new to padel?
New to padel? You’re in the right place.
If you have never picked up a racket in your life, you are exactly who this page is for.
Padel is simple, fun and wonderfully forgiving. You don’t need lessons unless you want to take things really seriously. You don’t need to worry about being “good”. And you certainly don’t need to worry about looking silly. Everyone starts the same way. But that is part of the joy. You improve quickly and you’ll enjoy yourself from the very first rally.
WHAT IS PADEL?
Padel is a mix of tennis and squash where the rallies last longer, the court is smaller and the whole experience is far more social. You play in pairs, the walls keep the ball in play and the rackets are solid rather than stringed.
If tennis feels a bit too serious and squash feels a bit too intense, padel sits comfortably in the middle. It is the Goldilocks sport: not too fast, not too slow, just right.
WHY PADEL IS PERFECT FOR COMPLETE BEGINNERS
It is easy to pick up. Most people can rally within minutes.
It is incredibly social. Four people on one court means constant laughs and good energy.
It is low pressure. If you miss, blame the holes in your racket. Common joke. Works every time.
It is for all ages. Kids, grown ups, grandparents. Everyone can play together.
It is unintimidating. You don’t need to know the rules before you arrive. We promise.
And when you slightly mishit the ball, it often still comes back to you thanks to the walls and cage. There are proper rules about what the ball can hit and when for it to still be in play, but when you are first starting out, none of that really matters. Just focus on getting the ball over the net and enjoying yourself. Once you all start getting the hang of a consistent rally, that’s when you can start paying attention to the details. Don’t put too much pressure on yourselves.
WHAT YOU NEED TO PLAY (NOTHING SERIOUS)
You don’t need your own racket. We have free rackets waiting for you courtside.
You don’t need special shoes. Any flat-soled trainers are fine.
You don’t need lessons unless you want to become the next local hero.
You don’t need a partner or a team. We’ll help you find people.
You don’t need to be fit to get started. Padel is kinder than it looks and those walls work in your favour.
All you need is balls, and they are available to purchase from our vending machine, which takes card payment.
If you can hold a racket and swing it roughly in the direction of a ball, you are good to go.
what are the rules?
Padel does have a set of proper rules but when you are brand new, you really do not need to know every detail. The basics are simple enough to get you started and you will naturally pick up the rest as you go.
Here are the essentials.
Serve underarm to the opponent diagonal from you. Get the ball over the net. Let it bounce once. Keep the rally going. That is genuinely enough for your very first game.
There are extra rules about what the ball can hit, how the walls come into play and when points count, but these make far more sense when you can see them rather than read them. Trying to learn every rule before you play usually makes things more confusing than helpful.
The easiest way to understand padel rules is to watch a short explainer video on Youtube (other video platforms are available) so you can visualise the court, see how the shots work and get a feel for when the ball is still in play.
Once you have played a few rallies and everything starts to click, you can come back to the finer details. Until then, keep it simple and enjoy yourselves.
Here’s a great video to get you started:
how to book a court
We use an online booking system called Playtomic. Booking a court on the Playtomic app is far easier than it looks. Once you have done it once, it becomes second nature. Here is the beginner-friendly version that explains everything step by step.
Download Playtomic and create an account
Nice and simple. Name, email, password. Nothing complicated.Tap “Book a Court” and Search for Eat Sleep Padel
Type it in and tap on us when we appear. We only have one court, so it is blissfully straightforward.You will now see the booking screen
At the top, you will find the dates.
Scroll left or right until you find the day you want.
When you tap a date, the availability for that day appears automatically underneath.Choose a time
Tap on any available time slot to open the booking options.
Next, scroll down to the “Book a Court” section.
Tap the small arrow to see the available durations.Playtomic uses an adaptive booking system, so it will only show you options that fit between other bookings. If you cannot see the exact time or length you wanted, it means someone has already snapped it up.
Payment
Two payment options will appear: ‘Pay your part’ and ‘Pay everything’.
Use ‘Pay your part’ if the people you are playing with are also downloading the Playtomic app. You can then add them to the game and they can pay their share of the cost. No need for that awkward ‘Can you send me that £10’ message in three days time’.
Use ‘Pay everything’ if you are the only one with the Playtomic app and you are either covering the whole cost yourself, or you are arranging to split the cost with your friends/family separately.
Peak and off-peak pricing
Off-peak runs from 4.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
Peak is 4pm to close( midnight) Monday to Friday, and all day on Saturdays and Sundays.
Prices vary depending on the time you pick, so choose whatever suits you best.Turn up and play
No check in. No reception desk. No awkwardness. Just open the booking in the Playtomic app and scroll down until you see the ‘Access Code’ section. Enter the four digit code into the keypad at the front door, followed by the # key, and you’re in! Just walk in, head to the court and start playing.
If you ever get stuck, just call us on 07745 440445.
There are no silly questions, only people who quietly battled Playtomic for twenty-five minutes before deciding to ask for help!
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU ARRIVE FOR YOUR FIRST GAME?
We only have one court, so you can’t get lost.
Walk in and head straight to the court.
Grab a free racket from the rack on the back wall.
Grab a set of balls from the vending machine (or bring your own if you have some at home)
Connect your phone to the speakers if you want music.
Hit the ball over the net a few times to warm up.
Start playing. No pre-match lectures, no pressure.
Laugh, enjoy the unpredictable bounces and definitely blame the holes in your racket if you miss.
It really is that simple.
If something genuinely confuses you, just ask. We’re always happy to help and nobody expects you to know anything on day one. Give Ben a call on 07745 440445 - any time of day.
HOW TO FIND PEOPLE TO PLAY WITH
If you haven’t got three friends who are free at the exact same time, join the club. Very few people do. Luckily, we make it easy.
A) Join the Eat Sleep Padel Whatsapp Community (Click the link to join).
This is where everyone posts when they fancy a game.
You simply say when you’re free and people join in.
B) Create or join an open match on the Playtomic app.
Open Matches are public games you can hop into.
You pick a time, pick a level and turn up.
One of the easiest ways to meet new players.
the padel COMMUNITY
Padel players are a friendly bunch. You will find everyone welcoming, encouraging and incredibly patient with new players. Whether you’re here for fun, fitness, a social break from the kids or because a mate dragged you along, you’ll fit right in.
Eat Sleep Padel is built around social players, casual groups, families and complete beginners. You don’t need to worry about the die hard padel pro’s, they tend to arrange their own matches seperately.
Nobody takes themselves too seriously and everyone wants you to enjoy your first game.
READY TO GIVE IT A GO?
Book a court in seconds on the Playtomic app, borrow a free racket when you arrive and enjoy a genuinely fun introduction to padel with the friendliest community in Lincoln.
One game is all it takes. Are you ready to be hooked?