Programming & court utilisation
Maximising court utilisation and offering a well-structured programme of activity are essential foundations for a thriving tennis venue.
By making the most of available court time and delivering a diverse, inclusive range of sessions, clubs can engage a wider community, increase participation across all age groups and abilities, and ensure financial sustainability.
A dynamic programme not only attracts new members but also retains existing ones by creating a vibrant, social, and active club environment.
This page provides tools, ideas, and real-life examples to help you make the most of your courts.
Court utilisation is a key piece of information needed to assess the health of your club and, if monitored regularly, it can inform key decisions around how the courts are used.
Utilisation rate is automatically calculated when using booking software such as ClubSpark and we’ve developed a simple court utilisation tool below to help you monitor weekly usage, as well as income generation.
This simple tool has been developed to help you understand the profitability of your tennis programme(s).
Simply plug in your income and expenditure based on your tennis programme and see where savings or additional income could be generated.
Adding pickleball could offer several benefits to your venue, including increased participation, membership, diversification of revenue, and greater community engagement.
Based on questions we’ve collated from across the venue network, we have created a short guide on how to add Pickleball to your tennis programme. This includes a plan on where to start and points to consider, from court set-up, choosing the right equipment and exclusive discounts as a registered venue.
Venues across the country are building a Pickleball programme into their club’s programme. Read about Tunbridge Well’s Lawn Tennis Club’s story here.
FAQ’s
Does the LTA Insurance cover us for Pickleball activity?
Yes, as an LTA Registered Venue, you are already covered to deliver Pickleball activity. There is no action you need to take; we have you covered.
Do our LTA Safeguarding Standards apply to Pickleball?
Yes. Your venue’s safeguarding policies and procedures apply to all activities delivered at your site, including Pickleball. These standards help ensure that every activity is run with best practice safeguarding measures in place.
As part of your venue registration, you already benefit from a robust safeguarding infrastructure. This includes:
- Access to comprehensive safeguarding advice and guidance
- Template policies and procedures
- Welfare Officer support forums
- Direct case support from the LTA Safeguarding Team
- Invitations to our annual Safe to Play safeguarding conference
- We also offer safeguarding support visits, providing 1-to-1 guidance from a locally based safeguarding officer to help ensure your venue remains a safe environment for all.
If a safeguarding concern arises during Pickleball activity involving tennis members or LTA accredited coaches, please contact the LTA Safeguarding Team directly for support.
If the concern involves Pickleball-only members, you should refer the matter to Pickleball England.
As always, if there is an immediate risk of harm, contact the police or your local children’s services without delay.
Competition should be a core element of your tennis programme, helping players build skills, confidence, and enjoy the excitement of match play. It keeps members engaged, strengthens the club community, and plays a vital role in retention by giving players clear goals and more reasons to stay active and connected to the club.
The LTA provides access to a host of competitions including a suite of online tools to help you manage your competitions.
The management committee or club manager should work closely with the head coach and coaching team when implementing a tennis programme, as both parties benefit from happy members and players.
We have some dedicated guidance on clubs and coaches working together below, along with examples of different operating models and templated coach agreements.
Below you'll find some useful resources and templates to help your club with court utilisation and programming:
Explore the below case studies to see how other clubs have followed our advice on court utilisation and programming:
- Ipswich Sports Club: 'A club and coach relationship driving tennis success'.
- Ackworth Tennis Club: 'A winning combination: How coach and volunteer collaboration turned a club around.'
- Cowbridge Tennis Club: 'Engaging the local community with easy access to fantastic tennis'.
- Tunbridge Wells Lawn Tennis Club: 'Our pickleball journey: From launch to a thriving pickleball community'