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What padel is (in one minute)

Padel is doubles-first racket sport played on an enclosed court roughly a third the size of a tennis court. You serve underhand, score like tennis, and use the glass and mesh walls after the ball bounces — similar in spirit to squash, but with a perforated solid racket and a depressurised ball.

Rallies are usually longer than tennis at beginner level because the court is smaller and the walls keep balls in play. Most social play is four players on court, but booking and matching formats vary by venue and organiser.

Before your first session

• Book or join a session you can actually attend. Indoor courts are common; outdoor availability varies with weather. Confirm cancellation policy when you book — policies differ by venue.
• Wear court shoes with good grip — running shoes with heavy heel wear can slip. See gear for a sensible kit list without overspending.
• Expect to learn by playing. A short intro from staff or your group helps, but you will absorb rules fastest once rallies start. Skim rules so scoring and walls are not a surprise.
• Communicate your level honestly. Say if you have never held a padel racket. Organisers can place you in a friendlier group.

Your first session on court

1. Warm up with controlled feeds. Tap the ball cooperatively from the service line before competitive points. Aim for height and depth, not winners.
2. Learn where to stand in doubles. One player covers the net side, one the back — and you switch responsibilities as the rally develops. We cover basics in rules → doubles movement.
3. Let the wall help you. Let the ball bounce once, then play it off the back glass if needed. Beginners often rush and hit before the bounce.
4. Keep score simple. Play one set to six games if that is what the group uses; ask whether golden point or advantage applies at deuce — house rules vary.
5. Finish with one thing to improve. Note one habit (e.g. ready position, calling “mine/yours”) and look for a drill that targets it on the drills page.

How to use this guide

This site is a static learning path — not a booking engine or club directory.

1. 1

   Rules

   Scoring, serve, walls, faults, and doubles positioning — the minimum to play without constant interruptions.

   Read the rules guide →

2. 2

   Level quiz

   Seven questions map you to a level card, training path, match habits, and suggested drill links from our structured data.

   Take the level quiz →

3. 3

   Drill cards

   Short on-court exercises with setup, cues, and progressions — filter by level via training paths or browse all cards.

   Browse drill cards →

4. 4

   Where to play in Ireland

   How to find venues yourself and what to verify — we do not maintain a live directory of clubs.

   Ireland / where to play →