New to padel?
You’re in the right place.

Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world and you don’t need to think of yourself as ‘sporty’ to love it. Whether you've never picked up a racket, it’s been years since you did any sport at all, or you’re just looking to try something new, most people are hooked after just one session.

Download the Nettla app.

Book your free one-hour session at a court near you.

What is padel?

Social, fun, and surprisingly easy to pick up, padel is a racket sport played on an enclosed court roughly a third of the size of a tennis court. It’s only played as doubles, the glass walls are in play, and you use solid stringless rackets.

Find out more

The rules.

Padel rules are simpler than you think. You serve underarm, you can play the ball off the glass walls, and the scoring works just like tennis. We’ve broken the rest down clearly, so you can get to know the basics before your first session.

Learn the rules

Start with a free intro session.

Not sure if padel is for you? Your first session is on us.

Get your intro to padel with one of our in-house coaches. Your first session will be super relaxed. You’ll be on court with other people starting out, learn the basics, and get a proper feel for the game. No partner required. Just turn up and play.

Book your free intro

Why Smash is the best place to start.

Rackets provided

Everything you need is waiting for you at your first session

In-house LTA-accredited coaches

Coaching that adapts to you, your pace and how you learn best

No membership required

Just turn up and play, whenever suits you

What our beginners say.

Great courts, love the setup and the staff are brilliant!

James , Smash Padel Cardiff customer

It’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into building a community rather than just a sports venue. If you’re thinking about giving padel a try or looking for a friendly club to join, I couldn’t recommend Smash Padel Bicester more highly.

Alex , Smash Padel Bicester customer

FAQs.

No, we provide rackets at every free intro session so you can turn up empty-handed and just play. If you decide to keep going, racket hire is available at most venues, and our coaches can help when you’re ready to buy your own.

Whatever you’d wear to the gym. Comfortable sportswear and trainers with a good grip are perfect. Trainers designed for tennis or padel are ideal, but anything you can move in will do for your first session.

Less than you might think. Padel is played in doubles on a smaller court, so there’s far less ground to cover than in tennis. Rallies are about positioning and timing rather than power or sprinting, which makes it one of the most accessible sports to pick up, whatever your starting point.

Absolutely. One of the things people love about padel is that it genuinely works for all ages. The smaller court and the social, doubles format mean it’s easy on the body and easy to enjoy – plenty of our players took it up later in life and haven’t looked back. If you have any health conditions, check with your doctor before playing and let your coach know if you need any adjustments.

Padel is played on a smaller, enclosed court with glass walls you can play the ball off, and you always play in doubles. The rackets are solid rather than strung, you serve underarm, and points tend to last longer. Most tennis players pick it up in minutes, but you don’t need any racket experience to start.

Both are played in walled courts, but that’s roughly where the similarity ends. Padel is played outdoors or under cover, in doubles, with a net in the middle and a bouncy ball closer to a tennis ball than a squash ball. It’s more social, easier on the joints, and quicker to get the hang of.

Please do! A free intro is the perfect way to try it together, and you’ll both start from the same place with rackets provided and a coach on hand. But if you’d like to attend a free intro by yourself, that’s great too. Padel is super sociable and you’ll play with other beginners in your intro session.

It’s brilliant for kids. We run the most structured junior padel programme in the UK, taking children from age four right through to competitive level.

Ready to give it a go?

Download the Nettla app to book your free intro at your nearest Smash Padel venue. Rackets provided, no experience needed, and your first session is on us.

Ready to give it a go?

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