Courts 1 – 6
Courts 1 to 6 are red porous clay courts. For correct court maintenance and player safety the courts must be properly conditioned before play. This involves sufficient watering before playing each set and bagging of courts after each set or 20 minutes of “hitting”.
Nobody should commence any play on courts that are totally dry and dusty. This will gouge the courts resulting in potentially significant and expensive damage. All courts should have some moisture in them before play – just how much will depend on the prevailing climatic conditions.
To ensure adequate water supplies, the club has installed a water tank. The tank has 2 sources of water supply. The primary supply is from our bore and the secondary supply is rainwater from the clubhouse roof. We currently have courts 1 to 6 connected to the water tank and as a result for these courts we do not have to comply with current water restrictions and are able to water these courts before and after play to maintain their condition.
If you arrive at the club and see courts with the nets lowered, this is a sign that no play should occur on these courts, please do not raise the nets.
Basic watering guidelines
If it is particularly dry and or windy, then the courts will require a substantial watering before play to ensure the court crust is damp, a light sprinkle is not sufficient. If playing multiple sets the surface should be assessed before the commencement of each set and the necessary water applied appropriately. If you are not playing sets but just having a ‘hit’ you should evaluate the surface approximately every 20 – 25 minutes and water as required (as well as bagging).
If the conditions are warm or windy you should also water at the conclusion of your play. If the court you are playing on starts developing a depression with stones visable – you should cease playing immediately, lower the nets to discourage anyone else playing on the court and advise a member of the committee as soon as possible. We have seen substantial damage inflicted on courts when play has continued in these circumstances – stones are the enemy of these courts and common sense should apply.
Court 7
Court 7 is a hard court and as a result has different maintenance requirements. It is not necessary to bag or water this court. You need to wear the correct footwear which is non marking court shoes. You should also reduce the amount of grit and dirt that you carry on to the court with your shoes, please wipe your shoes on the provided mat before entering the court.
Correct Tennis Shoes
As always all players should wear correct tennis shoes – joggers are unacceptable, any player seen not wearing proper tennis shoes will be asked to leave the courts immediately. If a member invites a non members for a game or a hit, it is the absolute responsibility of the member to ensure their visitor has the correct tennis shoes and understands the watering protocols.
