Lighting and orientation
Court lighting must be even and must not dazzle players, umpires or spectators, with lights at least 6 m above the floor. Outdoor courts are best laid out north to south.
Bestimmung 1: Light must be even
Artificial light must be even across the court.
Bestimmung 2: Lights that do not dazzle
Lights must be positioned so they do not make it hard for the players, the umpires or the audience to see.
Bestimmung 3: Standards for court lighting
Lighting must also meet the FIP Annex on court approval.
Bestimmung 4: Light poles outside the court
Light poles must stand outside the court.
Bestimmung 5: Poles and out-of-court play
If the light poles stand inside the safety area, out-of-court play is not allowed.
Bestimmung 6: Minimum height of lights
The underside of the lights must be at least 6 m above the floor.
Bestimmung 7: Higher lights for new venues
For new facilities, a height of at least 8 m from the floor to the underside of the lights is suggested where the lights are installed over the court, that is, within the line straight up from the side walls.
Bestimmung 8: Lights outside the walls
Lights installed outside the court walls may be at different heights.
Bestimmung 9: Light for television
For television broadcasts and filming, vertical lighting of at least 1000 lux is needed, and more may be needed the further the subject is from the camera. The quoted standard gives the details.
Bestimmung 10: Which way outdoor courts face
For outdoor courts, the long axis of the court is recommended to run north to south, anywhere between north-northeast and north-northwest. With the court running north to south, the sun crosses the court sideways during the day instead of shining straight into one pair's eyes.
In echten Spielen
Fragen
How high should the lights be on a padel court?
The underside of the lights must be at least 6 m above the floor. For new venues with lights over the court, 8 m is suggested.
Which way should an outdoor padel court face?
The FIP recommends the long axis runs north to south, anywhere between north-northeast and north-northwest.
Why can I not play outside the court at some clubs?
One reason in the rules: if light poles stand in the safety area beside the court, out-of-court play is not allowed.