Bucks &amp; Oxon


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<p>Two different sports, two different rules, and of course, only one winner. Don&#8217;t be surprised if you find padel loving Stormzy and Pickleball addict Emma Watson having it out over which is the superior of the two. Very happy to leave them argue that one out. Each has a cult following in its own right, offering different types of game play, tactics, and health benefits.</p>



<p>In the UK, popularity of the two sports has absolutely soared. Take padel for instance. In the past year participation has trebled, with LTA figures showing 400,000 adults and juniors took part at least once in the preceding 12 months. While pickleball hasn&#8217;t quite taken off with the Brits in the same way it has over the pond in America, it still boasts a respectable 35,000 players in the UK, with a 65% increase in membership in the last year. So, what exactly are they? Let&#8217;s dive in.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-the-difference">What’s the difference?</h2>



<p>Well, the racquet for a start. Padel racquets are like big bats, slightly smaller than a tennis racket and surprisingly light. They are made of either carbon fibre or fibreglass, whereas Pickleball uses a thin plastic racquet with a different sized head. While they both use a ball, that is different too. Padel balls are like less pressurised tennis balls, meanwhile the pickleball is entirely plastic meaning it doesn&#8217;t bounce anywhere near as high.</p>



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<p>A result of the less bouncy ball is that pickleball courts are smaller with a lower net and boundary lines more similar to badminton. Pickleball also has a no volley zone near the net to avoid someone literally standing there and pelting the ball like King Kong. The glaringly big difference though is the fact padel courts are surrounded by glass walls which can be used to play off (a little like squash). Cue the nail biting rallies. There&#8217;s more of a knack to it than you&#8217;d think.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-are-the-rules">What are the rules?</h2>



<p>In essence, yes, you have to hit the ball over the net. And while you can play singles for both sports, padel is primarily a double act (it&#8217;s an absolute killer going solo FYI). Both use a scoring system of points with the aim to win games, sets, and matches. However, how those points are counted is different. Padel uses the same scoring system as tennis – 15, 30, 40, game.</p>



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<p>Pickleball is a different kettle of fish, with a totally unique scoring system which sees only the serving team being able to score points and is played to 11. You must win by two clear points. Keeping up?</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-what-s-easier">What&#8217;s easier?</h2>



<p>The short answer is: neither. Sorry to burst your bubble, but both require a need to move in order to get around the court. But that being said, padel and pickleball can be enjoyed by absolute anyone of any age. The health benefits are pretty staggering – helping improve cardio fitness, agility and hand-eye coordination. Both require strategic teamwork to take the crown, making them both super social sports and a great way to make new friends.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-can-you-play">Where can you play?</h2>



<p>Local clubs of both are springing up here, there, and everywhere. Well, they are two of the world&#8217;s fastest growing sports for a reason. For padel, there are now 893 padel courts available at 300 venues across Britain. Find your local one <a href="https://www.ltapadel.org.uk/play/find-a-padel-court/?latitude=51.9876643&amp;longitude=-1.0898154&amp;location=Bucks+concrete%2C+Finmere%2C+Buckingham%2C+Oxfordshire%2C+UK#" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">here</a>. As for pickleball, there&#8217;s around 270 clubs dotted across the nation which you can check out<a href="https://www.picklebook.org/a/pbe/clublocator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener"> here.</a></p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-where-to-play-near-you">Where to play near you?</h2>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-oxfordshire">OXFORDSHIRE</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-padel">PADEL</h4>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.oxfordsportsltc.org/"><strong>Oxford Sports Lawn Tennis Club</strong></a>, North Hinksey Village, Oxford</li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.ltapadel.org.uk/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Smash Padel Oxford</a></strong>.</li>



<li><strong><a href="https://clubspark.lta.org.uk/NorthOxfordLawnTennisClub/Booking/BookByDate#?date=2025-06-17&amp;role=guest">North Oxford Lawn Tennis Club</a>,</strong> Oxford.</li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.smashpadel.co/">Smash Padel Bicester</a>, </strong>Bicester Hotel Golf &amp; Spa</li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.davidlloyd.co.uk/">David Lloyd Club Bicester</a></strong></li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pickleball">PICKLEBALL</h4>



<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/south-oxfordshire/thame-leisure-centre"><strong>Thame Leisure Centre</strong></a></li>



<li><strong>Oxford Pickleball, </strong>Kidlington</li>



<li><strong><a href="https://wadscc.co.uk/">Wootton &amp; Dry Sandford Community Centre</a></strong>, Boars Hill</li>



<li><a href="https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/vale-of-white-horse/white-horse-leisure-and-tennis-centre/pickleball"><strong>The White Horse Leisure &amp; Tennis Centre</strong>,</a> Abingdon</li>



<li><a href="https://willowbrookleisurecentre.wordpress.com/"><strong>Willowbroke Leisure Centre</strong>,</a> Didcot</li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/south-oxfordshire/didcot-leisure-centre">Didcot Leisure Centre</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://www.charlburycommunitycentre.org.uk/">Charlbury Community Centre</a></strong></li>
</ul>



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<h3 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-buckinghamshire">BUCKINGHAMSHIRE</h3>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-padel-0">PADEL</h4>



<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.gmltc.com/Padel">Great Missenden LTC</a></strong></li>



<li><strong><a href="https://ukpadel.org/uk-padel-clubs/">Holmer Green Padel,</a> </strong>Holmer Green, High Wycombe</li>
</ul>



<h4 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-pickleball-0">PICKLEBALL</h4>



<ul>
<li><strong><a href="https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61553286136035">Guttmann Centre, Stoke Mandeville Stadium</a></strong>, Aylesbury</li>



<li><a href="https://haltontennis.co.uk/"><strong>Halton Tennis Centre</strong>,</a> Halton</li>



<li><a href="https://www.everyoneactive.com/centre/chilterns-lifestyle-centre/"><strong>Chilterns Lifestyle Centre</strong>,</a> Amersham</li>
</ul>



<p></p>


Pickleball vs Padel: What’s the difference and where can you play?

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