What is DPC?

• DPC is Dulwich Padel Club, a new section of Dulwich Sport Club (DSC), with its own committee, run under the auspices and rules of Dulwich Sports Club, similar to the existing Tennis, Squash, Cricket and Croquet sections.

 

Can I bring my bike to the club?

• Yes – we encourage cycling and there are plenty of bike racks at the club.  

• Always ensure your bike is securely locked. 

• There will soon be areas to lock cargo bikes. 

• Please do not bring your bike into the pavilions. 

• Do not charge bike batteries in the club house – the club will not be insured for any fires so caused. 

 

Changing facilities

• Changing rooms are located in the main clubhouse.

• There are currently no lockers available for your bags.  Please look after your valuables. 

 

What are the Bar and Catering facilities

• DSC has a fully licensed bar.

• Current Opening hours: 

  • Mon to Fri: 6pm to 11pm

  • Sat: noon to 11pm 

  • Sun: noon to 10.30pm

 

When DPC opens...

• Coffee, soft drinks and snacks will be available from the club house bar from 9am each day

• The bar is licensed from 11am

• Adult Members can apply for a DSC bar card which gives a members’ discount on prices. 

 

Can I bring my own food?

• Yes, you can bring your own food, or order take-away to be consumed at the club.  Some cutlery and crockery is available for this.   If you do bring in food, please clear away fully and wash up anything you have used. 

 

What are the Padel Court opening hours

• 8am to 10pm Monday - Saturday.   

• 8am to 8.30pm Sunday and Bank Holidays 

• We do not offer off-peak hours/bookings

 

Membership

• You do not have to be a member to play at DPC and can just pay-and-play.   However, the advantages of membership are:

  • Priority bookings (14 days in advance, versus 7 for non members).

  • Reduced court fee: Members pay discounted rates for court bookings.

  • Bar cards available for adult members: reduced prices for food and drink.

 

• Please note - Membership is waiting list only due to overwhelming demand.  To add your name to the list or for any questions, please email: membership@dulwichpadelclub.co.uk

 

CASC policy - Application for Reduced-Rate Membership

• Dulwich Sports Club is a Registered Community Amateur Sports Club (CASC). We welcome members from both the local area and surrounding communities to the Padel Section (Dulwich Padel Club) and are committed to promoting participation in the sport.

• If you feel you cannot afford the standard membership fee due to a low or modest income, you may apply to the Padel Manager for a reduced-rate membership, which carries full membership rights, with no restrictions.

• Applicants will be asked to complete a comprehensive application form, including details of your total income, so that eligibility for a concessionary membership can be assessed by the Padel Committee. The form is available in the Quick Links under "Low income provision".

• For further information, please contact jo@dulwichpadelclub.co.uk in confidence.

 

How do I book and pay for courts 

• Once logged in to Nettla - you can use their AI chat which should answer most queries:  Nettla WhatsApp Bot https://wa.me/447782222728

• Please login and register in the Nettla Ap to book a court - NETTLA 

• When booking, you can choose to pay for the whole court or just your spot, with options for 60, 90, or 120-minute sessions. 

• If you are due a refund, Nettla will refund to the same payment that was used - card or wallet.

• POINTS - All Padel apps charge transaction fees.  For each transaction, you will be charged an extra 30p.  To avoid this, Nettla has set up a point based system.   You ‘Buy points’ in bulk where 1 point is equivalent to £1.  When you check out, you pick the ‘Pay with Points’ option.  We advise all members to use the point system where possible, to help avoid unnecessary fees.   

• Players who book the court must be present (unless parents booked for a junior).

• Juniors can book courts.

 

Court Prices:

• Peak - hourly per court

  • Adult and U25/Student Member - £30.00

  • Junior Member - £22.50

  • Pay & Play (non-member) - £45.00

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• Off-Peak - hourly per court (9.30-4.30). Mon to Fri

  • Adult and U25/Student Member - £25.00

  • Junior Member - £18.75

  • Pay & Play (non-member) - £40.99

 

• Each player will pay the appropriate price.  

For example, if you have 1 adult member, 1 junior member and 2 Pay & Play adults paying in Peak hours: 

Adult member:  30/4 = £7.50

Junior member: 22.50/4 =  £5.63

Pay & Play: 45/4 = 11.25 x 2 = £22.50

Total cost of court = £35.63 for the hour.

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• Racket hire is £3, and you can buy a tube of balls for £5. Both available from the bar between 09:00 and 22:00.

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Cancellation rules

• If you cancel a court, the refund will go to the same payment source that was used for the booking- either card or wallet.  Please note, Nettla allows you to cancel your court any time up to the time of play and we encourage you to do so to allow others to nab the court. Please share the cancelled court on the Whatsapp community.  

