‍A game that's easy to join together

Padel is nearly always played in doubles. Even when you come to a beginner intro session, you’ll finish by playing a proper game with a partner and usually have more than a few laughs along the way.

The court itself invites interaction. It’s enclosed and compact, so you can hear your partner and opponents. People chat between rallies, encourage each other and often find themselves supporting or offering some friendly tips and advice.

It’s also one of the few sports where you can mix ability levels and it still works. You can play with a group of friends, parents with kids, or total strangers and still get a rally going.  Joining a game with new people is completely normal in padel and really encouraged. It’s a dynamic you don’t often see in tennis, where doubles pairings tend to be more fixed.

What we build around the game

At Padel Shift, we try to make the off-court experience just as welcoming as the on-court one.

At Daylesford Farm, our Padel & Play nights have become a regular highlight. Hosted at The Club by Bamford, they’re part matchplay, part party. With a DJ and BBQ set up next to the courts, players come before and stay after their games, socialising, spectating and relaxing with a drink and some food. These events are designed to be easy to join in, even if you come alone as padel breaks the ice for you. You might arrive not knowing anyone and leave with a whole new group of people to play with.

At Elkstone Studios we’ve partnered with lots of amazing food and drink businesses to give each event a proper local flavour. It’s hard to beat a Thai curry cooked right by the courts and a pop up bar by craft brewery Earth Ales.  The atmosphere feels more like a summer evening with friends than a typical sports night.

We’ve also loved working with The Cotswilds, a brilliant local community that brings women together for playful, inclusive events that focus on connection and trying new things. Padel has been a huge hit, many of their members had never picked up a racket before, but found a new addiction in padel! Their energy has been infectious. A Cotswilds intro session turned into a weekly evening group, playing every Monday for 12 weeks during the summer and into Autumn and it’s exactly the kind of community-led growth we love to see.

Not just a game - a place to be

Padel’s sociability isn’t forced, it’s already built into the game, but the environment matters too. When players feel comfortable and welcomed they stick around, introduce others and help create something bigger than just another workout or skills session.

If you’d like to join us, book an Intro to Padel session or follow us @padelshift to see what events we’ve got coming up next.

Everyone’s welcome.