Tennis Membership
What are the Tennis Membership categories?
These are detailed on the Club’s official website which can be found here on the 'how to Join' page.
What if my spouse or children and I wish to play?
We continue to offer our Family Membership Discount. If two or more members of a family residing at the same address are full Members of either the Tennis or Squash Section we offer a Family Discount of 10%. This applies to Full Senior and Off-peak Senior category members only with effect from 1st April 2022. This discount only applies to subscriptions and not to Joining Fees. We have also introduced a restricted membership called Playing Parent for those who only wish to play with their junior children. This does not allow play at other times than youth restricted hours and not with other members or guests. Find out more on our website or contact the office for details.
I play both Squash and Tennis, so what do I pay?
We are privileged at Sheen to have thriving sections in both sports. To encourage those who wish to play both tennis and squash we offer a dual sport Full Tennis & Squash Discount of 15%. This discount only applies to subscriptions and not to Joining Fees.
This applies to Full Senior, Off-peak Senior and Full 18 and over category members only.
What if I qualify for both Family and Dual Sport Discounts?
Then you receive both discounts provided you qualify in each respect. We recognise that you are part of a family bringing other participating players to our Club, and also that you play and subscribe for both sports.
Do I have to pay a Joining Fee?
Joining Fees are payable for admission to all over-18's membership categories with the exception of concessionary Students. There are no such fees for Youth playing categories nor to Social Members. Re-joining Fees apply at the same rates for lapsed memberships.
Can I play as an Overseas & Country Member?
This category was closed to new applicants many years ago.
Can a Social Member play tennis or Squash?
Our Social Membership is not designed for those who actively play tennis or squash at the Club. It allows at a very low cost those who wish to participate in our social events or who perhaps have an actively playing spouse and wish to have a connection with their partner’s club to enjoy our non-playing facilities.
However a Social Member is eligible under our Rules to play tennis or squash as a paying Guest on a maximum of four occasions in any twelve month period provided they pay the relevant Guest Fee.
Have the Off-Peak Hours Changed?
Eligible hours during which Off-peak and other restricted members can play tennis are published twice annually on the website.
Can OPMs now enter general in-Club Tournaments?
Yes, the Managing Committee restored this eligibility. OPM entry into our tournaments is subject to the same entry fee requirements as for Full and other members.
Which of our in-Club tournaments does this apply to?.
All of them, provided an Off=peak member would be gender or age-qualified to enter.
So can an OPM play a tie within our Club tournaments at any time of day?
Yes, they can. But the basis on which such a tie can be played may take either of two forms:
• if a particular tournament tie is played within OPM eligible hours, then the OPM may play without any further payment beyond the overall tournament entry fee
• if a tie is played for any reason outside OPM eligible hours then a Supplementary Subscription of £5 will be payable by the OPM for each such occasion on which they play
What happens if an OPM is asked by an opponent to play a tournament game outside of OPM hours?
We very much hope that in the spirit of our Club all participating members will try, just as they do now, to arrange to play tournament rounds at mutually agreeable times. Consideration of other members’ circumstances and availability is a basic tenet of any members club. However, our Full members pay through their significantly higher subscription for unrestricted court eligibility and your Managing Committee believes it to be fair that a Full member can ultimately ask for a tie to be played outside OPM hours if that is unavoidable. For this reason, it will be a condition of entry for OPMs wishing to play in any in-Club tournament to accept that they may on occasion be required to pay a Supplementary Subscription in order to play a particular tie. If they do not do so they will as a consequence be required to concede the tie.
What is the Supplementary Subscription for OPMs?
Off-peak members benefit from a substantial discount in their membership fees and in return accept that their court usage is restricted to times at which the Club is generally less busy.
So how do I pay the Supplementary Subscription, or pay a Guest Fee?
Every time a Supplementary OPM Fee is incurred for matches at Sheen the member in question is responsible for paying this either at the Club Office or Bar. Please email the office before your game to notify you are playing out of hours.
Team captains are responsible for co-ordinating Supplementary OPM fees for those who play in inter-club matches and team practices.
Which Club teams does this apply to?
All teams which represent SLTSC in events against other Clubs. Naturally, gender and age-group qualifications will still apply, but if a team represents the Club then OPMs are eligible if selected by Team Captains.
How can an OPM be selected for inter-club matches?
In exactly the same way as any other member: make yourself known to Team Captains as being available for selection; be prepared to play when those matches are scheduled, including paying the Supplementary Subscription on each occasion that match hours of play make that necessary; and most importantly play to the relevant standard – Sheen teams are competitive and have a successful history!
Does the Supplementary Subscription apply only for home fixtures then?
No, it is a Supplementary Subscription which allows OPMs to participate more widely than their eligible hours would otherwise allow and it must be paid for any relevant game, played both home or away. Fees for OPMs playing in away fixtures which take place during non-OPM hours must be paid to the Team Captain before the match commences who will then pay them to the office at the next opportunity.
Will there be any implications for the British Tennis Membership/Wimbledon Ballot in these changes?
Under LTA regulations only Tennis members are eligible for a free Affiliated British Tennis Membership (BTM). Squash and Social Members should not be linked to the Club but may retain or join British Tennis independently as Non-Affiliate BTMs. Squash and social members who do this will be eligible to enter the LTA central ballot for this membership type. To see the full terms and conditions please contact the LTA at the following address:
https://www.lta.org.uk/about-the-lta/policies-and-rules/btm-terms--conditions/