A women-only session is one of the gentlest ways into padel. The level is set before you arrive, and everyone else on court has turned up to learn and meet people too.
They’re also getting easier to find. The LTA wants more venues to run them as part of She Rallies, its plan to make tennis and padel gender balanced, and women’s padel groups such as Empower Padel have grown up alongside. The hard part is knowing which session to book.
Clinics, socials and leagues: what’s on offer
Women’s sessions come in a few shapes, and venues don’t always use the same names for them.
- Beginner clinics. A coach runs the hour, often with a small group on one or two courts. You’ll cover the grip, the basic shots and how the walls work, then play some points. This is the one to pick if you’ve never played.
- Socials. You book as an individual and the organiser rotates partners and opponents through the session. Some keep score as an Americano or Mexicano, some just play. Some have a coach floating between courts; many don’t.
- Ladders and leagues. Once you’ve got a few sessions behind you, some clubs run women’s ladders or mini-leagues where you arrange matches against players near you on the table.
- Teams. The LTA’s national team competition has a separate women’s event, with venues entering teams of five. That’s a longer-term goal, but your club may already have a team looking for players.
If you’ve never held a padel racket, book a coached clinic first, even if a social looks more fun. One hour on the grip and the back glass makes your first social far more enjoyable.
Where to look
There isn’t one national listing for women’s sessions, so you’ll need to check a few places.
- The venue’s booking app. Clinics and socials are usually listed alongside court bookings, often under “classes”, “activities” or “open matches”. Search or filter for “women” or “ladies”.
- The venue’s website and social media. Smaller clubs often post timetables there first.
- The front desk. Ask what’s on for women and whether there’s a WhatsApp group for those sessions.
- Women’s padel communities. Groups like Empower Padel run their own events and work with partner venues, so their channels are worth following.
Start with the venues nearest to you on the court finder, then work through their timetables. Two or three venues within reach gives you a choice of days and times, which matters more than it sounds once work and family get involved.
How to read the level on a listing
Most sessions carry a level range, such as “0 to 1.5” or “2 to 3”. These numbers come from the booking apps and clubs, usually on Playtomic’s 0 to 7 scale. They aren’t LTA ratings: the LTA runs rankings from tournament results, not skill levels.
As a rough guide for a first booking:
| Listing says | Book it if |
|---|---|
| Beginner, intro, 0 to 1 | You’ve never played or only had a go once or twice |
| Improver, 1 to 2 | You can rally gently but the glass still confuses you |
| Intermediate, 2 to 3.5 | You rally comfortably, serve reliably and use the back wall |
Experience in tennis or squash helps, but don’t book on that alone. The walls take most racket players a few sessions to read, so a strong tennis player can still be a padel beginner for a while.
If you’re torn between two groups, pick the lower one and mention it to whoever’s running it. Being moved up next week feels a lot better than an hour of chasing balls you can’t reach.
Questions to ask before you book
Booking pages leave a lot out. A quick message to the venue clears up most of it:
- Is it coached or self-run? A coached session suits beginners; an unhosted social suits players who can already rally.
- Is racket hire included? If not, it’s usually a few pounds at the desk.
- How many people per court? Four per court means more playing; six or eight means more rotating.
- Can I come on my own? For clinics and socials the answer is almost always yes, and coming alone is normal.
- Who’s the coach? The LTA advises checking a coach holds LTA Accreditation, which covers a recognised qualification, safeguarding and first aid training, and a criminal record check.
Some women prefer a female coach when they start. It’s fine to ask, though whether one is available depends on the venue.
Turning up for the first time
Arrive ten minutes early so you can collect a racket, find the court and say hello. Wear comfortable sportswear, a supportive sports bra, and the grippiest court or tennis shoes you own if you haven’t got padel shoes yet. Running trainers struggle when you stop and turn on sandy turf. Bring water. The checklist in your first padel session covers the rest.
On court, the habits that matter are the ordinary ones: call the score, own your line calls, apologise for a ball that hits someone and say “good shot” when your opponent earns it. The etiquette post explains the unwritten rules, including waiting for a rally to finish before you walk past someone else’s court.
Try this on court
At your first clinic or social, give yourself one simple job for the whole session.
- Let every ball that’s going to hit the back glass hit it before you swing.
- Turn to face the side wall as it comes off, then hit it gently back over the net.
- Ignore winners. A ball back in play is a good shot at this stage.
After the first few sessions
Once you’re enjoying a weekly clinic or social, a few next steps open up. A second session in the week moves you on faster than anything else. Swapping numbers with a few people at your level gives you a ready-made four for court bookings. And when you want to play matches, ask whether your club runs a women’s ladder or enters a team in the LTA’s national league.
At some point you’ll want your own racket rather than the hire one. Choosing your first racket covers what to look for without spending a fortune.
When you’re ready to think about mixed doubles or your first tournament, our guide to women’s padel in the UK covers both, along with the competition pathway.
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