You are at:

Running a Grass Court Club: Season Dates, Bookings, Etiquette and Dress

A grass court club runs on a short season, a surface that cannot be played in all weather, and a groundsman whose judgement has to outrank the booking sheet. The committee’s job is to set clear dates, booking rules and dress and footwear rules, publish them, and give the groundsman authority to close courts when play would cause damage. This guide sets out how to organise each of those, with notes on guests, courtesy and budgeting.

Setting the grass season

Grass needs active growth to recover from play, so the season follows the growing months. In the UK the grass season has historically run from May to September. In Australia, many clubs close their grass courts over winter for maintenance and reopen in spring; Busselton Tennis Club in Western Australia, for example, reopened its grass courts on 17 October 2020. Clubs in other climates should set dates around local growth, not the calendar alone.

Opening

Opening dates should be provisional. A cold, wet spring delays growth and consolidation: in 2023 the AELTC opened its own grass courts to members later than usual, in late May, after a cold, wet spring. Before opening, the groundsman needs time for rolling, which works only when the soil is moist enough to be plastic but not wet, plus mowing down to playing height and line marking. Publish a target date with the condition that it may move, and let the groundsman confirm it a week ahead.

Closing

Close early enough to leave time for renovation while the soil is still warm enough for seed to establish. At the AELTC, courts are renovated in August and September. In Australia the equivalent window is autumn, before growth slows for winter. If the club holds an end-of-season tournament, fix it in the calendar so it does not push renovation into cold weather. See protecting grass courts during the off-season for what happens next.

Booking systems and rules

Grass courts wear fastest on the baselines, so booking rules are partly a wear management tool. A clear written policy avoids arguments.

Booking window. Set how far ahead members can book, for example a fixed number of days, so prime slots are shared fairly.
Limits per member. Cap the number of peak-time bookings per member per week, and require named players for each booking.
Court rotation. Allow the groundsman to close individual courts or move play on to less worn courts. Spreading play stops one or two courts taking all the wear.
No-shows. Release unclaimed courts after a short grace period, and record repeated no-shows.
Maintenance blocks. Block out regular mowing, rolling and marking times in the booking system so they are visible to all.
Fixtures and coaching. Agree in advance how many courts league matches, tournaments and coaches may reserve.

Wet weather and who decides

Playing on saturated grass tears the surface and leaves footprints that are hard to roll out. The rule should be simple: the groundsman, or a named deputy when the groundsman is absent, decides whether courts are open, and that decision overrides any booking. Post the decision where members will see it before they travel, by email, a booking system notice or a board at the gate. Covers help keep courts playable; see wet weather covers for grass courts. Frost, very dry conditions and heat can also justify closures or shorter sessions.

Working with the groundsman

At many small clubs the groundsman is a volunteer or a part-time employee. Either way, the relationship works best when the committee sets priorities and budget and the groundsman decides methods and timing. In practice:

Name one committee member as the groundsman’s point of contact.
Agree an annual work plan and budget before the season, including renovation materials and machinery servicing.
Put court closures, rotations and maintenance blocks under the groundsman’s authority in the club rules.
Support training; see groundsman qualifications.
Ask members to report damage, such as holes, scuffs or line problems, rather than repair it themselves.

For a picture of the daily routine, read a day in the life of a lawn tennis groundsman.

Guests and visitors

Guest play brings in income and new members, but adds wear. Set a guest fee, a limit on how often the same guest may play, and a requirement that a member books and stays with the guest. Visiting teams should receive the dress, footwear and court-closure rules in advance. Many clubs restrict guest play at peak times or on courts being prepared for fixtures.

Dress codes

Many grass court clubs keep a tradition of predominantly white clothing. The best-known rule is the AELTC’s for The Championships: competitors must wear tennis attire that is “almost entirely white” from the moment they enter the court surround, and white does not include off-white or cream. A single trim of colour no wider than 10 mm is allowed at the neckline and cuffs, and female players may wear solid, mid or dark coloured undershorts no longer than their shorts or skirt. The AELTC operates a more relaxed dress code at its Aorangi Park practice courts.

A club rule does not need to copy Wimbledon. Decide whether the rule is all white, predominantly white or simply tennis clothing; whether it applies to all sessions or only to matches and club events; and how it applies to juniors and guests. Write it down and apply it consistently.

Footwear rules

Footwear matters more than clothing because the wrong sole damages the court. Grass court shoes typically have a pimpled or dimpled rubber sole, which grips the grass and allows changes of direction without the tearing caused by spikes or studs. The AELTC requires grass court shoes at The Championships to follow the Grand Slam rules; in particular, shoes with pimples around the outside of the toes are not permitted, and the foxing around the toes must be smooth. Shoes must also be almost entirely white, with completely white soles and laces.

Club rules vary, and a sole that one club accepts another may ban: in the 1980s Queen’s Club in London banned a new pimple-soled shoe because of its effect on the grass. Ban studs, spikes, running shoes with deep lugs and any sole that marks or tears the surface, and state what is allowed. Our guide to footwear for grass court tennis covers shoe choice.

Courtesy on court

Arrive on time and leave on time; the next booking starts on the hour.
Do not walk across a court during a point; wait behind the baseline netting.
Do not sit or lean on the net, and leave nets and centre straps at the correct height.
Do not drag feet or practise slides on grass; report any divots or scuffs.
Keep drinks, bags and chairs off the playing surface.
Respect closures, even if the court looks dry.

Budgeting basics

The main costs are labour, machinery, materials (seed, loam, fertiliser, line marking compound), water, utilities and insurance. Build in a reserve for machinery replacement and a contingency for a bad season. Income sources are subscriptions, guest fees, coaching and tournament revenue, and sponsorship. For figures and methods, see the annual cost of maintaining a grass tennis court, budgeting for seasonal repairs and how sponsorship can offset court costs. The supplier directory at grasstennisclub.com/suppliers lists companies by category.

Volunteer roles

The LTA’s club governance guide says a management committee will typically consist of a chair, secretary, coach and treasurer, plus others giving fair representation of members. Venues registered with the LTA must have a trained welfare officer and must replace one who leaves within 28 days. Grass clubs also benefit from:

a courts or grounds lead who liaises with the groundsman;
a bookings and membership secretary;
a fixtures or match secretary;
volunteers for covers, line marking help and court rotation at busy times.

The LTA guide notes that word of mouth is often the most successful way to recruit volunteers, and recommends written role descriptions and planned succession.

Key points

Set provisional opening and closing dates around grass growth, and let the groundsman confirm them.
Give the groundsman written authority to close courts; that decision overrides bookings.
Use booking limits and court rotation to spread wear.
Write down dress and footwear rules; footwear rules protect the surface.
Budget for labour, materials, machinery and a contingency, and recruit volunteers with clear roles.