Club Rules

Courts can be booked in advance using the online booking system HERE.

Courts 1, 2 and 3 can be booked up to one week in advance. If an advance booking is made but the game is subsequently cancelled, please cancel the reservation in ClubSpark so that other members have an opportunity to play at that time. The maximum length for one session is one and a half hours. 

The keys to the courts, attached to a measure for the nets, hang on hooks in the Clubhouse. Please return them after playing and lock the courts and Clubhouse up if you are the last to leave, even if you did not open them. Please gently slacken and tie up the nets on leaving the courts. 

The club house has two separate toilets, but does not have any changing rooms. Please ensure that all lights are switched off if you are the last to leave the Clubhouse. 

Please ensure that the front combination door is firmly closed if you are the last to leave the Club. You should check this door even if you leave by the court side door. 

The visitors' book is on the table in the Clubhouse. Please complete this with the name of your visitor(s) and the appropriate fee. 

The rules regarding visitors are on the front of the visitors' book. A visitor may play three times after which they must become a member to continue playing at the Club. 

Fees: 

• Senior Visitor £4.00 per session, or if more than two visitors are playing there will be a maximum charge of £10.00 per court for the 1 ½ hour session. 

• Student/Intermediate/Junior £2.50 per session. 

Payment can be made via bank transfers to the club's account. The member you are visiting can provide details. Please include the reference 'VISITORS' when making payment.

Parents are responsible for their children at all times when on Club premises and are expected to ensure that their children do not distract playing members. 

Children must not be allowed to run around the courts, the grounds or play in the car park. 

Children under 16 must be supervised by parent/carer whilst at the Tennis Club, except when they are attending sessions supervised by the Coach. 

If an “under 18 year old” is selected for an away match, then they must be transported by their parents (or drive themselves). 

Members and parents/carers of junior members should take personal responsibility for their health and safety on the courts. This includes assessing whether the courts are suitable for play especially in adverse weather conditions. 

Members should ensure they are fit to play in accordance with the advice of their Healthcare Professional. Should an accident or medical incident occur on the club premises it is important that the Accident Book is completed fully after any emergency or first aid treatment is administered. 

The Accident Book is kept inside the First Aid Box and the reports are kept in accordance with General Data Protection Regulations by the committee for a period of 7 years. 

Members should familiarise themselves with the location of fire extinguishers, fire alarm call points and emergency escape routes located with appropriate signage at strategic points throughout the clubhouse. 

If you discover a fire or hear the fire alarm: 

• Raise the alarm by breaking the glass of the nearest fire alarm call point.

• Evacuate the building to a safe place in the car park away from the entrance.

• Call 999 and ask for the fire brigade.

• Only attempt to tackle the fire using the available fire extinguishers if you are competent in their use and operation and you are not going to further endanger your safety or that of others.

• Do not return to the building until authorised to do so. 

Please inform the committee when an accident report is completed or the fire alarm is activated by emailing: medsteadlawntennisclub@gmail.com 

All dogs brought onto Club premises are the responsibility of their owners and must remain under the direct control of their owners at all times. Dogs should not be allowed to distract playing members or roam around the premises whilst their owners are on court. Any fouling must be cleared away by the dog owners and removed from Club premises. 

Shoes — Only shoes suitable for playing tennis on hard courts (macadam) should be worn on the courts. Trainers with black soles or deeply ridged soles must not be worn as they mark and/or damage the court surfaces.

Clothes — Members should wear appropriate clothing for tennis. Shirts or T-shirts must be worn at all times.

Please consider other players when walking on and off the courts. Players find it distracting whilst playing on Courts 1 and 2 when members walk past the courts on the footpath at the Bowls Club side without waiting for a convenient break in play. 

Members using the footpath should stand still until there is a break in play or the serving player indicates they may pass. If your balls stray onto the other court please ask for them to be returned at a convenient moment in the other player's game. 

We encourage use of the practice wall, but members should be considerate and note that it can cause distraction to players participating in matches on Court 1.

The chewing of gum is discouraged. Please do NOT dispose of chewing gum on the court, as is virtually impossible to remove from the court and will permanently damage the tarmacadam surface.

Please do not bounce/lean against the surrounding court netting. Please do not lean heavily against the nets. 

Courts 1 and 2 are operated from the Clubhouse. 

Court 3 lights are operated from a box beside the court using the extra key on the court 3 stick. 

Please use the lights only when required. 

The flood lights are expensive to run, please conserve electricity and turn them off as soon as they are not required. 

All the lights must be turned off by 22:00 hrs (there is a timer switch that ensures this).  

The Club will provide tennis balls for club organised events. 

Surplus, used, club balls are also usually available in the tub in the corner of the club house. These can be used by all club members, for social play. Please return the balls to the tub so that they can either be played with again or recycled. 

At all other times Members are required to provide their own tennis balls. Members are requested to look after the tennis balls and collect them off the courts and surrounding areas after play. 

Please could members refrain from hitting poor quality balls into the farmer's field or areas surrounding the courts.