About us

Club Rules

Membership

  1. Election as a member
    All nominations for election to membership of the Club are to be made by sending an application for membership form to the Membership Secretary. The Committee have the right, without giving any reason, to decline to accept any applicant for membership. 
  2. Joining fee
    All new members shall pay a joining fee as fixed by the Committee. No new members shall be entitled to the privileges of the Club until the joining fee and annual subscription have been paid. Current joining fees are as shown on the application for membership form.
  3. Annual Subscriptions
    All annual subscriptions fall due on 1st April for the following 12-month Season. No member shall be entitled to the privileges of the Club until the subscription for the current year has been paid. Members will be advised as to the amount of their subscription which will be fixed by the Committee. All members must follow the club rules as specified.
    A coloured identification tag is issued to each paid up playing member. It must be clearly visible when playing e.g. laced to the tennis shoe. No person will be allowed to play at the Club without this identification, unless specifically authorised to do so e.g. as a bona fide visitor.
  4. Suspension of Membership
    The Committee may in their absolute discretion suspend a member from the privileges of membership. Such suspension may be lifted by the Committee, or by resolution at an annual or special general meeting. Expulsion requires a resolution at a general meeting.
  5. Members
    All members who are 18 or over on 1st January prior to the start of the season are adults. All members under 18 are juniors.
    Members may play tennis and enjoy full social membership as determined by their type of membership (e.g. full, social etc).
  6. Visitors
     Guest fees must be paid via bar tablet or bank transfer prior to play, and the current fee for each guest remains at £10.  Guests are limited to 3 visits per year.

Matches and Tournaments

  1. Matches
    County, league and other matches shall be arranged and managed by the elected captains either directly or via match sub-committees or organisers approved by the Committee and their decisions on all matters pertaining are final.
  2. Club Closed Championship and Club Handicap Tournament
    These tournaments shall be arranged and managed by the Tournament Organiser approved by the Committee. Their decisions (or those of their tournament sub-committee) on all matters pertaining are final.
    Any entrant must withdraw from a Club Championship / Tournament if they know they will not be available to play on finals day.
    The rules for these tournaments will be displayed on the notice-board at the time of the event.
  3. Other tournaments and leagues (open or internal)
    Other tournaments e.g. Open Junior Tournament or winter floodlit leagues shall be arranged and managed by organisers approved by the Committee, and their decisions on all matters pertaining are final.
    Times when some/all of the courts are not freely available because of matches and tournaments are displayed on the notice-board and club website.
  4. Match Fees
    These are set by the Committee and apply to both home and away matches. They do not include catering

Court Use, Reservations and Restrictions

  1. Social Tennis and General play
    Social tennis is played at the following times: Tuesdays from 12:30 – 3pm, Wed­nes­days from 6.30 – 9.30 pm,  and Saturdays from 1.00 –3:30 pm.  All sets must be made up before occupying a court. One tie-break set should be played, and players should then leave the courts in order to mix in with other players.
  2. Privately arranged games do not have court priority during the above periods of social tennis, but may be played if there are courts available. Rearranged league and tournament matches may be played but social tennis has priority over these matches.
    In the winter season (October to March) Winter League matches have priority over all other games on their scheduled evening, that is, singles on Mondays, doubles on Tuesdays and Wednesdays etc.
    Singles, except for league and tournament matches, are not allowed at any time if all the courts are full, and others are waiting to play.
    If there are priority matches waiting, the last non-priority match to arrive must vacate the court.
  3. Coaching Courts Reservation
    The Club Coach has priority use of court number 3.
  4. General Court Reservations
    Three courts are reserved for each Herts County and Watford & District League home matches and two courts for various other League matches. Reservations for all team matches must be shown in the Club Diary in the foyer, and may be entered only by the Diary Secretary. Postponed home matches may only be rearranged with the consent of the Diary Secretary.
  5. Court Restrictions
    Restrictions on time of play for closed championship and handicap tournament matches are displayed with the rules at the time of event.
    No outside tournament or league match can be played between 2.00 p.m. and 5.00 p.m. on Saturdays and Bank Holidays, nor after 6.00 p.m. on Wednesdays or before 12.00 noon on Sundays. Outside tournament matches have NO priority over social or general play and should only be arranged at off-peak times. The only exception to this rule is with the prior approval of the Committee.

