Court Schedule

Set out below is the Lowlands Club Tennis Court Schedule  

This Schedule sets out which activities take priority on the tennis courts at the times set out below – with the proviso that the following activities take ‘super-priority’ at all times: 

∙ Lowlands team matches against external opposition; 

∙ American Tournaments or similar sanctioned by the Tennis Committee; 

∙ LTA open days; 

∙ The Lowlands Open Tournaments; 

∙ The Lowlands Closed Tournament Finals Day; 

∙ Use of courts by the club’s coaching staff as provided for below; 

∙ Formal team practice sessions supervised by the club’s coaching staff.  

Mondays 6:00pm – 9:30pm: 

∙ Intermediate members club session – Courts 1 – 3 and 4.

 Full, Intermediate and junior members may use the remaining courts for open play (non bookable) if not required for coaching.

∙ Coaches have priority on courts 5 and 6. 

Tuesdays 6:00pm – 9:30pm: 

∙ Open Play on all courts not required for coaching purposes or Lowlands team matches. 

 ∙ Coaches have priority on court 4 until 7pm and court 6 till 9:30pm.

Wednesdays 4:00pm – 6:00pm

∙ Coaches have priority on courts 1,2 and 5,6 from 4 to 6pm.

Wednesdays 6:00pm – 9:30pm 

∙ Full members’ club session – courts 1- 3 and 5.  

∙ Full members are expected to participate in the club session and not play arranged singles or fixed fours. 

∙ Courts 4 and 6 can be used for the club session if not required for coaching.

 Full members may commence – and play in its entirety – a Lowlands Summer Closed Tournament  match on these courts.  

∙ Courts 4 and 6 are available for open play from 8pm

Thursdays 6:00pm – 9:30pm: 

∙ Open Play on all courts not required for coaching purposes or Lowlands team matches. 

 ∙ Coaches have priority on courts 4 and 6 till 7pm and court 6 till 9:30pm. 

Fridays from 4:00pm: 

∙ Juniors – have preferential use of courts 2 to 6 for coaching till 6:30pm and courts 4 to 6 till 7:00pm . 

∙ All courts not required for coaching or club matches are available for open play by Full and Intermediate members. Social members may use these courts if playing tennis with their children.

. When a match is taking place the team captain can decide which courts they wish to use and juniors will have preferential use of the remaining 3 courts. 

∙ We are encouraging junior play on Fridays and require members’ cooperation.  

Saturdays 8:30am – 1:00pm:

∙ Intermediate members’ club session – Courts 1 – 3. Remaining courts not required for coaching are available for Full, Intermediate and Junior Open Play (non bookable). 

Coaches have priority on courts 4 and 6.

Saturdays 1:00pm – 4:00pm: 

∙ Full members’ club session – courts 1 -3 and 5.

 Court 4 and 6 are required for coaching 

       Full members are expected to participate in the club session and not play arranged singles or fixed        fours. 

∙ Provided court 4 or 6 is not being used  for coaching, full members may commence – and play in its entirety – a Lowlands Summer Closed Tournament match on that court.  

∙ Intermediate and junior members may use courts 4 and 6  for Open Play if not required for coaching.

Sundays 10:00am – 1:00pm: 

∙ Full members’ club session – 6 courts (unless court 6 is required for coaching). Full members are expected to participate in the club session and not play arranged singles or fixed fours. 

∙ Courts are not available for intermediate, social or junior play during the full member’s session.

Sundays 6:00pm – 9.30pm: 

∙ Social Tennis club session – Courts 1 – 5 from 6pm till 8pm and courts 1-4 from 8 – 9.30pm

Remaining courts not required for coaching are available for open play. 

Social members would be expected to take part in the social session unless playing tennis with their children.

Important Notes Accompanying this Schedule: 

Meaning of Open Play (includes fixed fours/singles, and Tennis Committee Sanctioned tournaments: 

Open play periods are as stated above and all other times not designated as club sessions.

• At the current time the court booking system should be used for open play except when booking is not allowed for example, but not limited to, Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
•  When courts are not bookable first come first plays applies. If all courts are occupied and members are waiting to play the court must be vacated on completion of the current set.
• If not playing a set then the court should be vacated after 40 minutes of play, if all courts are occupied and members are waiting to come on.
• Players are expected to vacate courts promptly at the end of a booking slot regardless of the current score. 
•  Members should only book courts within their sections given time criteria. 
•  However, those already playing a Lowlands Summer Closed Tournament match are permitted to complete that match provided they do not exceed their court booking time.
•  When playing a set, knock ups should be no longer than 10 minutes. 
•  Privately arranged external matches, box league, Shapla and Currie cup matches are bound by Open Play rules and players will be required to vacate courts after completing the set in progress, if other members are waiting for a court.  
•  Lowlands Summer Closed Tournament matches started in Open play cannot be completed on courts designated for Club sessions without the agreement of members of the section affected. 
•  You should only take possession of a court once all players in your game are ready to play.

Social Tennis Section 

• Social tennis members are restricted to their designated sessions as above and Open Play weekdays 8:30am – 4:30pm and weekends 4.00pm – 9.30pm 
• Social members should not book courts outside of their designated time slots. 

Score Indicators: 

∙ As a courtesy to those waiting, the progress of games/sets completed must be indicated on each court at all times during both Open Play and club sessions.

Court Booking:
Lowlands uses the ClubSpark court booking system for the majority of the time the courts are not required for club sessions, club matches and coaching. ClubSpark can be accessed via their app or via our website using the password Lowlands1935. An LTA login should be used.
Courts can be booked 14days in advance.
A booking session is 1/2hr and members can book a maximum of 6 sessions per week,with a maximum of 4 sessions (2hrs) at one time. Members should not spend more than 2hrs on court at one time. As a courtesy to those waiting, the progress of games/sets completed must be indicated on each court at all times during both Open Play and club sessions.

Court Usage: 

∙ All members are encouraged to review the clubspark booking calendar showing dates of club matches and events. 

∙ Members are recommended to avoid busy periods for playing matches. This particularly includes weekday evenings when there are Intermediate section, Junior section and club matches requiring courts. Generally speaking, it is usually very easy to get a court during the following periods: 

Weekdays during the afternoon 

Friday evenings after 7.00pm (when there is not a club match taking place) 

Saturday evenings after 4:00pm 

Guests: 

∙ Members are discouraged from bringing guests during times of high court usage (e.g. Tuesday evenings and Thursday evenings) and in any event should restrict the number of times a particular guest is invited to 4 times within an annual period (guest fees are £4, £5 floodlit, £1 juniors at all times – and should be paid in advance).  If your guest would like to join Lowlands – please contact the Tennis Captains at ([email protected]).

Juniors: 

∙ Juniors have the same court access rights as other members during Open Play periods.

Disputes: 

∙ Players would be expected to consult and abide by the court schedule and Etiquette Policy.  

∙ In any situation where a dispute arises over court entitlement and agreement cannot be reached amicably, then the argument should not be prolonged but reported to the tennis committee, who can then take further action as deemed appropriate. 

∙ Any disagreement over the interpretation of this Schedule shall be mediated upon by the Tennis Captain.

 ∙ The tennis committee will have the right to take action against players who breach the court schedule or Etiquette Policy. 

Defibrillator:

• Lowlands has a fully automated defibrillator. It is situated inside the back door opposite the kitchen. When calling the emergency services the club postcode is HA5 1TU.

Janice Howkins & Sue Hammond

Co-Tennis Captains

Updated February 2022