Winchester Racquets and Fitness Club opened their new Clay Courts on Friday 26th April.
The courts were officially opened by the club chairman and tennis chairman along with Peter Grinyer from Hampshire & IOW LTA and the Club’s oldest playing member Arthur Wilkinson, who was also one of the first to play on the new courts.
The Artificial Clay Courts were installed by Chiltern Sports Contractors Ltd and the club has opted for the top of the range LANO Grand Clay surface. They were opened for play on Friday 26 April just in time for the busy summer season.
The courts are we believe the first artificial clay courts in Hampshire and the club has had the benefit of funding support from Hampshire and IOW LTA in the way of a grant of £7,000 and loan of £30,000. The project cost is just under £50,000.
Club General Manager Billy Kerr said “We are really be pleased to be installing new artificial grass courts at the club and they will be a welcome addition to our tennis playing facilities. The club continues to develop and is always looking to improve our offer to existing and potential members. The installation of the new artificial clay courts follows a successful 4 court floodlighting installation in 2011 and the addition of a new 4 court indoor court structure in 2010.
Feedback from clubs who already have this type of surface has been very positive and we are confident that the courts will be popular across the whole membership from young competition performance juniors through to our older adult social players”