Padel for Beginners: The Complete Guide

Padel has become one of the fastest-growing sports in the Netherlands in just a few years. The mix of tennis-like play, glass walls you can play off, and a court sized for doubles (always 2-vs-2) makes it accessible and addictive. If you're new to the sport, this guide is your starting point: what padel actually is, which rules to know, what gear you need, where to play, and how to survive your first match.

Padel is played on a small, enclosed court measuring 20 by 10 meters. The court is closed in by glass walls (at the back and part of the sides) and mesh above. Those walls aren't obstacles — you're allowed to play off them, similar to squash. The ball may bounce once on the ground before you return it; after that it may hit a wall and still be played. That makes long rallies normal, even for beginners.

## The rules in short

Scoring is exactly like tennis: 15, 30, 40, game. A set is six games with a minimum two-game lead, and a match is usually best of three sets. The serve is underhand: drop the ball first, hit it below waist height diagonally into the opponent's service box. Two attempts per point, just like tennis.

The ball must always bounce in the service box first before the receiver plays it. In the rally, the ball may bounce once on the ground and then optionally off a wall; on your own side it may never bounce twice. You can also volley the ball (out of the air) without any bounce. Important: you can use your own back wall — if a ball sails past you and bounces off your glass, you can still return it as long as it has only bounced once on the ground.

A point ends when the ball lands outside the court, bounces twice on your side, or hits the net. A ball that flies directly into the opponent's mesh or glass without bouncing on the ground first is your point.

### Deuce, tiebreak and changeovers

At 40-40 you're at deuce — from there one team must win two points in a row to take the game. The first point after deuce is called "advantage." If the advantage team loses the next point, it's back to deuce. In many tournament formats a "golden point" rule applies: at deuce, a single point decides the game.

At 6-6 in a set, you play a tiebreak. The first two players to reach 7 points with at least a two-point lead win the tiebreak and the set. In the deciding set of a match, a "super tiebreak" to 10 points is sometimes used instead of a full third set.

You change ends after every odd-numbered game (1, 3, 5, 7, and so on). That evens out wind, sun or lighting differences on outdoor courts.

### Serve rules and faults

When serving, your foot must stay behind the service line until the moment of contact. Stepping over is a foot fault. You may only bounce the ball once before hitting, and the contact point must be below waist height. Too high is a fault.

The serve must go over the net and bounce in the diagonal service box. If it doesn't, or bounces past the service box but out of the court, it's a fault. Two consecutive faults mean a point for the opponent. If the ball clips the net cord during the serve but still lands in the correct service box, it's a "let" and you serve again with no penalty.

## What do you need?

You really only need three things to start: a racket, balls and proper shoes. A padel racket is compact, solid (no strings like tennis) and has small holes across the face. Beginners often go for a soft racket with a round face — more forgiving on mis-hits. A €60-€150 racket is plenty for a beginner. Many venues rent rackets for €3-€8 per session — a good way to try before you buy.

### Rackets: shape, weight and foam

The shape determines a lot about how a racket plays. A **round** racket has a big sweet spot in the middle — ideal for beginners, because mis-hits still come back cleanly. A **diamond**-shaped racket has the sweet spot toward the tip: more power but less control, suited to aggressive advanced players. A **teardrop** racket sits in between — a hybrid that many intermediate players end up choosing.

Weight typically ranges from 350 to 385 grams. Beginners should go slightly lighter (360-370g) because you react faster and your arm tires less. Only once your technique is solid should you consider a heavier racket for more power.

The foam core (EVA) comes in soft and hard varieties. Soft EVA offers more control and feels more comfortable; hard EVA gives more power but is less forgiving. For your first year: stick with soft EVA.

### Balls and grip

Padel balls look like tennis balls but have less pressure and bounce slightly lower. A can of three costs around €6-€9. Always use padel-specific balls — tennis balls bounce too high. Balls wear out after 3-5 solid matches; playing with old, flat balls you miss a lot of the nuance.

The handle grip wears out too. An overgrip — a thin tape wrapped over the original handle — should be replaced every 10 to 20 sessions. Costs €3-€5. Without a good grip the racket slides in your hand or you get blisters.

### Shoes and clothing

Shoes matter more than people think. Indoor padel courts typically use artificial grass or carpet; outdoor courts are usually a gravel-like synthetic. Padel shoes have a herringbone sole that grips without damaging the surface. Tennis shoes can work in a pinch, but running shoes absolutely don't — no lateral grip and you'll damage the surface. Clothing: sports gear, easy to move in. Bring a towel and a water bottle too — an hour of padel makes you sweat more than you'd expect.

## Where can you play?

Padel is widely available in the Netherlands. Handler lets you search 744+ padel venues in the Netherlands in a single query — from small tennis clubs to large indoor padel centers. Most venues sit in the Randstad (Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Den Haag, Utrecht) but there's also strong coverage in Brabant, Gelderland and Limburg.

