Padel in Gurgaon: How the Sport Works and What a Residential Racquet Club Offers

Padel in Gurgaon is part of a fast national rise: India went from just over 70 padel courts in 2023 to more than 300 in early 2026. Padel is a doubles racquet sport played on a small, enclosed court where the ball can bounce off the walls, keeping rallies going and making it easy to learn. Luxury housing is now building it in, with residential racquet clubs that combine padel with tennis and indoor games.

What Padel Is

Enrique Corcuera invented padel in Mexico in 1969 as a mix of tennis and squash. It first grew in Spain and Argentina and has since spread worldwide, and its appeal is easy to see on court: 4 players, short, action-packed points, and a level of skill that beginners can enjoy in their first session.

Unlike squash, it is played as doubles, and outdoors as often as indoors. Unlike tennis, the walls are part of the game, so a shot that would end a point in tennis can be played back after it bounces off the glass.

Padel Rules for Beginners

• The game is played in doubles, 2 players against 2.
• The serve is underhand, struck at or below waist height after the ball bounces once.
• The ball must bounce on the opponents' side before it can touch a wall.
• After that bounce, the ball can come off any wall on the receiving side and still be played.
• Scoring follows tennis: 15, 30, 40 and game, with sets of 6 games.
• Many club matches settle deuce with a single deciding point, called the golden point.

Most new players find the walls confusing at first and addictive soon after. A coach's first session usually focuses on letting the ball come off the back glass before hitting it.

Padel Court Size and Equipment

The padel court is 20 metres by 10 metres (about 2,153 sq. ft.), enclosed by a mix of glass and mesh walls. That footprint is small enough to fit in a residential sports club where a full tennis court would be hard to justify.

A padel racket has no strings. It is a solid, perforated paddle, shorter than a tennis racquet, and the ball looks like a tennis ball but is slightly less pressurised, so it bounces lower and slower.

Padel vs Tennis vs Pickleball

The 3 sports are often confused. Here is how they differ:

• Court: A tennis court is 23.77 metres long and 8.23 metres wide for singles, or 10.97 metres for doubles. Pickleball uses a badminton-sized court of 13.4 metres by 6.1 metres. Padel sits between them at 20 by 10 metres and uses walls.
• Equipment: Tennis uses a strung racquet and a felt ball. Pickleball uses a solid paddle and a perforated plastic ball. Padel uses a solid perforated racket and a low-pressure felt ball.
• Format: Tennis and pickleball are played as singles or doubles. Padel is played almost entirely as doubles.
• Learning curve: Pickleball and padel are quicker to pick up. Tennis takes longer to rally well but rewards skill over a lifetime.

In the padel vs pickleball choice, padel gives more running and longer rallies thanks to the walls, while pickleball is slower and gentler on the body. In the padel vs tennis choice, padel is more social and easier for mixed skill groups.

Inside the Club for Court Sports

At Godrej Verano on Golf Course Extension Road, the club for court sports is 1 of 3 clubhouses. The developer's launch film shows the sports and spaces planned around it:

• An outdoor tennis court set among palms.
• A padel court with mesh enclosures.
• Table tennis and badminton in indoor halls with timber floors.
• A health café looking out over the courts and pool.
• A pool deck for recovery after a game.
• A low, glass-walled club building reached by golf carts from the towers.

The project's amenity list also includes a basketball court, a cricket practice net and a fully equipped gym, so the sports clubhouse is part of a wider active zone rather than a single court.

Why a Residential Sports Club Works for Families

The value of sport in your community is the minutes it saves. A game that starts 5 minutes from your door gets played on a weekday evening; a game that needs a 40-minute drive gets postponed to the weekend and then skipped. Racquet sports also suit every age in a family. Children can start with table tennis and badminton, adults can play padel or tennis after work, and seniors often prefer table tennis's shorter court and slower ball.

Questions to Ask About Club Access

Before booking, ask how court slots are booked, whether there is a limit per household, whether coaching is offered on site, whether the courts have lighting for evening play, how guests are charged, and whether the courts are covered or open to the weather. These details decide how often the courts get used, which is the real measure of any sports club.

Starting Padel as a Beginner

1. Book 1 or 2 coached sessions to learn the grip, the underhand serve, and how to let the ball come off the back glass.
2. Borrow or rent a racket before buying, and try a round, soft racket first, since it is the most forgiving shape.
3. Play with mixed-level partners. Doubles hides gaps in skill and keeps the game social.
4. Wear padel or Omni court shoes and use the racket's wrist cord on every point.
5. Play 2 or 3 short sessions a week for a month, then decide whether to invest in your own racket.

Padel Safety and Court Etiquette

Common padel accidents include collisions between partners and rackets slipping from hands, which is why rackets have a wrist cord. Warm up the shoulders and ankles, call the ball clearly to your partner, and never swing when your partner is close beside you at the net. On a shared court, finish your booking on time and leave the gate closed, since it forms part of the playing wall.

Indoor Games for Every Age

Indoor games carry the club through the hottest and coldest months. A badminton doubles court uses the same footprint as pickleball, and a table tennis table is 2.74 metres by 1.525 metres. Both are easy for children to start and gentle enough for seniors, and indoor halls keep play going through Gurgaon's summer afternoons and winter evenings, when outdoor courts see less use.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can padel be played as singles?

A singles version exists on a narrower court, but it is rare. Almost all padel courts and clubs are built for doubles, which is also why the sport is popular as a social game among friends and families.

Is padel easier to learn than tennis?

For most beginners, yes. The court is smaller, the serve is gentler, and the walls keep the ball in play, so new players get long rallies sooner. Advanced padel still needs real skill in positioning and wall play.

How many padel venues are there in Gurgaon?

In October 2026, a leading sports booking app listed 12 padel venues in and around Gurgaon. A court inside your own community removes both the booking queue and the drive.

What shoes are best for padel?

Padel shoes have a herringbone or Omni sole that grips artificial turf with sand on it. Running shoes slip on these courts and offer little side support, increasing the risk of ankle injuries.

How We Checked This Guide

Rules and court sizes follow standards published by the sport's governing bodies, and court counts come from published 2026 reports. Club details come from the developer's launch film and amenity list, which are artistic impressions. For the club plan and brochure, use the enquiry form on this site.

Explore the Proposed Racquet Club at Godrej Verano

Discover how padel, tennis, badminton and indoor games are shaping luxury residential living in Gurgaon. Explore the proposed Racquet Club at Godrej Verano, Sector 63A, where developer launch materials showcase plans for sports courts, indoor game spaces and a health café.

Learn what to check about court access, coaching and club facilities before buying. Contact Us for the latest project brochure, proposed amenity details, clubhouse plans and property price list.