Tennis Attire
Proper tennis attire is required to play on Granville courts. Shirts and shoes are required. Smooth tennis soles or proper clay court shoes are required. When running shoes or other non-tennis play shoes with heavy tread are worn, damage to the court surface may require additional cost and resources to resolve. Please be respectful of this and help keep our courts in good condition for everyone’s enjoyment.
Court Conditions
Play is prohibited when the courts are wet enough to show footprints or when the nets are lowered and conditions have not improved. Please check the courts frequently as they often dry within a short period of time. When members violate the wet court rule, this can seriously damage the court surface and require additional cost and resources to resolve.
Court Etiquette
Understanding tennis etiquette will help make playing tennis more enjoyable for all.
1. Don’t roll balls behind or onto someone else’s court during a point.
2. If your ball goes onto or behind another court, don’t retrieve it if the players are playing a point.
3. During warm-ups, hit balls in a cooperative manner that lets you and your opponent warm up.
4. If your opponent hits an obviously out serve, don’t hit it back. Hit it into the net or let it roll into the fence behind you.
5. If you think (or even know) your opponent has made a bad call, you can ask once (per point) for clarification and that’s it. No matter how flagrant a bad call, you can’t argue.
6. Pick up balls on your end of the court before switching ends.
7. Silence cellphones or turn them off.
8. If you are not positive about a call, give your opponent the benefit of the doubt.
9. The score of the set should be called out by the server before each game, and the score of the game called out before each point.
10. Clear the court of all balls so there is no visual distractions during play.
11. It is proper etiquette to meet your opponent at the net and shake hands regardless of the outcome of a tennis match.
12. Talk quietly when standing near tennis courts that are in use.
Summarized from Basic Rules of Tennis Etiquette USTA
Court Time Limits
Generally, any one court is limited to 1.5 hours of play. If no persons are waiting for an open court, any play may continue beyond the limit. However, it is expected that members are aware of their contiguous playing time, be respectful and relinquish a court to a waiting member if a total of 1.5 hours has been reached regardless of the time a waiting member may have arrived.
Reserved Courts
Members are not able to reserve courts for personal use. Court use is strictly first-come, first-serve basis. However, there are organized Club activities that do necessitate court reservations. Days and times may vary annually. Club activities will typically not reserve all courts at one time, allowing for as much open court time for arriving members as possible. Seasonal reservations for some courts can be expected for the following:
- Tennis Pro Regular Youth and Adult Clinics
- Established Club tennis leagues that are open for participation by any tennis skill level-appropriate member.
- GCTA women’s and men’s team practices and home matches
Bringing Guests
A member may bring a non-member guest to the courts for a $10 fee. The number of times an individual may be a guest is limited to 5 visits per season. Please sign and date the member guest sheet on the bulletin board. Guest fees will be billed to the member by the club Treasurer.