Padel is a novel yet popular sport, an easier version of tennis but no less sociable and fun. The game has grown popular because it doesn’t come with hard rules or much technique like tennis, and also allows players of all ages and levels of expertise to play together. It is all about easy interaction and enjoyment. Padel is played on a glass and steel structure called a court where pairs and groups can enjoy themselves. Padel courts are constructed on an area slightly more than a third of that of a tennis court with a playing surface of 20mx10m. With the growing popularity of the game, the Padel courts installation is becoming very much in demand, only now arriving in Ireland, quickly following behind the UK.
Types of Padel Courts
There are different types of Padel courts depending on the site locations & venues, for example Tennis Clubs, Sports Grounds, Hotels, Public parks or indeed back gardens of private residences. Then you have different types of courts, some designed for indoor padel facilities, and others more robust for outdoor padel facilities. The courts are made up of three types of material glass, mesh, & steel. Next up is the design of the court, starting off for the basic court you have steel court with six to eight poles surrounding the sturcture, then the more upmarket design panoramic style, and most recently the factories are building portable Padel courts, which we dont recommend for Ireland due to the Irish weather. The installation process in Ireland also is determined by the weather, so for the outside courts we always ensure that the drainage is adequate to ensure play can continue during some light rain or at least playable straight after a heavy shower.
Glass Walled Padel Courts
Many of the Padel courts in Ireland such as those padel courts built in Bushy Park, Fitzwilliam and Naas Padel Club, have walls made of tempered glass. These allow greater visibility for the players & spectators and are safer for the players The glass walls also add to the aesthetic look but require a little more maintenance and cleaning.
Walled Padel Courts
With Padel Courts only starting out in Ireland the sides are made with tempepred glass, a walled Padel court is more popular in many countries where padel is more established , These walled courts are less expensive than glass-walled Padel courts. The walls are made of cement material, This type of Padel court suits beginner players as they are more durable and less likely to damage. However, they offer less visibility and are considered the older style of court.
WPT Professional Padel Courts
These Padel courts are designed to give an amazing experience to spectators as well as players. These are standardized Padel courts that are built according to the criteria set by World Padel Tour. The four sides of the walls are continuous glass 4 meters in height and are constructed along dimensions of 20 meters by 10 meters. Cameras can be installed into the consturction and seating arrangements for spectators are also part of the spec.
We will also just mention here as a tag on, the launch of the very latest Pininfarin Supercharges design court. Pininfarina for many the godfather of Italian car design has teamed up with Iconic, a new sports design brand to launch a gorgeously designed interactive padel court, more about that later this year.
Portable Padel Courts
Portable Padel courts are very convenient to transport to different places. They have free-standing structures that do not affect the ground during installation and dissembling. They are hassle-free and do not require bolts for installation. These are available in various materials including glass, metal, and mesh. Portable Padel courts are lightweight and require low maintenance. These padel courts are only recommended for a temprary installation during the Irish summer months for an exhibitional match or a promotion . It is quite possible in time, due to future technology that these portable padel courts may become suitable for the Irish climate with a more secure fitting to the ground.
These different types of Padel courts have their pros and cons and are dependent on the venue, choice of players, and which process of installation suits them.