You booked the court, you found three friends, someone claims they played once in Spain. Great, that is genuinely all you need. But there are a few things about padel that nobody mentions until you are already inside the glass, and knowing them turns a confusing first game into a brilliant one.
None of this is technique. For rules, see our plain-English guide to the padel rules. This is the other stuff, the things our coaches Sotiris and Warren repeat every single week to every single first-timer at the club.
One intro session with a coach beats a month of guessing.
The walls are your friends, not your enemies
Every beginner panics when the ball flies past them towards the glass. Do not chase it. Turn, wait, and let the wall serve it back to you like a polite assistant. The rebound is slower and more predictable than the shot that beat you. The moment you stop fighting the walls and start using them is the moment padel actually begins.
Your tennis instincts will betray you
If you have played tennis, your body will want big swings and flat winners. On a court half the size, that ball either hits the back glass and comes back for your opponent to enjoy, or sails out. Shorten the swing, hit at seventy percent, and aim for awkward spots instead of highlight reels. Placement beats power in padel every single time.
The lob is not cowardly, it is the best shot in the game
Beginners feel embarrassed lobbing, as if it were a trick from the school playground. Meanwhile, every advanced player around you lobs constantly. A good lob pushes your opponents off the net, wins your team time to take their place, and turns defence into attack in one shot. Lob early, lob often, apologise to no one.
The net is where points are won, and you and your partner move as one
The pair that controls the net controls the game. When your side hits a deep lob or a good low shot, walk forward together with your partner. When you are pushed back, retreat together. Think of an invisible rope tying you side by side. Two players at the net beat one hero at the net and one spectator at the back, always.
Your shoes matter more than your racket
First-timers obsess over which racket to bring. Do not bother, we hand you a decent one for free with the court. What we cannot lend you is grip. The court surface is turf dressed with sand, and smooth-soled running shoes slide on it. Wear tennis or padel shoes if you have them, or any trainer with real tread if you do not.
This is Thailand. Respect the heat, then enjoy it
An hour of padel in Pattaya is a proper workout, and the climate adds its own opponent. Book morning or evening slots for your first games, five of our six courts are roofed and shaded, and bring twice the water you think you need. The upside of playing in the tropics? Your muscles are warm from the moment you step on court, and the post-match cold drink has never tasted better.
You will come for the game and stay for the people
Here is the one nobody believes until it happens. Padel is only ever played as doubles, so the sport is social by construction. You talk between points, you laugh at the wall rallies, you swap numbers after. Most of the regulars at our club arrived alone in a foreign city and now have a standing game and a group chat. Fair warning: the first match is rarely the last.
First-timers always ask me how to win. Wrong question. Keep the ball in play, take the net with your partner, and let the other pair make the mistakes. In padel, patience is the most aggressive strategy there is.
SOTIRIS · PADEL MBA CERTIFIED COACH, CHILLI PADEL
Your first match is easier to find than you think
You do not need to arrive with a ready-made four. Our Americano nights rotate partners every round, so you play with everyone and nobody gets stuck carrying a beginner. Open match sessions pair you with players at your level.
Check what's on this week or message reception on WhatsApp and tell us you are new. Getting first-timers into the right game is genuinely our favourite part of the job.
First-match questions, quick answers
Ready for your first match?
Rackets and balls are included, the coaches are friendly, and the bar has your recovery drink waiting. Book a court, join an intro session, or just message us saying you are new and we will take it from there.