For beginners, "open access" venues are the easiest entry point: you can book online directly without a membership. There are also many clubs where you need to create a free account on the booking platform (like Playtomic or Peakz) to book. A small number of venues are members-only — you'll see those labeled "members only" on Handler.

## How do you book a court?

The Netherlands has several parallel booking platforms. The big three are Playtomic, Peakz and BaanReserveren; smaller players include Bookaball and RacketIQ. Each venue typically uses just one. That makes it confusing sometimes: if you don't know which platform your favorite club uses, you'll have to check multiple apps.

Handler solves this by searching all platforms at once in a single query. You see immediately where courts are open at your preferred time. Handler is free to use for Smart Search (the searching itself). Read more about how Handler works on our how-it-works page.

If you already know which club you want to play at, you can of course also book directly on that club's booking platform — via the Peakz app for Peakz venues, via Playtomic for Playtomic clubs, and so on.

## Padel etiquette

Every sport has unwritten rules. In padel, these are the important ones.

- **Show up on time.** Ten minutes before your slot lets you change and warm up without blocking the next booking. - **Respect the neighboring court.** The sound of balls, shoes and cheering travels. Shouting or swearing during your neighbor's serve is not done. - **Keep the court clean.** Gather your balls, throw packaging in the bin, leave the court the way you found it. - **Handshake at start and end.** A quick handshake with your opponents and partner is standard — even if you lost. - **Call the score aloud.** Before each point, call the score: serving team first. "Fifteen all" or "forty-thirty." Prevents arguments later. - **Admit your own faults.** Ball out on your side? Just say so. Padel is a friendly sport, not televised tennis.

## Tips for your first match

**Don't skip the warm-up.** Five to ten minutes of light movement (jogging, leg swings, some shots against the wall) prevents injuries and gets you playing better from the first point. The first game without a warm-up feels slow and stiff.

**Stand next to your partner, not behind each other.** The default padel formation is both players side by side on roughly the same line. When defending you're at the back (near the back wall); when attacking you're at the net. Never play one in front, one behind — it creates a gap down the middle that any opponent will exploit.

**Communicate with your partner.** Calling "mine!" or "you!" stops both of you lunging at the same ball. Brief chats between points (strategy, where to serve) make a big difference.

**Use the wall.** It sounds weird for a beginner, but it's fast to learn: a deep ball, let it bounce off your own back wall and then return it. Don't panic-sprint backward — let the wall do the work.

**Control over power.** Padel isn't tennis — hitting hard gets you little, because the walls bring everything back. Placement, angles and timing win matches.

**The basic shots:** serve (underhand), volley (out of the air), bandeja (a soft smash-like shot from the net), lob (high ball over your opponent), bajada (a descending attack after a wall rebound). You don't need to master all of them on day one — start with a clean serve and volley.

**Hydration.** Bring water and drink between games. An hour of padel makes you sweat like you just ran an hour.

## Common beginner mistakes

- **Hitting too hard.** The glass wall just brings hard balls back to your own side. Placement wins, power doesn't. - **Staying too far back.** At the net you're more aggressive and win more points. Dare to move forward. - **Ignoring the wall.** Beginners try to play every ball before it hits the wall — but the wall rebound actually gives you time and a clean angle. - **Wearing tennis or running shoes.** No grip on padel surface, risk of slipping and damage to the court. - **Not communicating.** Two silent players freeze up and let the middle ball drop. - **Wrong balls.** Tennis balls bounce too high and make the game unplayable. - **Buying an expensive racket too soon.** First make sure padel is for you. A rental or second-hand beginner racket is fine for the first few months.

## Where do you find players at your level?

One of the best things about padel is how quickly you meet new people. If you don't yet have four players lined up, there are several ways to find partners.

**Platform features.** Apps like Playtomic have an "open matches" section where you can join a group that's still looking for players. You see the level of the other participants (Playtomic uses a scoring system from 0 to 7) so you don't end up against someone much stronger or weaker.

**Club nights and mixers.** Many clubs run weekly mix nights where you sign up individually and groupings are made on the spot. A great way to meet players in your area.

**Social media.** City-based Facebook groups and WhatsApp communities exist in abundance. Search "padel [your city]" and you'll find at least one.

**Gauging your level.** A beginner with a few weeks of experience sits around 1.0-1.5. After half a year of regular play you're moving toward 2.0. Want to improve fast? Play with people slightly above your level — not more than one or two points higher, or the match isn't enjoyable for either side.

## Get started

Padel has a nice learning curve: within an hour or two you're playing decent rallies, and within a few weeks you start to understand the tactics. The best way to learn is simply to play a lot with people at your level.

Find a court near you via Handler — pick an open-access venue for your first time so you don't need to sign up as a member. Browse the full overview of padel courts in the Netherlands, or start searching directly on Handler.