Stowmarket Lawn Tennis Club

If you live or work in or around Stowmarket, this is the place to play tennis, and to learn to play or improve your game through coaching.  We cater for all abilities, genders and ages. We provide for pre-school and school children; whole families;  students, and adults from 18 to 87 years are in membership. As of 31 March 2023 the Club had 375 members, of whom 155 were Juniors. Some members have been in continuous membership for over half a century, and we celebrated our 120th birthday in 2021. 

The Club

The Club is wholly owned by its’ members, and is run on a not-for-profit basis on a site it owns. We have 5 macadam courts and an air dome for Winter indoor play: We also have a well-equipped and newly refurbished club house where you can stop for a chat and refreshments: There are full  bathroom facilities, including baby change and a toilet for people with disabilites.

Our site on Iliffe Way, Stowmarket, means plenty of parking that is free on Sundays, after 6pm and on Bank Holidays. Subsidised parking the rest of the time. All year round play, balls, floodlights, subsidised parking and use of the club house is included in your membership fee, itself highly competitive.

Join our Facebook page for regular updates and news - www.facebook.com/stowmarketlawntennisclub 

Day and evening club sessions mean you can just turn up and play without a partner and electronic court booking means you can book to play with friends or family any time too. We have an effective way of integrating players, new and old, into WhatsApp groups of peers with whom to arrange social singles and doubles sessions. We also offer Walking Tennis for those who need to play at their own pace, believing tennis is really for everyone.

In addition to social tennis, we run Club tournaments and compete against other Clubs in the Ipswich and District League, with Ladies, Mens and Mixed Doubles teams. Internal tournaments are running all year round too for beginners right through to pros.

This Club was rated as excellent by the LTA in respect of Safeguarding and Welfare in Autumn 2019 and all those responsible for working with children have clean enhanced DBS checks.  New members are offered a buddy to help them integrate into the Club and we have an energetic management committee of volunteers engaged in good governance and a number of development projects. Come and get involved, whether you just want to play tennis or are looking for a new friendship circle.

If you want to know what we stand for, read our Values here: Club Values

Coaching

Our Head Coach, Ben Smith, is Level 4 qualified and fully LTA accredited, providing group and 1:1 coaching for all ages and abilities. He has an amazing track record as a player and in coaching performance players and all abilities. A full coaching programme for juniors and seniors, from beginners to high performance players is on offer all year round. Cardio tennis focuses on fitness and conditioning and tennis skills are not required. 

FIND US

Turn left into Iliffe Way off the B1115 heading west through Stowmarket (away from town). As you go up Iliffe Way, on the right hand side you’ll see a car park. The entrance to the tennis club is at the top right hand side of that car park. There is no access for the general public but we will be happy to meet and greet you, and show you round. See our Contact Us page for details.

There is access for people using wheelchairs, mobility scototers, buggies and bicycles via the back gate in Lake Side but please get in touch in advance to ensure the gate is unlocked for you.