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Membership

CURRENT MEMBERSHIP Apr 2023- Apr 2024

Full Adult memberships are currently taking waiting list bookings. However, Adult off-peak membership and Junior memberships are open.
Please register your interest to Eric Alen eral@boconcept.co.uk.
Many thanks GPLTC committee

The club welcomes new members and unlike many other clubs, we do not have ‘assessments’ or ‘playing in tests’.  Our viewpoint is that if you want to play then we will find the right group for you to play with and we can literally accommodate any standard from complete beginner to county player.  In practice this means that if you are an experienced player then you can just come along and join in with any of the organised sessions that suit you and as a full member you can book courts for play with any other members.  However if you are a complete beginner or lack  confidence or just generally do not know if you will enjoy tennis then we suggest you join our Tennis Xpress classes on Monday 8-9pm and Sundays 12-1pm.

Membership Fees

New Fees as of April 2023

Year 2022FullStudentCountrySenior 65Off PeakJnr U18Jnr U12Jnr U10Jnr U8
April£330£230£265£290£210£130£95£70£45

Joining Fee

£20.00 payable first year only for adult members.  Not payable in subsequent years provided annual subscriptions paid on time.  The joining fee is included in the above fee chart.

Instalment Scheme

It is now possible for Full Playing Members and Family Membership to pay by three cheques dated as follows:

Member Category01/04/202201/05/202201/06/2022
Full Paying Members£120£120£110
Family Membership (incl. 2 children)£240£230£230
Additional Child U8 Add£15£15£15
Additional Child U10 Add£25£25£20
Additional Child U12 Add£35£30£30
Additional Child U18 Add£45£45£40

Membership Entitlements

Transition 1

April 2021 Transition 1 currently unavailable 

Entitlement as full BUT CAN NOT (i) enter Wimbledon ballot; (ii) play in adult teams; (iii) attend Tuesday League; or (iv) attend Mens/Ladies Practices.

Transition 2

April 2021 Transition 2 currently unavailable 

Entitlement as full BUT CAN NOT (i) play in adult teams; (ii) attend Mens/Ladies Practices.

Student membership

Membership for players in full time education.

Country membership

Membership for players who live more than 25 miles away from the club.

Off – Peak

Membership for play Mon-Fri before 5pm.

Family

Fee is for 2 adults with the 2 youngest children free + any further children at rate shown

Senior Privileges

Full playing privileges for juniors – only awarded by committee – add £30.00 to the appropriate age category.

Social Membership

£10.00 per year to enjoy all social activities and use bar lounge.

How To Join

If you have a membership query or would like to join, please contact the appropriate committee member below.

Adult Membership EnquiriesEric Alen
07540 821534
membershipgpltc@gmail.com
Junior Membership EnquiriesCarolyn Cruse
07908 887300
gpltc.juniors@gmail.com


If you are an experienced player and wish to enquire about team tennis or competitions/playing partners contact the club captain.

FAQ

The following is a list of the most frequently asked questions but it is by no means extensive. If you have any queries, your first resource is here on the club website where you will find a wealth of information. The website also has contact details for the club committee, all of whom will be more than happy to answer any questions you may have.

When joining a club, people often wonder how the club works. Gidea Park is a club run by a committee of volunteers, none of who receive any remuneration and they pay their subscription exactly the same as everyone else. This committee is elected once a year at the AGM in February. The committee is very informal in the way in which it is run and is always looking for additional ‘bodies’ to help organise the club, so if you think you can help just mention it to any committee member.

Q. Where can I find the club Rules
A. They are all here on the club website, it is located under the ‘Members Section’.
Q. What kit/shoes do I need?
A. All explained in club rules but basically trainers with a non-marking sole and any shirt/shorts or dress/skirt/top combination that is designed for tennis. Ie. No football kit, rugby kit, beach wear or combat shorts etc. Kit doesn’t have to be expensive – a plain T shirt and shorts would be perfect!
Q. What organised tennis happens at the club and how do I join in.
A. The website has a button ‘Adult Tennis’ and ‘Junior Tennis’. Click on this and the full program are explained.
Q. What sort of court etiquette should I be aware of?
A.

There are different conventions at different clubs. At Gidea the main ones are:

