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SOCIAL TENNIS

Linkside Lawn Tennis Club runs a very active social tennis programme that strives to promote a fun and social atmosphere for our members. Our social programme is meant to give all members the opportunity to play competitive and enjoyable sets of tennis with players of different standards. This allows members to get to know each other and encourages an inclusive and sociable atmosphere for all.


Social Tennis Times:

Please download the attached Schedule of Social Play to see days and times.

Schedule of Social Play.pdf

Social Tennis System & Rules

“Linkside Social Tennis is about playing competitive tennis in a friendly and inclusive atmosphere. This should be underpinned by a fair set of rules that all Members abide by.”


1.In order to join in with General Social Play sessions Members must be able to reliably serve, return serve, and rally. The club welcomes beginners into Social Play and wants the experience to be friendly and inclusive and as such has assigned beginner courts/times, and once judged by a coach to have progressed into General Social Play they may also play on the General Social Play designated courts. Non-beginners may also join to make a 4 and help beginners on their court, if requested by the beginners.

2.Players waiting to play must enter their names on the “social board” underneath other waiting players. This list is used to select a balanced foursome to play out of the next 6 players, avoiding players who have already played in the same 4. The “social board” shall always be used during social hours. Upon arrival players should enter their own name at the bottom of the list on the board. The player at the top of the list makes a selection from the next 5 players to form a balanced foursome in the spirit of creating an enjoyable game and they should play on the next available designated court with the list then moving up in order and the process repeated when the next designated court becomes available. If any players in the top 6 are not selected then they will play in the next game joined by those below them to make a balanced foursome (again the top 6 players waiting are considered). If the players under the first player have already played together with the first player, and there are players below them on the list, then they should be skipped to ensure that in the true spirit of Social Tennis, players play in different fours. Those arriving at the Club to play should also put their names below those players waiting to play, even if those waiting have already played. At no time should a player enter the names of others onto the Social Board.

3.During social hours players will play one set of doubles only. There is no tie-break if the set ends in a draw (6-6). Players must leave the court after one set to make the court available for the next foursome. Players may then re-enter their names on the Social Board if they wish to continue playing.

4.If a player chooses to ‘sit out’ for a period of time during social hours, he/she must remove their name from the board and only re-enter it at the bottom of the list when he/she is ready to play again. If they decline to play when it is their turn, then they must be moved to the bottom of the list.

5.There is to be no singles played during doubles social times on Social Play designated courts, unless waiting to form a foursome or during scheduled Singles Social Play. If 2 people go onto a court to knock, their names must be on the social board. When 2 additional people arrive or become free they will join the pair having a knock. If the 2 players having a knock do not put their names on the social board and do not agree to play doubles with those joining, they will be bumped off the court when a foursome comes on and placed at the bottom of the social board list, unless they do not wish to play. For the avoidance of doubt, those courts not designated as Social Play Courts can be used for either singles or doubles and are also available to book as normal.

6.Players pre-booking the Social Tennis courts prior to Social Tennis, must vacate the courts when Social Tennis is due to start and then place their names on the Social Board under any players waiting. However, if they turn up early, have not booked any courts and the Social Play designated tennis courts are free, then they may start playing and complete their set according to these Social Play rules. If they turn up early and play on a non-designated social court, then they cannot then move to a designated social court without joining the list.

7.If players decide to begin a game on a free non-designated Social Play Court, they must complete their game on that court before re-joining the list on the social board. They must not move their game to a designated Social Court if one becomes available, unless there is nobody else waiting to play on the Social Board, clearly they run the risk that the court they are playing on may have a scheduled booking.

8.The Social Play schedule allows for Advanced, Beginners, Singles and Coaches Priority. If there is no such play on these designated courts at these times, General Doubles Social Play can take place. Under these circumstances, a normal general doubles social play set can be completed, even if people in these categories then arrive or become available. The general doubles social players should then vacate the court. Coaches only have this priority during November-March (inclusive, and only until courts 6/7 become floodlit). Club Sanctioned Tournament matches are allowed on Court 1 according to the schedule (April-October inclusive). Both coaching and Club Sanctioned Tournament matches must be booked prior to that day.

9.These Social Play rules should be followed by all Club Members. Whilst verbal warnings will be issued by Committee members to players not complying with these rules, the Committee reserves the right to suspend a member from social play for a period of 2 weeks if they do not comply, and to invoke the Club formal Disciplinary Procedures if a player continues to disregard these rules.


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