2025 NEEDHAM TENNIS CLUB
COURT RULES
Tennis Court Etiquette-All NTC members and their guests will act in a courteous / sportsperson like manner at all times. Profanity is not allowed. A warning will be issued to a player (s) that acts in a manner that is determined to be inappropriate. Sanctions/suspensions will be issued if a member repeats an offense.
Footwear/Attire: All players, including children and guests, must wear smooth soled tennis shoes, appropriate for clay courts. The deep grooves in other footwear may destroy the court surface. Absolutely no running shoes, cross training shoes, basketball shoes, sandals, street shoes permitted.
Appropriate tennis attire is required for all players. Members are asked to remind their guests and children of the rules especially surrounding tennis sneakers.
The rules below apply to all members
COURT RULES:
START OF PLAY: Players must be signed in on paper sheets inside bulletin board stating arrival time. Only one name required. All players must be present to enter court. All four players for doubles.
SINGLES PLAY
If playing singles, both players must be present to sign in on court door, noting time before entering the court. If playing Singles players having played 1 hour MUST surrender their court upon arrival of all members for the next game.
DOUBLES PLAY
If playing doubles, all four players must be present to sign in on court door, noting time before entering the court. Doubles players having played 1 hour and 30 minutes, MUST surrender their court upon arrival of all members for the next game.
FOR SINGLES AND DOUBLES
If no waiting line exists, members may play as long as they wish but must relinquish the court when new players arrive (all players for the game must be present to be in the waiting line).
Players leaving the court may get in line to wait for another available court. Playing time renews after waiting in line. But if you have already played and are able to grab another free court, please consider surrendering it if other members who haven’t yet played then arrive.
The following order of priority will be followed when all playable courts are in use: Needham Tennis Club tournament, round robin, inter-club matches
BALL MACHINES can only be used from noon to 5 p.m. on weekdays and weekends.
GUEST PRIVILEGES:
Members must accompany their guests. Please sign in guest before starting play.
Members must register their guests BEFORE entering the courts by writing the members first and last name, member number, name of guest and date of play on the guest list on bulletin board. A fee of $10.00 will be charged to members for each guest and will be billed at the conclusion of the playing season. Bills must be paid prior to end of calendar year in which guest fees are incurred. Remember, the guest policy is based on the honor system. A non-member may play at NTC as a guest no more than a total of 5 times in a month.
If a member sees that another member with a guest has not signed in, the member should remind the member to sign the guest(s) in.
Parents are responsible for signing up all non-family members and guests of their children as well as enforcing dress and shoe regulations
Tennis Lesson Policy-Members may take a tennis lesson on the NTC courts weekdays after 12:00 pm and before 4:00 pm. Weekends-lessons can be planned any time after 1:00 pm. Only NTC Members are allowed to take lessons on the NTC courts. If the teaching pro is not an NTC member, the member will sign in the pro as a guest and assessed the $10 guest fee. The one hour rule applies if other members are waiting to play.
All other NTC Court rules apply to members taking a lesson on the NTC Courts.
Any questions pertaining to this policy can be directed to the Club President.
Spectators: All spectators will remain outside courts. This is for the safety of the spectator and to reduce any distraction for the players.
Unsupervised children are not allowed at NTC for their safety. Young children may not play on an empty court while their parent/adult play tennis. Again this is for the safety for the children and a courtesy for all NTC Members and their guests.
CHILDREN OF MEMBERS-Dependents up to age 26 who are living with their parents are included in Family Membership
- Children playing with an adult member may play at any time and must follow court rules.
- Children under age 14 must be supervised by an adult member at all times
- Children under age 14, who belong to a family membership and not
playing with adult member, must give up their court immediately if adult
members are waiting during the following times:
Weekdays 5 pm to close & Weekends/holidays from 9 am to 5 pm
COURT CLOSURE: Members will receive an email if courts are closed due to weather conditions or due to an event/tournament. The gates will be locked and the red flag flying. If a member plays on a court which is designated as “unplayable” by a locked gate, dropped net, red flag or sign, the individual who violates any one of these conditions shall lose his membership and playing privilege for the remainder of the season without refund of membership fee. If there is any question on the condition of a court, DO NOT PLAY. Only maintenance personnel and members of the Board of Directors have the authority to open a court which has been designated unplayable.
COURT WATERING/GROOMING: Mid-day court WATERING/GROOMING–members must suspend play upon request by maintenance personnel and may resume play when court maintenance is complete and courts dry. Court grooming will occur daily at/around 1:00.
Please visit www.NeedhamTennisClub.com for court condition updates, events and other information
Visit us on Facebook at Needham Tennis Club for more information
Venmo Account name is @Needham 2020. The name Bill Fidurko will appear
Updated 1-14-2025