Padel is the fastest‑growing racket sport in the UK, and it is genuinely easy to start. This is your complete beginner's guide to how to play padel – the rules, scoring, the underarm serve, using the glass walls, every key shot and the doubles tactics that win matches. Jump to any section below.
The whole game in four numbers. If you know tennis, most of this will feel familiar – with one big twist: the walls are part of the court.
Padel takes the scoring and net of tennis, the walls of squash and shrinks it all into a small, enclosed court. Here is what you need to understand before you step on.
Padel is played two against two on a court divided by a net. Singles exists but is rare. Because you share the court with a partner, teamwork and positioning matter just as much as your shots – often more.
The court is surrounded by glass walls at the ends and along parts of the sides, with metal mesh fencing making up the rest. Nothing goes "out of bounds" in the tennis sense while the ball stays inside the cage – the walls keep it in play.
The single most important rule: after the ball bounces once on your floor, it can come off your own glass and you can still play it back. Learning to read that rebound instead of panicking is what turns a beginner into a player.
You need very little to start. Most UK clubs hire everything but shoes, so your first session can cost almost nothing beyond the court fee.
A padel court is 20 metres long and 10 metres wide, split by a net roughly waist height. Each side has a service line and a centre line marking the two service boxes. The back walls are glass; the upper sides are mesh fencing.
Padel uses a solid, stringless bat with a perforated face and a wrist strap – never a tennis racket. Beginners want a round‑shaped, lightweight paddle: it has the largest sweet spot and is the most forgiving while you learn.
Padel balls look like tennis balls but are slightly softer with a touch less pressure, so they bounce a little lower. Clubs supply these, so you rarely need to buy your own when starting out.
Wear trainers with good grip – ideally padel or clay‑court shoes with a herringbone sole for quick side‑to‑side movement. Normal sportswear is fine. That is the one thing worth bringing yourself from day one.
If you have ever watched tennis, you already know padel scoring. Here it is start to finish.
You win the point when the ball bounces twice on the opponents' floor, when they hit it into the net or out of the cage, or when their return fails to clear the net. You lose it if the same happens to your team.
Points count 15, 30, 40, then game. At 40‑40 it is deuce, and you must win two points in a row to take the game. Many UK clubs and leagues use a "golden point" instead – at 40‑40 the very next point decides the game.
Win six games (by a margin of two) to take a set. At 6‑6 you play a tie‑break to seven points. The first team to win two sets wins the match, so most matches are best of three.
The padel serve is underarm and gentle by design – no towering tennis serves. That is a big reason beginners can rally almost immediately.
Tip: the receiver must let the serve bounce before returning it – you can never volley a serve straight out of the air.
This is the part that feels strange at first and then becomes the best thing about padel. Get these rules straight and everything else clicks into place.
On your side of the net, the ball must bounce on the floor once before it touches any wall. Once it has bounced, it can rebound off your back or side glass and you can still play it – as long as it has not bounced on the floor a second time.
When a ball flies past you toward your back wall, do not panic. Let it bounce on the floor, follow it to the glass, and take it as it rebounds out. Reading that bounce‑off‑the‑wall is a core padel skill and it buys you time on defence.
If a shot reaches your wall before it has bounced on your floor, you lose the point. Your own return must clear the net and bounce on the opponents' floor; if it hits their wall or fence on the full, before bouncing, it is out.
Away from the walls you can still volley – hitting the ball out of the air before it bounces – anywhere except when returning serve. Net players volley constantly. The "bounce first" rule only applies to using a wall.
Start with one grip and a handful of shots. You do not need the fancy stuff to enjoy your first months – but here is the full toolkit so you know what you are building toward.
Hold the paddle as if you were shaking hands with it, or holding a hammer. This one "continental" grip covers serves, forehands, backhands, volleys and overheads, so you never have to change it mid‑rally. Learn this first.
Your forehand and backhand from the back of the court. Keep the swing short and compact – far more compact than tennis – because the court is small and the walls are close behind you. Aim to be steady, not spectacular.
A short, punchy block at the net with almost no backswing. Padel is won at the net, so a controlled volley that lands deep or angled is one of the most valuable shots you can own.
Arguably the most important shot in padel. A good lob sails over the net players and lands deep, forcing them back off the net so your team can move up and take control. Master this early and you will win points against far stronger opponents.
A controlled, sliced overhead – the "tray" shot – used to answer a lob without smashing. The motion is like serving a tray of drinks over your shoulder. It keeps the ball deep and, crucially, keeps you at the net rather than retreating.
The advanced trio. The smash is your finishing overhead, often aimed to bounce high off the back glass and out of the cage. The víbora is a spinnier, more aggressive bandeja. The chiquita is a soft, low ball to the net players' feet that forces them to lift the ball up to you.
In padel, where you stand wins more points than how hard you hit. These are the tactical ideas that matter from your very first game.
The team at the net is attacking; the team at the back is defending. Almost every point is a battle to get both of you to the net and keep the other pair pinned at the back. When you are back, lob to earn the right to move up.
You and your partner move together like windscreen wipers – if one shifts left, the other shifts left too, keeping the gap between you constant. Chasing the ball individually opens holes down the middle and out wide.
Hitting between two opponents cuts down their angles and creates hesitation – "yours or mine?" Agree in advance who takes the middle ball (usually the player whose forehand covers it) so it never happens to your own team.
Padel points are longer than they look. You rarely need a winner – build the point, keep the ball in play, use the walls to defend, and wait for the weak reply. Most points at every level are won on the opponent's error, not your brilliance.
Small habits that make you noticeably better in a handful of sessions.
Almost everyone makes these at the start. Knowing them means you can skip straight past them.
New players try to end points with power. On a small, walled court that just gifts the opponents easy rebounds. Dial it back, aim for depth and placement, and let them make the error.
Ignoring the lob is the biggest tactical mistake in padel. Without it you can never move a strong net team back. If you only add one shot to your game, make it the lob.
Panicking and swinging as the ball nears your back glass, instead of letting it bounce and rebound out to a comfortable height. Trust the wall and wait for the ball to come to you.
Ball‑watching and standing still while your partner runs, or splitting far apart, leaves a lane straight down the middle. Move together and keep the gap between you consistent.
The questions new UK players ask most often.
No – it is one of the easiest racket sports to pick up. The small court, forgiving paddle and gentle underarm serve mean most beginners are rallying within their first session. The depth comes later, from the walls and doubles tactics.
Yes. The glass and the mesh fencing are in play. On your side the ball must bounce on the floor once before it touches a wall, and then you can play it back off your own glass.
Not to begin with. Most clubs hire paddles and supply balls, so you only need trainers with good grip. Once you play regularly, a beginner paddle and dedicated court shoes are the first things worth buying.
Padel is smaller, enclosed and almost always doubles, with walls in play and a solid stringless paddle. The scoring is identical, but the underarm serve and shorter swings make it far quicker to learn. See our Padel Tennis guide for the full comparison.
Now you know how to play padel, these pages help you go from theory to actually booking a court and playing your first match.
Find padel courts near you across the UK – indoor, outdoor and roofed venues with prices and beginner sessions – so you can put this guide into practice.
A complete introduction to padel tennis in the UK, including how the sport grew and where it fits alongside tennis and squash.
The simple answer to "what is padel?" – perfect to share with the friends and family you want to bring along to your first game.
Go deeper on technique and strategy with our full tips and tricks hub, covering drills and shot practice for every level.
Bookmark this how to play padel guide so you can re‑read the rules, scoring and tactics before your next session on court.
Create your free PaddlePals account, find padel courts near you and start logging your games as you learn – from your first rally to your first win.
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