Court Booking Rules

1. Each court may be booked for an hour at a time, up to one hour in advance.

• Courts 2, 4 and 6 on the hour – example 10.00 – 11.00
• Courts 1, 3 and 5 are booked on the half-hour – example 10.30 – 11.30

2. You have to be physically present in the club to book a court, put your names on the board in the Clubhouse during its opening hours.
   
   
3. As a courtesy, please book a court that is free before one that is in use, unless you prefer a specific court surface.
   
   
4. Courts may be booked either:

• By two or four players who have arranged to play together. Write all names on the board under the court number, noting the time for the booking.
• By one or more persons who have not made up a four. Write your name on the board under the court number, noting the time for the booking, or join others who have already done so to make up a four. Pre-arranged fours do not have priority over individuals who have put their names on the board waiting to make up a four.
  

5. As soon as play has begun on court, the names of those playing can be rubbed out and the next booking started.
   
   
6. A name cannot be down for more than one court a time. If you are already on court your name cannot be put down for another court.
   
   
7. At least two of the doubles players must be at the Club by the allocated time otherwise the court may be taken by other players. A courtesy period of 5 minutes must be observed for latecomers.
   
   
8. Doubles take priority if the courts are fully booked. If two people are playing singles they cannot refuse to play a game of doubles or to share the court if two others wish to join them within 15 minutes of the start time. A singles which has been on court for 15 minutes can continue for the remainder of the hour.
   
   
9. If your name is down to play and whilst waiting a court is seen unoccupied, it is acceptable to warm up on this court until the court you booked becomes available. However, if one or more members wish to book the court you are warming up on, they will have priority.
   
   
10. Court priority times: please familiarise yourself with the Court Allocation schedule posted in the clubhouse and on the website for an overview of priority times given to specific tennis activities.
    
    
11. Court 6/Hitting wall. Court 6 cannot be booked for hitting wall practice. The wall is available to anyone on a first-come, first-served basis provided the court is free. However, booked games of either singles or doubles have priority over use of the hitting wall.
    
    
12. Ad-hoc courts for coaching. Mon-Thu 11-3, a third court can be used for individual/small-group member coaching on an ad-hoc basis. “Ad hoc” means if there is a free court, the member can book an hour in advance in the usual way; if the court is already booked, the lesson cannot take place.
    
    
13. Coaching spillover. For after school and holiday camps, coaches have a maximum of 2 courts allocated. If they spread out to 3 or 4 courts due to the courts being empty, members should approach them politely and respectfully that they wish to play on those courts and the coaches will vacate the courts immediately.
    

Last updated: 31 Aug 2023