Can I hire pickleball equipment?

Yes, pickleball paddles and balls are available for hire. You will be required to show a valid photo ID, which will be held securely at reception whilst you play! Please ensure that the paddles and balls are returned to reception at the end of your booking. Thinking of buying your own paddle? We're delighted to announce that our retail partner, ATT, will be providing a 1 5% discount on all Pickleball paddles throughout April and May.

Do I have to be a member to be able to book courts?

No. We are a public facility, and anyone can book a court.

Do I need to register my details before I can book?

Yes. You just need to set up an online Account - its free, quick and easy.

Can I pay with cash at the venue?

No. All our sports venues and cafés are now ‘cashless’.

When can I book a court?

Standard advanced booking rights for tennis, padel and pickleball courts are 7 days. New courts are released every day at 7.00am.

What should I do if I'm unsure if my court booking or coaching session will go ahead?

You should call your local venue to ask, no more than one or two hours prior to the start of your booking.

What if I book a court or pitch and don't turn up, or if I need to cancel at the last minute?

Our standard T&C's state that those customers who book a court or pitch but don't turn up at the venue, or who fail to cancel a booking with more than 24 hours notice, will not be eligible for a credit or refund. Please refer to our Cancellations and Refund Policy for more details.

What happens if it starts to rain whilst i'm on court?

A court booking is deemed to have been played if more than 15 minutes has passed since the start time and no credit or refund will be offered. You can opt to continue to play at your own risk.

What happens to my court booking if it rains?

If the court is unplayable, or your session lasts for less than 15 minutes, we will issue you with a credit for your entire booking.

What happens if the Met Office issues an Extreme Weather Alert?

If the warning is for 'extreme' weather such as heavy snow, strong winds or abnormally high temperatures - at our senior management's sole discretion - we may decide to cancel your booking or choose to remain open to the public. We will try to inform you in good time before your booking starts.

Who can play pickleball?

Absolutely anyone. Pickleball is a great game for all ages – it is based more on control and reactions rather than just power and as it’s on a smaller court, doubles doesn’t require as much movement as other sports. [Pickleball England]

What should I wear to play pickleball?

Like tennis or padel, for pickleball you can play in whatever you feel most happy in – think t-shirts, shorts, tracksuit bottoms, sweatshirts and a comfortable pair of trainers.

Are pickleballs the same as tennis balls?

No. A pickleball is a round plastic ball which weighs roughly half the weight of a tennis ball and has between 26 and 40 holes across its surface. Pickleballs are available to hire or purchase at our Chiswick venue.

What are the basic rules of pickleball?

Serve Each point starts with an under-hand serve, from behind the back line which must be hit diagonally to the opposite square. The serve must clear the non-volley zone (including the non-volley line). A server gets 1 service attempt. If the server wins the point, they continue to serve and alternate sides. In doubles, both players get to serve regardless of whether they win their first point on serve. When the service is lost, then both players in the opposing pair get to be the server. Play ‘Double Bounce Rule’ - Each team must play their first return shot off the bounce. It is only after the third short that the ball can either be volleyed or played off the bounce. Volleys - Players are only allowed to volley when their feet are behind the non-volley zone line. The point is lost if the volleyer’s momentum carries the player into the non-volley zone after volleying. Scoring Pickleball is scored as a first to 11 points, with two clear points needed to win. A point can only be won by the serving team.

Get Answers To

Pay & Play Pickleball - FAQS

The fastest way to get answers is by looking at our customer FAQ's. If you can't find what you're looking for and it's urgent we recommend using Online Chat.

Our venue specific telephone numbers, email addresses and postal addresses are available on our Contact Us page - we endeavour to reply to emails within 48 hours.

Can I hire pickleball equipment?

Yes, pickleball paddles and balls are available for hire. You will be required to show a valid photo ID, which will be held securely at reception whilst you play! Please ensure that the paddles and balls are returned to reception at the end of your booking.
Thinking of buying your own paddle? We're delighted to announce that our retail partner, ATT, will be providing a 15% discount on all Pickleball paddles throughout April and May.
Do I have to be a member to be able to book courts?
Do I need to register my details before I can book?
Can I pay with cash at the venue?
When can I book a court?
What should I do if I'm unsure if my court booking or coaching session will go ahead?
What if I book a court or pitch and don't turn up, or if I need to cancel at the last minute?
What happens if it starts to rain whilst i'm on court?
What happens to my court booking if it rains?
What happens if the Met Office issues an Extreme Weather Alert?
Who can play pickleball?
What should I wear to play pickleball?
Are pickleballs the same as tennis balls?
What are the basic rules of pickleball?
Serve
- Each point starts with an under-hand serve, from behind the back line which must be hit diagonally to the opposite square.
- The serve must clear the non-volley zone (including the non-volley line).
- A server gets 1 service attempt.
- If the server wins the point, they continue to serve and alternate sides.
- In doubles, both players get to serve regardless of whether they win their first point on serve.
- When the service is lost, then both players in the opposing pair get to be the server.
Play
- ‘Double Bounce Rule’ - Each team must play their first return shot off the bounce. It is only after the third short that the ball can either be volleyed or played off the bounce.
- Volleys - Players are only allowed to volley when their feet are behind the non-volley zone line. The point is lost if the volleyer’s momentum carries the player into the non-volley zone after volleying.
Scoring
- Pickleball is scored as a first to 11 points, with two clear points needed to win.
- A point can only be won by the serving team.