New courts as fast-growing sport of padel comes to Fife sports club

Fife Council has granted the club planning permission for an expansion to create two padel tennis courts alongside two new mini tennis courts.

Padel is commonly described as the fastest growing sport in the world and was recently recognised by sportscotland. It is easy to learn, popular with women and men, and played by people of all ages and abilities.

Described as a game halfway between tennis and squash, it is played in doubles on an enclosed court surrounded by walls of glass and mesh.

According to planning papers, the courts will be available for both members and non-members and schools will be offered “regular opportunities for children to come and try this new sport. The new facility will enable the club to support the development of an additional new racket sport and widen the availability of tennis to the local community,” planning papers state.

Elie Sports Club is already a well established facility with a nine hole golf course, driving, six existing tennis courts, a bowling green, and French Boule. The club will repurpose existing leisure land to construct the courts.

“The provision of padel tennis will add to the facilities available to the local community and provide access to a new sport that is increasingly popular in the UK. This will be the first such facility in Fife and will offer community access to a fun and healthy activity and provide a positive impact on the area,” a statement concludes.