PADEL GUIDES
Padel guides,
from rules to racket
Everything a new or improving padel player asks, answered once and properly: the rules as the FIP writes them, how the serve works, how big the court is, what the ball is, how padel differs from pickleball, and which racket to buy. Written for players in the UK, with the measurements in metres and the prices in pounds where we can.
- 8 guides
- FIP rules, verified
- UK English
THE GUIDES
Start with the rules,
finish with a racket
Padel rules
Scoring, the serve, the walls, lets and golden point, as the FIP rules state them.
Read more →How to play padel
From booking a court to keeping score: the grip, the serve, four shots and the two rules.
Read more →Padel serve rules
Underarm, below the waist, diagonal, two serves. Every serve rule plus the technique.
Read more →Padel court dimensions
Every measurement of a padel court, what the walls are made of, and what a court costs in the UK.
Read more →Padel balls
The FIP spec, how padel balls differ from tennis balls, and how long a can really lasts.
Read more →Padel vs pickleball
Court, walls, ball, racket, scoring and cost compared, with every number verified.
Read more →Best padel racket 2026
Ten picks for club players, chosen on shape, balance and core rather than badge.
Read more →Best padel racket for beginners
Seven round, soft, low-balance rackets that forgive a first season, all under €200.
Read more →HOW TO USE THEM
Read in this order
if you are new
If you have never played, start with how to play padel, which takes you from booking a court to your first game. Then read the padel rules so the things that surprised you in that first game make sense, and the serve rules, because the serve is where most beginners give away points.
Then the court and the ball
The court dimensions guide explains the walls, the lines and why a padel court is a very different place from a tennis court. The padel balls guide covers the one piece of kit everybody buys every month and almost nobody thinks about. If a friend keeps confusing the two sports, send them padel vs pickleball.
Then the racket
Buy your first racket with the beginner racket guide, and your second with the best padel racket guide. Both draw on the same catalogue of 1,418 rackets as our brand pages, and the racket finder in the app turns the same data into a shortlist for how you actually play.
Where the facts come from
Rules and measurements follow the International Padel Federation (FIP) rulebook, checked against the LTA's guidance for the UK. Racket specifications come from the Padelful catalogue. When a guide gives a price, a court count or a participation figure, it links to the source.
FAQ
Questions about
getting into padel
Where should a complete beginner start with padel?
Book a court with a friend who has played, borrow a racket, and read how to play padel first. The rules matter less than you think on day one: the game is easy to start and hard to master, and most of what you need is to get to the net and let the ball bounce before it hits the glass.
Are the padel rules the same in the UK as everywhere else?
Yes. Padel is governed worldwide by the International Padel Federation (FIP), and the LTA, which runs padel in Great Britain, applies the FIP rules. Club nights sometimes simplify scoring with a golden point at deuce, which is also within the rules.
How much does it cost to start playing padel?
A court in the UK typically costs between about 30 and 60 pounds an hour, split between four players, and most venues hire rackets for a few pounds. A first racket of your own costs 60 to 150 pounds, and a tube of three balls around 6 to 9 pounds. Padel shoes are optional at first: clay-court tennis trainers work.
Do these guides replace lessons?
No. They explain the rules, the kit and the basics so a lesson is not wasted on them. For technique, the fastest route is a coach or a video of yourself: Padel AI scores six techniques from one match video and tells you which one to work on.
Read the rules,
then measure your game
Padel AI scores six techniques from one match video and tells you what to practise next.