This is your club - these rules are designed to ensure fairness to members of all of standards as well as to maximize flexibility.

General

1. TAGS (or equivalent): Members should wear a current membership tag - visibly - at all times when playing tennis. If they do not they should expect to be challenged by a tennis committee member (contact the tennis committee at parsonsgreentennis@gmail.com if you are a current member and do not have a tag.)

2. DRESS: there is no specific dress code however members and guests should wear recognised tennis clothes together with tennis shoes that will not mark the court surfaces. Training shoes with black soles and/or heavy treads are not permitted. Members are not permitted to play shirtless.

3. SOCIAL TENNIS is for any member and takes place each Saturday and Sunday between 2pm and 5pm and every Tuesday between 6pm and 9pm. If demand necessitates, all courts will be used for social tennis (and will be filled in this order: court 3, 2, 1, 4, 5 - the floodlit courts first). Each match should consist of 7 games and then players should mix.

4. MEN’S team practice evenings (every Thursday) and WOMEN’S team practice evenings (every Monday) take priority on courts 1-3 between 6 and 9pm. These times are reserved for players of a team standard. Please speak to a team captain if you wish to join a team squad. A list of all teams and their respective captains can be found at http://www.parsonsgreenclub.com/#/teams/4526737511

5. PROSPECTIVE MEMBERS may attend a free ‘trial’ session at one social tennis period only. Any further visits are subject to the standard guest policy (see rules 6 and 7).

6. GUEST POLICY: A non-member (as a guest of a member) may play tennis at the club up to a maximum of two times per year during the peak times of 8.30am to 5pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Members may invite a maximum of two guests at any one time and must accompany and play with their guest(s). The sole exception to this rule is for prospective (see rule 5) and guest players from other affiliated clubs that are playing PGC official team matches (see rule 10). Members are discouraged from bringing guests during social tennis unless as participants and at other busy times.

7. GUEST PROCEDURE: The guest fee for tennis is currently £5 per person per visit. Members must sign in their visitor at the book in the entrance hall by the fruit machine and pay their fee using the red and white coin machine to obtain guest stamps which should be placed, alongside the guest details, in the book. This MUST be done, without exception, before play commences. It is the member’s responsibility to ensure that enough £1 coins are brought with them at times when the bar is closed.

8. ALCOHOLIC DRINKS of any kind may not be take onto, or consumed on, the courts.

9. MOBILE PHONES are not allowed to be used on court. Please ensure they are either on ‘silent’ or are turned off so that they don’t disturb other players. If players take calls they should do so outside the court areas only, without holding up play at busy times.

10. OFFICIAL MATCHES are those organised by PGC team captains (for teams and captains see http://www.parsonsgreenclub.com/#/teams/4526737511), pre-arranged ladder matches (i.e. formally challenged on-line prior to play via www.ropeyladder.com) and club championship matches (summer months only). In order to have priority, official matches must be booked at least 48 hours in advance via email to the tennis section committee (parsonsgreentennis@gmail.com) such that they appear on the website calendar. All other games of any kind are not deemed to be official matches and are subject to usual club rules and the standard guest policy (see rules 6 and 7).

11. BOOKING COURTS: There is no pre booking of courts except for official matches (see rules 10 and 18), official hours reserved for the Club coach and during the winter months when floodlights are required. During floodlit hours the same booking rule applies as for official matches (see rule 10). Members must email parsonsgreentennis@gmail.com at least 48 hours (but no greater than one week) in advance in order to secure a floodlit court. There is only one booking system (any notice board notes or forms will not have any standing).

12. COURTS: Members and guests are expected to leave the courts in a tidy state – this means placing any litter and dead balls in the bins provided. They must lower the nets after use if no one else is waiting to play. They should also close the gates when leaving the courts to ensure nothing can come onto the courts at night. Under no circumstances should warm-up exercises be done against or on any court furniture or against the net posts nor should anyone allow on to the courts anything that could damage the surfaces. Floodlights must be switched off by 9pm.

13. JUNIOR MEMBERS are subject to the same conditions as adults and are welcome to get involved in teams and social tennis subject to a suitable proficiency (at a minimum they must be able to serve overhead).

Issued by PGC Tennis Committee, February 2010.

Busy Periods
(Defined as any period when two or more players are waiting to play)

14. HOLDING OF COURTS: Courts may not be “held” or reserved by members or their guests. If you are not ready to play you must yield to waiting players.

15. KNOCKING-UP is for 5 minutes only. Then play one set maximum (with a tie-break at six games all)

16. DOUBLES takes priority over singles but they must finish after a maximum of 30 minutes or the end of the set, whichever is shorter.

17. MEMBERS take priority over guests.

18. MEN’S team practice evenings (Thursdays) and WOMEN’S team practice evenings (Mondays) take priority on courts 1-3 between 6pm and 9pm. Team players are those that have been invited by a team captain to join a team squad (or are of the required standard). A list of all teams and their respective captains can be found at www.parsonsgreenclub.com.

19. SINGLES games, which are not OFFICIAL MATCHES (see rule 10), can only be started if other courts remain available or no-one is waiting to play. If all courts are being used, a 'singles' pair must offer to make up a 'four', if there are at least 2 waiting players (finishing after a maximum of 30 minutes or the end of the set, whichever is shorter). Any singles pair, which immediately offers waiting players to join, may commence a new set with those waiting players. A 'ready-made' four may not displace a singles already in progress.

20. WHEN TO YIELD COURTS: For the avoidance of doubt you must NOT start a new set or play for longer than 30 minutes if people are waiting to play. You must yield your court and, assuming you wish to play more, wait for another court to become available. It is not acceptable to remain on court simply because other players arrived earlier than you did. We encourage waiting players to establish which courts are likely to become available first by speaking discretely to players at a suitable break in their play.

21. SOCIAL TENNIS has priority over other games for all courts each Saturday and Sunday between 2pm and 5pm and every Tuesday between 6pm and 9pm. Matches in play on the courts must immediately yield to members ready to play social tennis during these times if people are waiting. Members wishing to play social tennis have priority over guests and prospective members during these times.

22. COACH: At busy times the PGC tennis coach will only use court 4. During the winter the coach has priority use of court 3 between 4pm and 6pm, Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Discipline and Appeals
All complaints regarding the behaviour of members should be submitted in writing to the PGC board by post addressed to The Director in charge of Membership, Parsons Green Club, Broomhouse Lane, Fulham, SW6 3DP or by email to parsonsgreenclub@gmail.com

These rules are guidelines to help the club run smoothly. They are primarily for reference, with enforcement only in extremis. Please speak up if you see someone abusing them and don't hesitate to involve a committee member. Any member repeatedly violating the rules will be referred to the Board of the Parsons Green Club who may take appropriate disciplinary action which could include the termination of membership.

Communication with members will normally be via email – if your address changes let us know by emailing parsonsgreenclub@gmail.com. Please also keep on eye on the tennis notice boards for announcements.

The Tennis Committee

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