.
3. How to read your opponent's shot so you know where the ball is going.

Week 2: find a regular crew

Padel doesn't play itself. You need three more people. A regular crew is why padel players show up to courts in rain and winter.

Three ways to find them:

1. Download Ace. The app finds players around your level in your area. Tap to create a match, others join. After your first match you already know who's solid and who you'd invite again.
2. Try the open-game night at your club. Most padel clubs run regular events where players of mixed levels meet and pair up. Perfect for newcomers - no one cares that you're new.
3. Ask at work. Padel is more viral than coffee machines. In any larger company there's already a duo or trio playing. Find them and join.

Month 1: your own gear? Maybe.

After 5-10 hours of play, you know if padel has hooked you. If yes, time to think about a racket.

Beginner rackets cost €100-200. For your first one, look for:

• Teardrop or round shape - better control for newcomers.
• 360-380 g weight - lighter than pro rackets.
• Soft foam core - forgives mishits.

Full racket guide: Best padel racket for beginners.

Month 3: how to know you're improving

In the Ace app you have a level based on the TrueSkill algorithm (the same system Microsoft uses for Xbox Live). After a few matches, the app shows you where you stand on a 1-7 scale.

Tips to grow faster:

• Play with people slightly above your level. You'll learn more than playing those below you.
• Review your matches. What worked, what didn't. Ace keeps the full history.
• Rotate partners. Play with someone new each time.
• Enter club tournaments. Pressure in matches will move you forward more than ten training sessions.

What no one will tell you

Padel is addictive. After five hours, you'll start planning vacations to find padel clubs at your destination. After ten hours, you'll start watching World Padel Tour. After thirty, you'll be one of those people who talks about padel at the dinner table even when nobody's listening.

Welcome to the club. Find a crew, open Ace, and log your first match. In a year you'll be a different player.