A property owner rang us last month with a simple question. He had an empty warehouse unit in the west, a few friends who would not stop talking about padel. And a cousin who had just fallen in love with pickleball. Which one should he fit out first?
It is a fair question. And the honest answer depends far more on your space than on which sport is trending. Here is how we walk people through it.
The footprint is the first thing to check
A pickleball court measures 6.10 m by 13.41 m, which is the same as a doubles badminton court. With a safe run off around it, you are looking at roughly 9 m by 18 m per court. Most existing halls, multi purpose rooms and even some large function rooms can take one or two courts without major works.
A padel court is 10 m by 20 m and sits inside a glass and mesh enclosure with walls that are part of the game. That means a taller structure, proper foundations for the panels. And a ceiling that clears a lobbed ball. It is a build project, not a fit out.
The surface is different too
Padel is played on artificial turf with sand infill. We do not supply padel turf, so we would rather say that upfront than pretend otherwise. Pickleball, on the other hand, plays beautifully on sports vinyl flooring with a fine grain finish. It gives a steady bounce, forgiving footing and a surface that works for other sports when the courts are not booked.
Where the demand is
Both sports are growing here. Pickleball has the lower barrier for beginners, which matters if you are running a community venue, a school or a condominium clubhouse. Padel tends to draw a social crowd who are happy to book a premium slot. The public pickleball courts that have opened around the island show how quickly people take to the sport when a court is easy to reach.
Our recommendation
If you already have a hall, a roof and a flat floor, start with pickleball. It is quicker to open, easier to maintain and the same room can host badminton or futsal practice on other days. If you have open land and a clear plan for a dedicated racket venue, padel is worth a serious look, but speak to a padel specialist for the enclosure and turf.
Whichever way you lean, do a tape trial first. Mark out the court lines on the floor with masking tape and walk the space with your team. You will spot pillars, doors and air con vents in five minutes.
Ready to go deeper on the pickleball route? Our guide to pickleball court flooring in Singapore covers the build up. And our overview of indoor sports court flooring shows how the same room can serve more than one sport. For site specific advice, get in touch with our team and we will talk through your floor plan.
You can also read how Sport Singapore supports community facilities on the Sport Singapore website.
Showroom: WCEGA Tower, 21 Bukit Batok Crescent #12-78, Singapore 658065, open Monday to Friday from 9am to 6pm by appointment.
