Padel at NLTC has grown rapidly over the past year and with this growth has come increased demand for our courts, particularly at peak times. To ensure that all members can enjoy fair and equal access to the facilities, NLTC is introducing a Padel Fair Usage Policy, effective from Monday 29th Sept. 

A number of weeks ago, we asked for your feedback around fair usage of the padel at NLTC. The response was fantastic and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their thoughts. A large part of the new Padel Fair Usage Policy has been shaped directly by this feedback.

NLTC Padel Fair Usage Policy

Peak hours: Monday-Thurs 5pm-10pm; Saturday & Sunday 9am-1pm, Public holidays 9am – 1pm

Off peak hours: all other times.

Booking rules are subject to change. Please check the latest rules on the club website, in SmartCloud or the NLTC padel app.

General Rules

• Courts will be made available for pre-booking by NLTC Members 7 days in advance at 10:15, subject to these rules.  

• Court 1 may be booked for 1.5 hours and Court 2 can only be booked for 1 hour during peak hours. 

• A court may be occupied only if a valid booking has been made for that court, all playing members are added to the booking, and any appropriate Green Fees have been paid through the NLTC Padel app.

• Failure to do so will result in a fee of €12 per person per hour for each incorrect name on the booking or a missing name. This fine will be applied to the account of the person who booked the court and that person will be unable to book a court until outstanding debts are paid. 

• For court bookings, players will be categorized as Adult, Junior or Coach. Rules for Juniors and Coaches are outlined below.

• Members may play in 2 peak-time bookings mid-week (Mon – Thurs), 1 peak time booking at weekends and 2 peak time bookings at public holiday weekends

• Members are not restricted with bookings during off-peak hours.

• All matches booked during peak hours must have the 4 playing names on the booking 24 hours prior to the time of the booking, or it will be cancelled.

• Weather-related cancellations or cancellations due to exceptional circumstances are understandable. Please email padelnaasltc@gmail.com your booking to confirm cancellation and the reason.

• During peak hours, padel courts must have 4 people playing and on the booking. Hitting sessions with 1, 2 or 3 players is not permitted during peak hours, only during off-peak hours. 

• The Padel Sub Committee may book courts in advance for club activities such as Socials, Group Coaching, Competitions, Inter-Club competitions etc. 

• To ensure fair use of the facilities, the padel subcommittee reserves the right to review, modify, or cancel any booking that appears to have been made under suspicious circumstances.

• Appropriate clothing and footwear should be always worn. 

• No pets, including dogs, are allowed on court.

Guest Policy (Updated)

In order to ensure fair and consistent access to court time for all members, NLTC operates a members-only policy for padel.

• Use of the club’s padel courts is restricted to current NLTC members only. Guests and green fee players are not permitted to play or be included in bookings.

• Members are responsible for ensuring that all participants included in their booking are registered members of the club.

• The Club asks all members to support and respect this policy in the interest of maintaining equitable access to facilities for the entire membership.

• Where a member does not adhere to this policy, the Padel Sub Committee may apply appropriate measures, which may include temporary suspension of booking privileges or other actions deemed necessary.

• This policy does not apply to official club-organised activities, including leagues, matches or events involving visiting teams, which are managed by the Padel Sub Committee.

Cancellations and No Shows

• Failure to take up the booking will result in a warning email. A second warning will result in the suspension of the members' booking rights for two weeks.

• 10 Minute Rule. To take up a court booking, the player who booked the court must arrive on court with the three other players no later than 10 minutes after the pre-booked time. After 10 minutes, the court may be used by other players waiting to play. These players then have the right to use the court for the remainder of the court booking.

• If a player cancels a court within 24 hours of their booking, they should post a message in the Anyone for Padel WhatsApp group to inform other members that the court has become available for booking or should email padelnaasltc@gmail.com.

• Members may report empty courts at peak times to any member of the Padel Sub Committee or to padelnaasltc@gmail.com.

Coaching

• Club-organised group coaching, with a minimum of 4 members during peak hours, is limited to no more than 5% of the total peak hours available per year. 

• Only coaches listed in the NLTC Padel app are allowed to provide individual or group coaching within the club. Any other person(s) wishing to coach requires NLTC Executive Committee approval before coaching in the club. 

• Individual coaching is not permitted during peak hours, Monday - Thursday.

• Individual private coaching may only be booked at 10:15, seven days in advance (in line with standard booking rules). And can be booked at hourly slots during weekend peak time hours. 

• Non-members cannot attend group coaching sessions or engage in private coaching at any time.

Juniors

• Junior members are welcome to play padel in line with the booking policy of no more than 2 peak hour sessions mid-week until 7:30pm (Court 1) 7:00pm (Court 2) mid-week and 1 peak-time session at weekends. 

• Junior members, 15 years and older, are allowed to play after 7pm if playing a box league or club league match. 

• Junior members U-12 may play if supervised by an adult during off-peak hours. 

Violations of the policy

1. Any member or coach’s first violation of the policy will result in a warning email.

2. Any member or coach’s second violation of the policy within a calendar year will result in padel court booking and playing/coaching rights being suspended for 2 weeks. 

3. Any member or coach's third violation of the policy within a calendar year will result in padel court booking and playing/coaching rights being suspended for 3 months.