More details about how the club works can be found here. The links below will take you to the relevant section.
The Club | Courts | Membership | Playing Times | Arrangements for Play | Competitive Tennis and Tournaments | Tennis Balls | Dress/Shoes | Juniors | Visitors | Keys | Bar Facilities | Teas | Social Functions | Policies |
The Club
West Heath Lawn Tennis Club provides both social and competitive tennis in a friendly atmosphere. It is a limited company run by a number of directors who form the committee. The directors are elected each year at the Annual General Meeting in May. Their names are displayed in the clubhouse.
The committee depends on assistance from members in the day-to-day running of the Club, in particular, keeping the clubhouse and courts clean and tidy and washing up glasses after use.
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Courts
West Heath has 3 grass courts, which are available from early May through to the end of September.
Additionally, there are two hard courts (porous macadam) which are available all year round.
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Membership
The club has a membership of approximately 150, with the following membership categories:
— Ordinary (full member);
— Under 21 years;
— Junior (under 16 years – restricted to children of members);
— Non-Playing.
Current subscription rates, including the entrance fee, are set out on the membership page. Due to the small number of courts the Club is unable to accept beginners.
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Playing Times
The Club is open from 8 am to 11.30 pm daily.
St Margaret’s School has use of the two hard courts from 12 noon – 4 pm on weekdays during term time. Term dates and more precise court usage times are published here.
Weather permitting, the grass courts may be used between the beginning of May and the end of September. During this period the groundsman will display a notice of the times when play may start (which is not normally before 12 noon), and must finish.
The hard courts remain open all year. They drain very quickly after rain.
It is the responsibility of the groundsman and committee members to decide whether the grass courts are playable. If they are not playable the nets will be lowered and members must not re-commence play without approval.
The groundsmen have priority when carrying out court maintenance work.
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Arrangements for Play
Playing times are divided between:
— Team tennis;
— Social tennis;
— Arranged matches.
Arranged matches may be played at any time other than when team or social tennis have priority.
Tuesday evenings from 6 pm and Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 3 pm to 6 pm are designated for social tennis. At these times only doubles games are played, with members who have been off court for the longest time make up the next four. This enables new members to mix in and get to know existing members. During social times a single short set is played, with a tie-break at 5-5.
During social tennis times, arranged matches may be played on the hard courts, but only if they are not needed for social tennis, which has priority. Arranged matches and singles tennis are not allowed on the grass courts during weekend social tennis times even if a court is free. However, they are permitted on Tuesdays on the far court if this is not needed for social play.
The four teams’ Middlesex Summer League home match dates will be published in the News posts. On these dates the teams have priority on the grass courts, but if the grass courts are closed matches will be switched to the hard courts.
From the first weekend in October social tennis is on Sunday afternoons from 2 pm.
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Competitive Tennis and Tournaments
The Club has two men’s and two ladies’ teams entered in the Middlesex Summer Leagues. We also enter one men’s, one ladies and one mixed doubles team in the Winter Leagues. See the League Teams web page for further details.
The Annual Club Tournament (singles, doubles and mixed doubles) is held, normally during July, and three American Tournaments are organised during the summer season.
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Tennis Balls
The Club supplies balls which are replenished during weekend social tennis. Only four balls are to be taken on to each court. The balls must be returned to the clubhouse or left at the net for the next players.
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Dress/Shoes
Players should wear appropriate tennis clothes at all times. Members must not play in shoes with heavily ridged soles because these damage the court surfaces.
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Juniors
Parents are responsible for supervising juniors at all times when juniors are on the Club premises.
Juniors do not have priority on courts at any time when a full member is waiting to play – even if playing with an adult member.
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Visitors
Members may bring visitors to the Club at any time. During social tennis times visitors must be prepared to mix in with other members and should be of West Heath standard.
Each visitor’s name must be entered in the Visitors’ Book by the member before play. A small fee is payable. No person may play as a visitor more than five times in a calendar year.
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Keys
All Full and Under 21 members may have a key to the gate in Croftway. Keys are obtained from the Membership Secretary on joining. The key also opens the clubhouse and toilets.
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Bar Facilities
The Club has a small bar and members serve themselves with drinks. Only members are permitted to make purchases from the bar. Under Licensing Laws new members must wait two days after admission before being permitted to make purchases. Glasses should be washed after use.
There is a Bar Book with a page for each member into which all purchases must be recorded. Payment must be made at regular intervals. Cheques should be sent to the Treasurer.
Permitted hours for the supply of alcohol are 11 am to 11 pm on weekdays, and 12 noon to 3 pm and 7 pm to 10.30 pm on Sundays and Good Friday.
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Teas
During the summer members volunteer to provide tea at weekend social tennis. Volunteers are asked to sign up on the list in the clubhouse, or speak to the tea co-ordinator.
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There is a barbecue on the Club Tournament Finals Day. Offers of help on this occasion are always welcome. Anyone wishing to use the clubhouse for a social event of their own should first contact the Club Secretary.
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Policies
Diversity and Inclusion, Safeguarding, Whistleblowing and General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) policies can be found displayed in the clubhouse, or via this page. The club’s Welfare Officer is Paul O’Flynn.
Our web privacy policy can be found here.
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