Guildford is a town built for sport. The A3 corridor has always had decent tennis infrastructure – several well-maintained clubs, strong junior programmes, a culture of post-work racquet sports. Padel arrived later than it did in London, but the setup here is deliberate – purpose-built infrastructure, not an afterthought.
If you’re a tennis player at a Guildford club wondering whether to try padel, or if you’ve been playing elsewhere and want somewhere closer to home, this guide covers what’s available in the city and the immediate north Surrey catchment.
The main court in Guildford
Padelstars Guildford opened four outdoor courts at Surrey Sports Park in December 2025 – the first padel courts in the city. The location is solid: Surrey Sports Park is the University of Surrey’s flagship facility on Stag Hill, with proper changing rooms, parking, and a sports centre atmosphere – the kind of setup that makes you feel like you’re turning up somewhere serious.
The courts are bookable via Playtomic, with pricing around £8–10 per person. Social sessions and coaching programmes run alongside general court hire – the kind of structured offer that works if you’re new to the sport and want a route in beyond just booking a court blind.
The bigger news is what’s coming. Padelstars has planning permission for a 10-court indoor complex on the same site, intended to be the largest padel centre in Surrey. That facility is expected to open in 2026, which would make Guildford one of the better-served cities in the south-east. Right now you’re playing outdoor, so you’re weather-dependent – worth bearing in mind if you’re planning a session for winter.
Surrey Sports Park, Guildford, GU2 7AD. Book via Playtomic.
Indoor option within range: Farnham
For indoor courts within reasonable range of Guildford, Farnham is worth the twenty-minute drive south-west. Hurlands Pickleball + Padel Club opened at Farnham Trading Estate in early 2026 with three indoor padel courts, plus ten pickleball courts, social spaces, and proper changing facilities. The centre is purpose-built with a £2.75 million investment behind it – not a hotel car park conversion.
Pay-and-play sessions are available, which matters if you’re not ready to commit to a membership. It caters to newcomers through to experienced players. Not Guildford, but if the weather is grim or you want a guaranteed indoor session, it’s the closest option to central Guildford right now.
Hurlands Pickleball + Padel Club, Farnham Trading Estate, Farnham, GU9.
Padel near Guildford: the broader north Surrey picture
Surrey’s padel scene is spread across a large county, and Guildford sits closer to some venues than others. If you’re flexible on location, these are worth knowing about.
CourtFit Cobham runs two outdoor courts at the Hilton Hotel in Cobham – around 15 minutes north-east of Guildford on the A3. Pay-and-play is £40 per hour split four ways, making it £10 per person. Social sessions are on the calendar and they run adult and junior coaching. Book via Playtomic. The setting is functional – hotel car park, not a dedicated sports campus – but it’s accessible, open to non-members, and closer to Guildford than many people expect.
Weybridge Padel Club operates further north in the Weybridge area. Further for Guildford players than Cobham, but a well-regarded club with a mix of social and competitive sessions if you’re willing to extend the commute.
The county guide at padel in Surrey covers the full picture across Epsom, Esher, Cobham, and Weybridge – useful if you’re happy to drive and want to know which venue suits your level.
What to know before you book
A few practical points worth covering if you’re relatively new to padel in this area:
Guildford is still building out. The courts at Surrey Sports Park are the first in the city, and the infrastructure that exists in more established padel towns – multiple venues, well-organised leagues, club teams – hasn’t fully developed yet. That’s not a reason to avoid it, but calibrate your expectations: you’re playing at a venue getting started, not a long-established club.
Social sessions are your best entry point. Both Padelstars Guildford and CourtFit run social mix-ins where the format is turn-up-and-play with whoever’s on court. For someone with a tennis background who’s coming to padel solo, this matters – you don’t need to arrive with three friends.
Coaching is available if you want a proper start. Padelstars offer coaching from day one at Surrey Sports Park. If you’re crossing over from tennis and want to understand what’s different about padel before you start playing casually, a coached session or beginner clinic is worth doing once. The reflexes transfer, but the tactics don’t.
Outdoor courts are the norm right now. With the exception of Farnham, the Guildford catchment is primarily outdoor courts. Playtomic often shows court availability and weather forecasts together – book accordingly and keep an eye on your cancellation window.
How Guildford fits into the Surrey picture
Guildford is 35 minutes from London Waterloo and sits at the heart of north Surrey. The catchment includes Woking to the north, Godalming to the south, and Farnham to the south-west. For players commuting into London who prefer to play locally at weekends, Surrey Sports Park is a straightforward option – drive, park, play.
The positioning of Guildford’s scene is interesting: it’s late enough to padel that the infrastructure is purpose-built, but early enough that you’re not walking into a venue with a two-week waiting list. The main Padelstars complex, once it opens, will be one of the larger padel venues in England outside London – the kind of facility that tends to pull players from a wide radius and generate its own social scene.
If you’re based in Guildford and padel-curious, Surrey Sports Park is the obvious starting point. Book a session, try a social, see whether the sport clicks. If you want a wider look at what the county has to offer, padel in London covers the capital’s venues for days when you don’t mind the commute.
See how this compares elsewhere with the full directory of UK padel court guides, organised by region.