Padel works brilliantly for a stag or hen do. It's doubles, so everyone is involved, and people who have never played can win points in their first hour.
The catch is the planning. Eight to sixteen people means several courts at once, a mix of keen players and total beginners, and a bar to get to afterwards. This page covers the lot: courts and hours, formats non-players enjoy, UK clubs with a bar, the hand-off into the evening, and what matching tees cost.
Courts and hours: the booking sheet
A padel court takes four players. Book enough courts in one block so nobody waits more than one round. Two hours is about right for a mixed group. Non-players tire faster than they expect, and nobody wants to arrive at the bar already flat.
| Group size | Courts | Sitting out each round | Court-hours to book (2 hours) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 10 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| 12 | 3 | 0 | 6 |
| 14 | 3 | 2 | 6 |
| 16 | 4 | 0 | 8 |
To get a cost per head, take the club's peak price for one court for one hour, multiply by the court-hours, and divide by the number of people. Check the price for your actual date and time. Stratford Padel Club, for example, counts weekdays after 5pm and weekends before 6pm as peak, so a Saturday afternoon stag pays the higher rate. Our booking apps guide explains how Playtomic and the others handle split payments, which saves one person fronting the whole bill.
Two things catch groups out. First, a club with four courts has to give you every court for a group of 16, so you're asking for the whole venue. Second, big groups need notice. Stratford asks for at least two months for groups of more than 12 on an evening or weekend, so book early wherever you go.
Odd numbers are fine. The two sitting out each round become the scorer and the referee, and they swap in next round.
Formats that work when half the group can't play
The worst padel stag do is the regulars playing a proper match on court one while everyone else hits balls into the glass. Pick a format that mixes people up.
Groom's side v Best man's side
A team match, Ryder Cup style. The groom and best man (or bride and maid of honour) pick teams in turn. Each round, every court is one match between the two sides, played to a set number of points, and every point goes on the team total.
The rule that makes it work: on every court, a regular partners a newcomer. Every match stays balanced, and the person who has never played wins points for their team straight away. Change pairs each round. The losing captain gets the first round in.
King of the Court
This one sorts mixed levels by itself. Padel Browser describes it as a ranked ladder of courts. Winners move up a court, losers move down, and partners usually rotate. Games are short, often to 7 points with golden point at deuce. After six to ten rounds, whoever spent the most rounds on the top court wins.
It suits a group where everyone has played at least once. Within a few rounds the strong players are fighting it out on court one and the beginners have a close game on the bottom court, rather than a beating.
Americano
Rotating partners and individual scores. Our Christmas padel social page has printable grids for 8, 12 or 16 players.
House rules for big gaps in level
Add one or two if the group is very uneven:
- A newcomer pair starts every game three points up.
- Regulars can't smash.
- The groom or bride plays every round and never sits out.
Send anyone who has never played to our beginner's guide the week before. It saves a lot of explaining the walls.
UK clubs with a bar or social space
These clubs list a bar, a social space or private events on their own pages or booking listings. None of them advertise a stag or hen package by name, so ask for a group or private booking and tell them the numbers. Facilities were checked on 18 and 19 October 2026. Ring before you book, as things change. None of these clubs are linked to Padelism.
