What is the height of padel turf?

Importance of Padel Turf Height

Padel is a popular sport that combines the characteristics of tennis and squash, requiring quick reactions and precise shots. As an important part of the court, the height of the turf directly affects the bounce of the ball, the speed of the ball, and the performance of the players. Choosing the right turf height can not only maintain the fairness of the game, but also reduce the risk of injury to players.

Standard turf height range

According to the standards of the International Padel Federation (FIP), the turf height of padel courts is usually between 10 and 15 mm. This height range is the best range obtained after a large number of competition tests and practice summaries, which can ensure that the ball bounce is neither too high to affect the rhythm of the game nor too low to affect the stability of the player's return.

Requirements for turf height in different venues

Competition venues

In international competitions or professional competitions, a turf height of 12-13 mm is usually used. This standard helps to maintain the consistency of ball bounce, improve the fairness of the game, and optimize the performance of the players. At this height, the grass fibers are typically straight or slightly curved, with a dense texture. Their design goal is not to mimic natural grass, but to create a highly controllable and consistent elastic interface.

Training venues

Training venues may choose a turf between 10-15 mm, which can be adjusted according to the training needs of the players. For example, a training ground for beginners may choose a slightly higher turf to slow down the ball and make it easier for players to master skills.

Club and commercial fields

Fields for club or commercial use usually use 12-15 mm turf to provide better durability and comfort while reducing maintenance costs.

Impact of turf height on the game

Bounce of the ball

Turf height directly affects the bounce of the ball on the field. A lower turf (10-12 mm) makes the ball bounce faster, while a higher turf (13-15 mm) slows the ball down and makes the game more controllable. Compared to tennis hard courts, the bounce is slightly lower; compared to clay courts, the ball speed is faster. This perfectly matches the fast-paced, strategy-heavy characteristics of peakball.

Player movement

Short, dense grass fibers provide reliable grip for players' rapid starts, sudden stops, and changes of direction. Excessively high grass fibers, once padded, become too soft, affecting player speed and increasing the risk of ankle sprains. The grass height design directly serves the padded system. Typically, only about 2-3 millimeters of grass fibers protrude from the padded surface. This layer of padded provides the primary cushioning and elasticity.

Durability of the field

Choosing the right turf height can also help extend the life of the field. Shorter grass height means less wear and tear and easier maintenance. The grass fibers are less likely to flatten due to prolonged trampling, and the infill is easier to maintain an even distribution using a professional brushing machine, thus extending the field's lifespan and maintaining consistent performance.

Overall Structure

Padel Turf is much more than just the height of the grass fibers; it's a multi-layered, collaborative engineering system:

Grass Fiber Layer

• Material: Primarily PE, providing excellent abrasion resistance, UV aging resistance, and a soft feel underfoot.

• Density: Typically 18,000 to 22,000 tufts/m². High density ensures uniform ball contact, preventing irregular bounces.

Infill Layer

• Composition: Generally a mixture of silica sand (providing stability and drainage) and environmentally friendly rubber granules (providing elastic cushioning), typically in a 7:3 ratio.

• Function: This layer is crucial for ball bounce performance; its thickness and composition are strictly matched to the grass height.

Base Layer

• Sole Fabric and Backing: A high-strength double-layer sole fabric and environmentally friendly backing lock in the grass tufts, preventing infill leakage.

• Drainage Design: The entire system is built on a sloping concrete or asphalt base, utilizing micropores on the back of the turf and drainage channels in the base layer to achieve immediate usability after rain.

How to maintain the lawn of a padel tennis court

Regular cleaning: remove dust, debris and rubber particles left by players on the court to ensure that the lawn surface is clean.

Timely mowing: Check the height of the lawn regularly to ensure that it remains within the range of 10-15 mm.

Maintenance of filling materials: Add quartz sand or rubber particles in appropriate amounts to maintain the stability and elasticity of the lawn.

Professional testing: Regularly ask a professional team to test the quality of the lawn to ensure that it meets the competition or training standards.

Comparison and Misconceptions

1. Unlike artificial turf for soccer

Soccer turf typically has a grass height of 40-60 mm, requiring longer grass fibers to simulate the rolling and cushioning of natural grass, which is the opposite of padel ball's goal of achieving a regular bounce.

2. Misconception: Higher grass is more comfortable

Arbitrarily increasing the grass height will disrupt the mechanical balance of the entire system, resulting in excessively slow ball speed, high and irregular bounces, completely deviating from the inherent motion of padel ball, and even increasing the risk of injury.

3. Misconception: Just look at the grass height

Grass height must be evaluated as a whole system, including grass fiber density, infill type, and thickness. A single grass height number is meaningless.

Conclusion

The height of the lawn of a padel tennis court is an important factor affecting the quality of the game and the safety of the players. The 10-15 mm height range recommended by international standards can effectively balance ball speed, bounce and durability. When selecting and maintaining the lawn, it is necessary to combine the purpose of the venue, the requirements of the game and the actual needs of the players to ensure the best sports experience. With the popularization and development of padel tennis, the technology of the court lawn is also constantly improving. In the future, there may be more optimized lawn solutions to further improve the game experience and player performance.