Court usage

We ask members to book courts before playing. To see when courts are available for you to book, the table below gives an idea of when the courts are reserved for organised club activities over the course of an average week. Also look at the events page for one-off events.

For exact details in any specific week, check the calendar on the booking page on our website which will confirm when and which courts are booked for which activities.

This table is accurate from Spring 2024. Times and activities will change as the seasons change.

Booking courts

There are four courts you can book:

Please cancel your booking if you change your mind so others can book the court instead.

Please play on the court you have booked.

The booking system is easy to use. There are two ways you can access it:
- the booking page on our website
- your smart phone by downloading the app 'Booker' by ClubSpark

Either way, you will need your ClubSpark registration to access the booking system. If you do not already have a registration you will need to set up an account with ClubSpark. Any questions or problems with booking, email us at sec@bamfordtennis.org.uk

Mixed club social drop-in sessions

Depending on the time of year, up to three mixed club social tennis sessions happen each week

• 10am on Sundays, all members all year round
• Mondays, 6pm, all members while daylight allows, usually April to September
• Wednesdays, 6pm, all members while daylight allows, usually April to September

This is a good way to meet other club members. Juniors who can serve and rally are welcome too. We rotate partners amongst the players who are there at any session. Stay for as long or short as suits you.

If you are going down to one of these sessions, please drop a quick message in the Bamford Social Tennis WhatsApp group, so other people know there'll be someone there.

Bamford Social Tennis WhatsApp group

There is a WhatsApp group you can join to find out if others are going down to the next social drop-in session.

You can also use this group to arrange social play with other club members at a time to suit you.

Email sec@bamfordtennis.org.uk if you would like to join this group.

Club tournaments

Every year we run a club tournament to compete for the beautiful trophies across five categories - men’s singles, women’s singles, men’s doubles, women’s doubles, mixed doubles. This usually runs as series of knock-out rounds from June and over the summer, culminating in a Finals' Day in mid-September. Full details here.

We also host one-off tournaments throughout the year, usually weekend mornings.

Details of tournaments are circulated to all members, all of whom are invited to enter.

Tennis for juniors

With so many juniors coming on through the club we want to support them to play socially and competitively with the club.

Older juniors, to gain match practice, are welcome to come down to mixed club social sessions and join in with mixed doubles with our adult members.

We have a junior team playing in the local league. There is a WhatsApp group for parents of juniors to coordinate some social tennis too. Please ask if you would like to join it.

Juniors under the age of 13 must always be supervised by a responsible adult over 18 years of age.

Tennis ladder

Coming in 2024, another way to set up friendly match play between club members. Players are ranked roughly (each on the rung of a 'ladder') and then challenge each other, and play matches, their rankings are adjusted accordingly. Let us know if you'd like to join in.

League match tennis 2023

If you are interested to join please email sec@bamfordtennis.org.uk who will put you in touch with the captains.

Depending on the time of year we usually have three teams playing – ladies, mens and mixed – in
the Sheffield and District League.

New squad players are always welcome, so please get in touch, even if you are not sure about your
current level of tennis. Some of our players are amazing but we don't all need to be amazing to take
part - which is just as well for most of us... You don't have to commit to playing in every match; being
available for just one or two can be a great help.

We are keen to include as many players as we can so if you have never played in team matches this might give you an idea of what to expect.

• You need to be able to serve fairly consistently and make a few returns
• Matches are sometimes at Home, down at our club, and otherwise Away at our opponents' clubs, in and around Sheffield. Full list of the other clubs in the league here.
• The team comprises 2 mixed pairs and will play 2 rubbers, i.e. 2 sets against each opposing pair. The match will generally last about two to two and a half hours
• The home team provides tea and biscuits at the end of the match
• The match fees are £3 per player

Our aim is to play some fun competitive tennis and if we manage to win a few matches all the better!

Pickleball

It’s like tennis, but on a smaller court so less ground to cover, with a slightly lower net, lighter bats and balls, and no requirement to serve – so much easier for people to pick up and enjoy quickly, especially younger and older players as well as those new to racket sports. Indeed, it’s the fastest growing sport in the US, and gaining ground here too…

We’re going to run a pilot for three months on our single court from Spring 2024 to see if its something we offer at the club in the future. There’ll be sessions to teach people the rules. And bats and balls available for you to borrow. Please look after these.

And while you can only play pickleball on court 4, those who want to continue playing tennis on court 4 can still do so. Book the court when you want to play as normal, and you choose whether you play tennis or pickleball.  

Using the floodlights

It is possible to play tennis in the evenings on Court 1 under the floodlights. The floodlights are turned on and off in the clubhouse. If you want to use the floodlights, please email the secretary for instructions of how to access the clubhouse and operate the lights. (It's simple!)

Everyday wear and tear of the courts

Please raise and lower the net on your court before and after you play as this makes the nets last longer. There is a measuring stick on court to use - raise to 3ft in the centre.

And bicycles are not good for the courts, they damage their surface, so please only use our courts for tennis.