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Dear Members
We are very happy to announce the start of the new Balcombe Tennis Club membership year when our Tennis Club re-opens for play on 1st April 2022.
Spring is in the air, the sun is shining and the courts are play ready having been professionally cleaned. Our Tennis Club provides members with a good facility to enjoy tennis throughout the year together with many benefits of the LTA Membership.
We look forward to welcoming you back to our Club for this new Season ……. Play Balcombe Tennis…..
Please do not hesitate to contact our committee using this email address if you have any questions.
Best wishes
The Balcombe Tennis Club Committee
Please read the following guidelines carefully:
- Following Government guidelines, currently you can play tennis with someone in your household or one person from another household
- PLEASE ENSURE you continue social distancing of 2 metres apart
- Please ensure you minimise the amount of equipment or other items brought to the tennis courts
- Avoid touching items other than your own belongings and leave all items at the side of the courts
- Please mark your tennis balls clearly to ensure you do not pick up those that do not belong to you
- It is advisable to wear a glove on the hand picking up the tennis balls
- Please can we ask you do not loiter in the tennis grounds before or after you play tennis
- If you have your own hand sanitiser, please bring this along with you. We will have a hand sanitiser pump available on the gate
- The clubhouse will remain closed to limit the risk of spreading infection
- Please DO NOT come to the Tennis Club if you have ANY symptoms of Coronavirus or if you are self-isolating due to a member of your household displaying symptoms
- If we have to return to full Lockdown, access to the courts will be denied
- Please ensure you wash your hands before and after playing tennis at our courts
- Please note the courts are only open to Members of the Balcombe Tennis Club
- Enjoy your time playing tennis and we look forward to returning to normal tennis in the not too distant future
PLEASE RESPECT THESE RULES TO HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19
FAILURE TO DO THIS WILL RESULT IN THE TENNIS COURTS BEING CLOSED
Best wishes – Balcombe Tennis Club
In accordance with LTA regulations please find attached our Safeguarding Policy and our Diversity and Inclusion Policy. Please read through these documents when you have time.
If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us.
What We Do
We are a friendly and family orientated tennis club with two courts which are available to players from the local Community of all ages and abilities. As members you can enjoy tennis throughout the year at anytime. As a non-paying member you are restricted to playing at certain times during the week.
When and where we meet
The Club is situated on the corner of Oldlands Avenue adjoining the Haywards Heath Road (RH17 6LY) and has it’s own clubhouse equipped with a loo, kitchen and table tennis table. You will find spare rackets in there too, just remember to return them and to bring a ball or two! We rely on all our members and visitors to respect this facility and take good care of it, the items within it and to take rubbish home.
Non-Members
We encourage non-members to use the courts. The playing sessions are restricted to the following times and we request a donation towards running costs of the Club of £3 per person. This can be delivered to Ros, Lamb Cottage Oldlands Avenue (opposite the top of Stockcroft Road) .
- Monday 5.30pm to dusk
- Tuesday 10am to 3.30pm
- Saturday 1pm to 5pm
Joining / Subscription fees
Please click on the membership form (see below) for the latest fees.
How to join us
Membership enquiries: Ros Thompson 01444 811339
Once you are a signed up and paid member we will provide you with the code to unlock the padlocks on the clubhouse door and gate of the courts. This code is changed annually.
Our History
The Balcombe Tennis Club is a non for profit organization run by a group of volunteers (“the committee”). The Balcombe Estate owns the land for which rent is paid by the Club. The committee’s main objective is to maintain the courts & clubhouse to a high standard for the residents of Balcombe to enjoy. The membership and visitors’ fees are all reinvested into the club for insurance, maintenance and rent.
Club Committee
- Baz Bolland – Chair
- Paul Nolan – Treasurer
- Ros Myles – Secretary – click here to email
- Katie Archibald – Welfare Officer
- Tara Melik
- Lucy Chettleburgh
- Joost van Mierlo
- Joanna Fitzsimons
Professional Membership
Balcombe Tennis Club is a member of the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association). This enables the Club to obtain affordable insurance and also, it is a BIG benefit to our members as the LTA proactively organizes local match play and events for ALL ages and abilities.
It is FREE for anyone to become a member of the LTA but you have to be associated with a tennis club – Balcombe Tennis Club is perfect! Once you are a member of the LTA you are automatically in the Wimbledon ballot for tickets each year and you are part of a bigger tennis community with plenty of opportunities to play tennis locally. If you require further information contact Phil Latham. Phil and the Sussex team of the LTA are doing a tremendous amount for tennis and they would be delighted to hear from you.
Coaching
Members ONLY can use the courts for coaching. We have no booking system so if you arrange your own personal coaching you have to take a chance the court will be empty or you have to wait for 40 minutes, with your coach , as is the rule for EVERYONE when playing tennis at the courts and people have arrived to play whilst you are on.
The LTA provides a list of accredited coaches in the area:
https://www.lta.org.uk/play-compete/get-on-court/find-a-tennis-coach/
Tom Usbourne & his colleage Dave regularly coach our lady members and children in the village. For further information contact Tom on 07921 517692 or email.
Dates for your diary
Balcombe Tennis Club supports the youth groups in the village by hosting tennis evenings for them annually. Dates to be confirmed.