Almost every padel venue in Sydney takes bookings through Playtomic, a free app that handles availability, payment and the group split in one place. If you have booked a court anywhere in Australia in the past couple of years, you have probably already got an account.
Step one: get the app
Download Playtomic from the App Store or Google Play and sign up with your phone number or email. It is free, and there is no membership required to book a court.
Step two: find the venue
Search for the club by name rather than browsing by area. Venue names are more reliable than the map, especially for newer courts that have only just been listed. Once you have found it, save it as a favourite so it appears first next time.
Step three: pick your slot
Choose the date, then the duration, then the time. Availability updates live, so what you see is what is genuinely free. Weeknight evenings and weekend mornings go first, usually a week or more ahead. Weekday daytime is almost always open at short notice.
Step four: pay and split it
Pay for the court in the app. Playtomic can split the cost across the players in your booking, so nobody has to chase three friends for their share afterwards. At a private venue, you are paying for the whole court rather than a seat, so the price is the same whether two of you turn up or four.
Step five: turn up
Arrive a few minutes early, wear flat-soled trainers, and hire a racquet at the desk if you do not own one. If you have booked any kind of privacy option, tell the team on arrival so they can set the venue up before your session starts.
A few things worth knowing
- You do not need four players to book. Two is fine for a hit or for practice.
- Booking further ahead is the difference between a 7pm Thursday and a 2pm Tuesday.
- Some venues let you add a pool table or other extras to the same booking, so it is worth checking before you check out.
- Cancellation windows vary by venue, so read the terms on the booking screen rather than assuming.
Padel 88 is a private indoor court in Prestons, in the Liverpool area of south-west Sydney. Every booking gives your group the whole court to itself, and bookings go through the Playtomic app.