You've heard about padel. Maybe a friend dragged you along, maybe you saw it on social media, or maybe you just walked past a court and wondered what was going on inside those glass walls. Either way, you're about to play for the first time. Here's what to expect.
What to Bring
Shoes: This is the one thing that matters. Wear court shoes or tennis shoes with non-marking soles. Running shoes don't provide enough lateral support for the side-to-side movement padel demands, and they'll wear out quickly on the court surface. If you don't have court shoes, any flat-soled athletic shoe is better than runners.
Racket: Don't buy one yet. Every club in New Zealand has rackets available for hire, typically $5-10 per session. Play a few times with hire rackets before investing in your own.
Water: You'll sweat more than you expect. Padel is constant movement in a compact space.
Everything else: Comfortable athletic clothing. That's it. No special gear required.
The Basics
It's always doubles. You need exactly four people. Most clubs have WhatsApp groups or social sessions where you can find partners if you don't have a ready-made four.
The serve is underhand. Bounce the ball and hit it below waist height. This immediately makes the game more accessible than tennis — no overhead serving technique to learn.
The walls are in play. After the ball bounces on your side, it can hit the glass walls and you can still play it. This is what makes padel unique and what takes the longest to get used to. Your instinct will be to hit every ball before it reaches the wall. Resist that instinct. Let the wall do the work.
Scoring is the same as tennis. 15, 30, 40, game. Six games wins a set. Most casual matches play one or two sets.
What Your First Session Will Feel Like
The first ten minutes will feel awkward. The racket is shorter and thicker than a tennis racket, the court feels small, and you won't know where to stand. This is normal.
By twenty minutes in, you'll be rallying. The enclosed court means the ball stays in play longer than tennis, so you get more hits per point. This is why people get hooked quickly — you're playing real points almost immediately, not spending an hour learning to serve.
By the end of the session, you'll understand why 30 million people play this sport. The combination of physical intensity, tactical thinking, and social interaction hits differently from most sports.
Etiquette
Padel culture is notably friendly. A few things to know:
- Introduce yourself to your opponents if you don't know them
- Call your own lines honestly — if you're not sure, give the point
- Don't smash directly at opponents from close range (it happens, just apologise)
- Rotate sides after every odd game (1, 3, 5, etc.)
- Have fun. Seriously. The vibe at NZ padel clubs is universally relaxed and welcoming
What Next
If you enjoyed it — and statistically, you almost certainly will — book another session within the week while the muscle memory is fresh. Join your club's social WhatsApp group to find games easily. And resist the urge to buy expensive gear until you've played at least ten times and know what you actually want.