| Club | Area | Courts | What's there after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stratford Padel Club | Stratford, east London | 9 indoor | Bar and hot food, beer garden, private events |
| Rocket Padel Ilford | Ilford, east London | 12 indoor | Bistro and bar |
| Padium | Canary Wharf, London | 7 indoor, 1 outdoor | Bar and café |
| Padel Box Bermondsey | Bermondsey, south London | 5 indoor | Coffee and bar |
| Padel Social Club Earl's Court | Earl's Court, west London | 6 (4 outdoor, 2 indoor) | Two-storey bar and lounge |
| The Padel Club Trafford City | Manchester | 11 (9 covered, 2 outdoor) | Clubhouse with coffee and cocktails, hosts groups |
| Connect Padel Birmingham | Moseley, Birmingham | 4 covered | Bar, café, clubhouse, showers |
| Play Padel Sheffield | Sheffield | 4 indoor (3 doubles, 1 singles) | Café and bar |
| Rocket Padel Bristol | Bristol | 14 indoor (12 doubles, 2 singles) | Bistro and bar, a head of events |
Two notes on the table. Earl's Court has four of its six courts outdoors, so for a winter weekend, check you'll get the indoor ones or pick a fully indoor club. Birmingham has four doubles courts, which is the whole club for a group of 16. Sheffield has three doubles courts plus a singles court, so it tops out at 12 playing at once. A singles court only takes two, so count doubles courts when you book. For more London options, see our London padel clubs guide, and for other cities, our UK padel clubs guide.
The evening hand-off
The bar after is half the point. Padelism's first ever sale happened one evening in a padel club garden, watching a game. A little planning makes the switch smooth.
- Book the last afternoon slot. Finish around the time the bar gets busy, not at 11am with eight hours to fill.
- Reserve the bar or a table at the club for straight after. Ask whether food is served and until when.
- Do the prize-giving at the bar. It frees the court on time for the next booking.
- Pack a bag. A dry tee, a warm layer and deodorant. Check for changing rooms or showers rather than assuming.
- Have the next venue booked. Getting 14 people to agree on a pub takes longer than the padel did.
The group order calculator
A matching tee looks great in the photo and still gets worn after the weekend. Here is what it costs.
Every £48 heavyweight tee is in our 2 for £90 deal, applied automatically at checkout. That works out at £45 each. The deal covers up to four pairs per order, so for more than eight tees, split the group into orders of up to eight. Every order of two tees or more is over £75, so UK delivery is free on each one.
| Group | How to order | Total | Per head | UK delivery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 1 order of 8 | £360 | £45 | Free |
| 10 | 8 + 2 | £450 | £45 | Free |
| 12 | 8 + 4 | £540 | £45 | Free |
| 14 | 8 + 6 | £630 | £45 | Free |
| 16 | 8 + 8 | £720 | £45 | Free |
Odd number? The odd tee is £48 at full price, so a group of nine pays £408 in a single order.
Which tee? For a stag that ends in a pub, the Padel & Pints tee writes itself. If the evening is dinner, there's Padel & Pizza. Want the groom or bride to stand out? Put them in the Love tee and everyone else in matching Pints. All three are 100% cotton, 305 g/m², cut oversized and in the deal.
For a hen do, look at the women's range. It fits more true to size. The £44 crewneck and cropped tees aren't in the 2 for £90 deal, but any two of them come to £88, which clears free UK delivery. A cropped hoodie for the bride is £70.
Sizes and timing
- Collect sizes first. The unisex tees are oversized, so a size down gives a regular fit and your usual size gives the oversized look. Women's pieces are more true to size. Share the size guide in the group chat.
- Order three weeks before the weekend. Every piece is made to order and takes 7 to 10 working days in the UK. Three weeks leaves room for a late size swap.
- Size exchanges are accepted if someone guessed wrong.
FAQ
How many courts do we need for a padel stag do of 12? Three courts for two hours, so everyone plays every round. With two courts, four people sit out each round, which gets dull fast for a group that came to play.
Can people who have never played padel join in? Yes. Pair each newcomer with a regular, keep games short and pick a team match or King of the Court. Check the club hires rackets; Padel Social Club Earl's Court lists racket hire at £6.50.
Is padel a good stag do activity in winter? It is, as long as you book indoor courts. Several of the clubs above are fully indoor, and our indoor courts guide has more. Bring a warm layer for the walk to the bar.
How early should we order matching tees for the group? Three weeks before the date. Clothing is made to order and takes 7 to 10 working days in the UK, and you'll want a few spare days for any size swaps.