  • When trying to cross one court to get to another, do it at the net – waiting for the end of a point or game before crossing. Do not try and cross behind the play – it takes much longer and you will be in the way whilst waiting for the point to finish.
  • Be aware of the type of ball you are playing with. If a ball comes onto your court from another court just roll it back to the netting at the back of the adjoining court (again waiting for the point to finish). If you do not actually see the ball come onto your court but you find a ball that is not yours send it back to the next court – don’t just play with it. If someone says to you ‘thanks for one’ don’t think the worst – they are just asking for their ball back!
  • If there is a club match being played on courts 1 and 2 do not just go and play on court 3. Court 3 should not be used in this situation unless all the other courts are full and even then you need to ask the permission of the team captain first. In this situation you need to be sensible – if you are able to rally with your partner and keep your balls reasonably on your court, then it is acceptable to use court 3. If however, you are fairly new to the game and are not able to control the ball very well, then please respect the match players and wait for another court to come free.
Q. How do I book a court?
A. Just inside the main clubhouse door, to the left, is a table with the court-booking book on it. Full playing members can book a court up to 8 days in advance. There are rules as to when you can book a court fully explained in the website rules section. Basically you cannot book any court allocated for organised club activities such as Tuesday League, Friday social, Sunday social club matches, practice nights etc. Other than those times you can book any 90 minute session whenever you want up to 8 days in advance. In times of extreme demand players can only book one singles court per 90 minute slot but this is a very rare occurrence and is explained fully in the full rules. Juniors can book courts 4-7 only up to 6pm Mondays to Fridays and after 6pm on Sundays.
Q. How can I (as an adult) play matches?
A. The club runs more teams than any other club in Essex, including junior team Aegon matches and we are always looking for players. If you are interested in playing matches, talk to the head coach and he will give you an idea of the team best suited to your standard.
Q. How (as an adult) do get a club swipe card?
A. These are not given out automatically to everyone when they join as most people play when the club is already open. However, if you wish to have a clubhouse swipe card you can request one from the registrar, Eric Alen, 07540 821534 who will be happy to help. The code to the outside gate is, for this year, 54321.
Q. How can I get other members contact details?
A. There is a members section on the website. It is password protected to safeguard members privacy so to Access this section follow the simple instructions on the website. Or numbers can be found at the front of the court booking book found in the clubhouse, on the table near its entrance.
Q. Can I bring guests to the club?
A. Yes. Simply put your name in the court booking book along with ‘visitor’ and adults will be charged £3 (juniors £1.50) at the end of the season. The same visitor may only attend 3 times if they are playing tennis. After this they will need to join or have specific committee approval. If they are simply coming along to watch or having a drink there is no charge and they can attend as often as they wish. Alternatively, they can join as a social member for £10 and come along whenever they want and also play 3 times without charge!
Q. Is there an adult social program?
A. There is a full social activities program with events run most months during the year. You will usually see posters up at the club with sign-up sheets and also full details are also posted on the website. There is also a black tie dinner dance, which is held at a local venue annually in November. This is the presentation evening and is very well attended and is a great night. If you wish to attend, you can come along alone, with your partner, or bring some friends and make up a table. In addition, the bar is open most weekday nights in the summer and Tuesday and Friday evenings and Sunday social all year round. Drinks are sold at very reasonable prices, so don’t go to the pub, bring your friends along and have a game of pool or darts and save money as well as supporting your club!
Q. How can I get adult (or junior) coaching?
A. Talk to our head coach who will advise you as to the best plan of action to achieve your expectations. His Contact details are on the website or email Tom at headcoach.gpltc@gmail.com or talk to him at the club – he is there most days. Coaching is available as individual or group lessons at a range of prices.
Q. What does my membership allows me to participate to?
A. Please check the website and click on ‘Membership entitlements’, you will find all the details needed.
Q. Can we hire the clubhouse for functions?
A. Yes, you can, please contact Jackie for more information’s on 07734 664 927.

You can also follow gideaparkltc on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

Testimonials

If tennis is your sport or you just want to try it, then GPLTC is the club to seriously look at!

Whether you are a player with experience, an improver or a beginner, old or young, (we have a great junior membership) everyone is welcome. We are a very friendly bunch of all standards.

We have great facilities in 7 courts 4 floodlit and all-weather surface. A lovely new bar, social area and shower facilities.

Behind the drive and great success of the club, is our head coach Tom Higgins, and his great team Nicole, Oli and Kane. They make tennis fun and a pleasure, no matter what your standard, on a one to one, or their regular group lessons. Don’t miss out.

Dave Myers

Our son was the first to join GPLTC but the rest of the family soon signed up for lessons too, and we have all been members for over two years. I am not an especially sporty person but I actually look forward to cardio tennis on Saturday mornings, and the Wednesday evening group class. I also enjoy 1:1 lessons with Nicole who is endlessly patient and encouraging.

Tom, Carrie, Carolyn and the other coaches make a real effort to welcome and include players of all ages and abilities. There are classes, social sessions and tournaments pitched at different levels, whether you just want a knock-around and a drink at the bar, or to play in a competitive league. I have always found the other club members genuinely friendly and forgiving of my inconsistent playing. The social events are a good laugh too, and often family-friendly. The facilities are clean and well-maintained. All in all, this a great club with a truly inclusive approach.

Sarah George

I have been a member GPTC for 2 years and everything about the club is great. The whole family is at the club at least twice a week including our 2-year-old. In the time I have been at the club it has grown and flourished under the head coach Tom Higgins.

The coaching available is first class for adults and children. There is always something special going on, camps and events for all ages. My 2 year old just started Tiny Tots with Nicole and she loves it. The wife and I take part in the group adult training, this is something we highly recommend for new adult members, can improve your tennis a great deal, it’s also great fun.

If you seem to spend a bit to much time in the club’s bar like most of us there are great cardio sessions to help, hard work but again great fun.

The social events are always great Comedy nights, Elvis, Opera and the Dinner Dance to name but a few, there is always something entertaining to look forward to.

More and more members are joining the club and it’s just making it better and better. Everyone is made to feel welcome. Something we are all looking very forward to is La manga tennis trip next year, something Tom has organised for all club members.

The tennis at the club is great, I started as a beginner and now play for one of the teams, guess I should thank Tom’s coaching. There is tennis available for every standard beginner or advanced. The amount to choose from is great. Social nights are great for tennis drinks and food. There are also more competitive nights for some more advanced tennis.

The club is kitted out with great facilities, New showers. Kitchen, Bar, Pool table, darts, Ping-Pong. TV’s, BBQ, it’s hard to leave haha. I honestly can’t speak highly enough about this club and would recommend anyone interested in tennis or just a good time to join.

Dane Parry

The coaches at Gidea Park Lawn Tennis Club are extremely professional and approachable. They are highly skilled, extremely encouraging and have amazing repour with the children. The children are taught both the technical and tactical side of the game in a focused but fun environment. This gives them the confidence and ability to use these skills to best effect to achieve great results both in squad sessions and at tournaments.

This way of teaching has had a positive impact on both my children helping their confidence and self-esteem to grow whilst instilling a love for tennis in them both.

Parents of George and Charlie Dives