Tennis Clothing and Tennis Balls

  1. Dress and Footwear (for all players including guests)
    Dress shall be “SPORTS CLOTHING SUITABLE FOR TENNIS” and will NOT include jeans and cut-offs.
    Footwear must be “ACCEPTED TENNIS FOOTWEAR”. Footwear on any court must be soft rubber soled tennis shoes, without raised heels, deep ribbing, cleats or spikes, and should not make any marks on the court surfaces.
    The Committee, both as a whole and through authority devolved to individual committee members, is empowered to decide upon the suitability and acceptability of clothing and footwear. If footwear and/or clothing are considered unacceptable, committee members are authorised to ask members and/or visitors to stop playing and leave the court until they are suitably attired. In the event of a member refusing to comply with such a request, the matter will be referred to the Committee for appropriate action, which under some circumstances could include suspension of membership.
  2. Tennis Balls
    Except for inter-club league matches and club finals, members must provide their own tennis balls which must be LTA approved yellow of at least a reasonable quality.

Clubhouse and Grounds Regulations

General

  1. Personal Security
    The Committee can take no responsibility for any articles or money left on the club premises, or in the grounds, nor for vehicles parked in the vicinity of the clubhouse, nor for items within these vehicles.
  2. Children
    Parents or guardians are responsible at all times for their children at the tennis club, except during coaching sessions.  Children under 10 must always be accompanied by an adult member.  Children under 12 should not be left in the clubhouse in the absence of an adult, except for access to the changing rooms.
  3. Animals
    Animals are not to be brought into the club grounds unless under control.
  4. Damage
    If after a full investigation of any damage to buildings, fixtures, fittings or equipment a member is found to be responsible, the Committee have the right to charge that member for the repair or replacement at full reinstatement value.
  5. No Smoking
    Smoking/vaping is not allowed anywhere in the clubhouse or the grounds, except in the car park.

Clubhouse

  1. Opening Hours
    The Club will not normally be open before 8.30 a.m. nor after 11.00 p.m. unless the Committee has given authority for an extension.
  2. Security
    The last senior member to leave the club on any occasion must ensure that all windows and patio doors are locked, water taps, lights, the cooker and kettles are turned off and the front door is securely locked on leaving.
  3. Lettings
    The Clubhouse is available to be let to members for private functions if this does not interrupt the club's social environment.
  4. Grounds
    The Grounds Manager or Sub-&Committee shall manage the club's courts and associated equipment and their decision on all matters pertaining is final. It may be necessary for courts to be occasionally taken out of play and members must respect the official “court out of play” notices.
    Members must ensure that tables and chairs etc. are never taken on to any of the courts in circumstances where the surface could be damaged.
    When entering or leaving the courts, players must close all gates behind them to deny access to stray animals.

Administration

  1. The Committee
    The Committee shall consist of the Chairman, the Treasurer,  the Secretary, the Membership Secretary, the Men’s and Ladies’ Captains, the Head Coach and such other members as are deemed necessary. The Committee shall manage the Club’s affairs. All Members of the Committee (except the Head Coach, who shall be appointed by the other member of the Committee) shall be elected or re-elected annually at the AGM. Members may be appointed at any time, but shall have their appointment confirmed by election at the AGM.
  2. Sub-Committees
    The Chairman and Treasurer are ex-officio members of all sub-committees, which may be appointed as and when thought necessary. Such sub-committees may consist solely of the committee member responsible for a function plus the Chairman and Treasurer.
  3. Bar
    The Committee shall arrange and manage the bar and their decision on all matters pertaining is final.
    The permitted hours of opening the bar, in pursuance of the Licensing Act, for the service of members, their guests and visitors, are displayed in the Clubhouse.   Only members over the age of 18 years may enter the bar area or serve or consume alcoholic beverages within the stipulated hours.
  4. Regulations
    A copy of these bye-laws is on the notice-board and all members both existing and new will be bound by them. Membership of the Club is hereby deemed to require compliance with all of these regulations. A copy of the Memorandum and Articles of Association are available from the Company Chairman on request.
  5. Alteration of Bye-Laws
    The Committee have the right to alter and add to these bye-laws whenever they think fit.
  6. Interpretation
    In the event of any doubt arising on the interpretation of these bye-laws the Committee’s decision shall be final.

By order of the Committee - May 2003
(Revised – April 2024)