Padel
Padel is an enjoyable, tactical racket sport that is growing in popularity across the UK. It’s hard to come off court without a smile on your face and a keen desire to play again! Tennis and squash players quickly pick up the game and find many of their skills are transferable, allowing them to reach a good level of play in a relatively short period of time, while beginners can learn the basics of the game and improve rapidly. From children who are experiencing racket sports for the first time through to the more mature player, padel provides a great outlet for exercise, competition and fun. At the top level, it’s an incredibly tactical, and physical game. You only need to check out the top padel rallies from the World Padel Tour on YouTube to appreciate the game at its best.
Rules of Play
In padel scoring is the same as tennis – but there are many differences between the sports. A padel court has walls, so shots can be played off them, like in squash.
Also, unlike tennis, when a ball is served it must bounce once on the floor then hit from below, or at, waist height. When serving, players have two attempts to hit into an opponent’s box.
Players can also volley the ball during a rally however the ball is determined as “out” should it hit a wall directly. In padel, players can bounce the ball off a wall on their own side of the court – similar to squash.
Like tennis, a set is won when a team wins six games and there is at least two games difference – failing that the set is decided by a tie-break. Matches are best of three sets.
Padel courts are designed for four players and are roughly 25% smaller than the size of a tennis court. The speed of the game, combined with the smaller size of a padel court, makes singles play difficult, and most padel matches feature two pairs of players.
Some padel courts are designed especially for singles, but around 90% of all padel courts in the world are doubles specific. At a professional level only doubles is played on the World Padel Tour, the leading competition for elite players.
Padel in Hertfordshire
Facilities in Hertfordshire are growing rapidly as the sport increases in popularity, these are a list of padel venues in the county:
LTA registered venues:
Bishops Stortford
Bishops Stortford Lawn Tennis Club – 2 courts
Cricketfield Lane
Bishops Stortford
Herts
CM23 2TD
http://www.bsltc.co.uk/padel/
Bishops Stortford
Bishops Stortford Padel Club – 7 courts
Dunmow Road,
Bishops Stortford
CM23 5RG
https://www.bishopstortfordpadelclub.co.uk/
Broxbourne
Broxbourne Sports Club – 2 courts
Mill Lane Close
Broxbourne
EN10 7BA
https://broxbournesportsclub.com/
Bushey
Bushey Grove Leisure Centre – 3 courts
Aldenham Rd
Bushey
WD23 2TD
https://padeluniteduk.com/
Bushey
David Lloyd, Bushey – 3 courts
Hartspring Lane
Bushey
WD23 2DL
https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/clubs/bushey/
Bushey
Padel Tree Metropolitan – 6 courts
Aldenham Road
Bushey
WD23 2TR
https://padel-tree.com/
Bushey
Queens’ School – 4 courts
Aldenham Road
Bushey
WD23 2TY
https://www.powerleague.com/padel
Hatfield
David Lloyd Club Hatfield – 4 courts
Mosquito Way
Hatfield
AL10 9AX
https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/
Hemel Hempstead
Leverstock Green Tennis Club – 2 courts
18 Grasmere Close
Hemel Hempstead
HP3 8QZ
https://www.zing-padel.co.uk/
Potters Bar
Old Owen’s Sports Ground – 2 courts
Coopers Lane
Potters Bar
EN6 4NF
https://www.atmospadel.com/
Radlett
Encourt Padel – 7 courts
Unit GH Ventura Park
Radlett
AL2 2DB
https://www.encourtpadel.co.uk/
St Albans
PadelStars Batchwood Golf & Sports Centre – 4 courts
Batchwood Drive
St Albans
AL3 5XA
PadelStars St Albans – PadelStars
Watford
Padelstars Watford – 5 courts
Woodside Leisure Centre
Horseshoe Lane
Watford
WD25 7HH
https://padelstars.co.uk/padelstars-watford/
Welwyn Garden City – 2 courts
Game4Padel Gosling
Gosling Sports Park
Stanborough Road
Welwyn Garden City
AL8 6XE
https://www.game4padel.com/
Non LTA registered venues:
Bishops Stortford
Forest Smash Padel – 1 court
Forest Hall
Hatfield Broad Oak
Bishops Stortford
CM22 7BT
https://www.matchi.se/facilities/forestsmashpadel
Bishops Stortford
Padel United – 1 court
Down Hall Hotel Spa & Estate
Matching Road
Hatfield Heath
CM22 7AS
https://padeluniteduk.com/down-hall-padel/
Essendon
Essendon Padel Club – 2 courts
Essendon Country Club
Bedwell Park
Essendon
AL9 6HN
https://www.essendoncc.co.uk/padel_club
Harpenden
Padel Pass Harpenden – 2 courts
33 High Street
Harpenden
AL5 2FQ
https://padelpass.co.uk/padel-pass-harpenden/
Hertford
Pulse Padel – 3 courts
Riverside
Lower Hatfield Rd
Hertford
SG13 8XX
https://pulsepadel.co.uk/venue/hertford/
Hertford
Padel X – 4 courts
The Ponsbourne Club
Newgate Street
Ponsbourne Park
Hertford
SG13 8QT
https://padelx.club/pages/ponsbourne-club
Hitchin
Padel Zone – 5 courts
Hunting Gate
Hitchin
SG4 0TJ
https://padel-zone.co.uk/
Radlett
Padelstars – 4 courts
Tabard Rugby Football Club
Cobden Hill
Radlett
WD7 7JN
https://padelstars.co.uk/radlett/
Royston
Warehouse Padel – 2 courts
Unit 2, Gateway Trade Park
Royston Park
SG8 5PF
https://www.warehousepadel.co.uk/
Shenley
Farm Padel – 2 courts
London Road
Shenley
WD7 9EN
https://trustpadel.com/padel-courts/farm-padel/
Ware
Country Padel Club – 4 courts
Dowsetts Farm
Dowsetts Lane
Ware
SG11 1EF
https://www.countrypadelco.com/
Welwyn Garden City
Welwyn Garden City Padel Club – 6 courts
Herns Way
Welwyn Garden City
AL7 1TA
https://welwyngardencitypadelclub-gb.matchpoint.com.es/
Herts LTA Padel Sub-Committee
The members of this sub-committee are padel enthusiasts who meet frequently to develop padel within the county. For more details please contact Stuart Foster at hertstennis@gmail.com
LTA Padel Competitions
https://www.ltapadel.org.uk/compete/competitions
LTA Padel Rankings
https://www.ltapadel.org.uk/compete/lta-padel-rankings
LTA Padel Instructor Qualification