• Please note, events may have different cancellation deadlines.

 

How far in advance can I book?

• If you are a member, you can book 14 days in advance. 

• Non-members can book 7 days in advance.

 

Do I have to play extra for floodlights?

• No, floodlights will be included and automatically turned on and off. 

 

What is a level/rating in Nettla?

• In Nettla you will need to allocate yourself a level in order to book a court or attend any socials/mix in’s. 

  • Why?  It is to ensure players attend sessions and matches with people of a similar ability.    

 

What initial level/rating should I give myself in Nettla?

• Getting ratings right is essential for the club to run smoothly. To avoid large discrepancies in initial ratings, please follow these guidelines:

• All new members should read the Nettla rating descriptions and choose the level that best matches their ability.

• However, all new members must cap their rating at 3.5. You may choose a lower rating if appropriate, but no new member should start above 3.5.

• Once you begin entering scores, your rating will automatically adjust over time.

• Our head coach, Jordan, can amend ratings up or down at his discretion. If you’ve had lessons or attended a leveling session, he may adjust your rating accordingly.

• If you’re unsure of your level, start lower and/or attend a leveling session.

• If you believe you are above 3.5, please attend a leveling session when the courts are open, before being rated higher.

 

Please note: Jordan’s decision is final!

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How do I find people to play padel with?

• Plenty of options.  You can join socials or find similar players in your coaching sessions.  Or you can start or join an open match or book a private court and find players in the Whatsapp community.

 

What is the difference between a Court Booking, an Open and a Private Match?

• Court Booking (Private and Friendly): Default booking.  No one else can join unless    invited.  No scores submitted and therefore no implication on level.

• Open Matches (Public): These are listed on the Nettla app's schedule, allowing anyone to find, join, and play with others of similar levels. This is ideal for meeting new people and finding matches when you don't have a full group.  Submitted scores affect levels.

• Private Matches (Private): These are booked for specific groups, and no one else can join unless invited.  Submitted scores affect levels.

• WE ENCOURAGE ALL PLAYERS TO ENTER SCORES SO THEIR LEVEL IS UPDATED AND ACCURATE

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Rain cancellation rules (post the 24 hour refund deadline)

• You must cancel your court (Nettla allows you to cancel your court any time up to the time of play) and then email the Padel Manager - jo@dulwichpadelclub.co.uk - and ask for a refund.  The courts are all weather so depending on the conditions, will depend on the answer!

 

Is Padel Coaching available? 

• Yes!  Please login to Nettla to find suitable sessions and book.   You can also join the WhatsApp community for updates, or contact Head Coach Jordan directly at:  Jcpadelcoach@gmail.com

  

Levelling sessions

• If you think your rating is incorrect, we will be offering leveling sessions at a fee.   Please login to Nettla to find a suitable slot once the courts are open.

 

Tournaments

• We will be running tournaments - look out for updates on the Whatsapp community/Nettla.

 

Box leagues

• We will be running box leagues - look out for updates on the Whatsapp community/Nettla.

 

Equipment hire

• You can hire a racket from the clubhouse bar between 9am and 10pm.  

  • Cost: Members £5 and Non-Members £7.50.  

• We recommend visiting Herne Hill Sports when you are ready to purchase. https://hernehillsports.co.uk/

 

Balls

• You can buy balls from the clubhouse bar between 9am and 10pm.  We do not rent them out.  However, balls are included for all social and coaching sessions.

 

Can I hire a ball machine?

• We will purchase a ball machine soon.  More details to follow

 

Merchandise

• We have an online shop - link to follow

 

Padel scoring

It's the same as tennis.  

• Points: you get 15, 30, 40 and then game.   If both sides have 40 then it is called Deuce.  Win the advantage and one more point wins you the game.  Sometimes we do Golden point to speed up the sets - whoever wins the next point wins the game or Silver point - play one normal Deuce and then Golden point.   Or Star point - play 2 normal Deuces and then Golden point.

• You play sets of three.  Each set is to 6 games.   You must win 2 out of the 3 sets to win the match.

• At 6 games all, you play a tie break to 7 points.  

• A championship tie break is sometimes used instead of a third decider set and that is the first to 10 points.

 

VIDEO instructions

To see how to navigate Nettla, please see the example videos below:

 

Registering with Nettla - https://youtube.com/shorts/BQO6bipmZwU?feature=shared

 

Adding Kids to your profile - https://youtube.com/shorts/HxBQWK50P3Q?feature=shared

 

Booking a court - https://youtu.be/2bvIE_4-pOU?si=u23yzUpQmVQXJOSR

 

Buying and using points - https://youtube.com/shorts/y4HOjxeuXRM?feature=shared