Unmanned padel club No front desk. No problem.
Staff is the biggest cost of a small padel club. With grove courts, software and hardware take over the front desk, around the clock.
An unmanned padel club works like this: players book and pay online, receive a door code after payment that only works during their slot, and the court lights switch on automatically. The operator runs everything from one admin area.
One slot, start to finish
- 18:02
Booking
Lena books court 2 for 19:30 and pays with Apple Pay.
- 18:02
Door code
The confirmation arrives by email with a six-digit code valid from 19:15 to 21:00.
- 19:15
Access
Lena types the code into the door lock and the door opens.
- 19:25
Lights
The lighting control switches on the lights on court 2.
- 21:00
Done
The code expires and the lights go off. Nobody had to be there.
Hardware: open, not locked in
grove courts isn't tied to any manufacturer. Use whatever fits your club – or what's already installed.
| Device | Purpose | Works with |
|---|---|---|
| Smart door lock | Access by code during the booked slot | Almost any common smart lock and keypad, e.g. Nuki |
| Lighting control | Switch lights per court automatically | Wi-Fi-controlled lights and relays, e.g. Shelly |
| Wi-Fi in the club | Connecting the devices | Any stable network at the door and the distribution board |
| Your own systems | Access, lighting or point of sale as you need it | Custom integration on request via open interfaces |
We advise on what to buy, set up the devices with you and connect custom solutions too. All data stays GDPR compliant on servers in Frankfurt.
Frequently asked questions
What happens if the internet goes down?
Codes already issued are stored on the lock and keep working. For emergencies there's access through the lock manufacturer's app.
How do I prevent misuse?
Every code only works during the booked time and is tied to a booking with a name and a payment. The admin shows who booked when.
Do I still need someone on site?
For cleaning and maintenance, yes. For running the club, no: bookings, payments, access and lights run without staff.
Let's talk about your club.
A 30-minute demo: we show you oak padel live and work out your price.