Court bookings prove a hit at Anglesea Tennis Club

THE Anglesea Tennis Club continues to open up their courts through an initiative to encourage residents and visitors to get involved in tennis.

Club members, locals, tennis fans and occasional players can book courts at their leisure with the club’s booking system.

The improved booking process allows players to book and pay online, with players then given a PIN that provides access to the court and turns on the lights at their designated time.

The process provides both flexibility and freedom for players who can now easily access courts.

Club president Tony Whelan said the system had been a major positive for the club and the community in its first 12 months of operation.

“The Anglesea Tennis Club was very fortunate to be part of the pilot program for Book a Court.

“The system has alleviated the problems of obtaining keys from club volunteers, has generated additional income for the club and solved potential security issues.

“Our system is also fully integrated with our court floodlighting and operates automatically when someone books a court after daylight hours.”

Tennis Australia director of participation Paul Cammack said he hoped the new program would encourage more people to take to the court.

“The Book a Court program continues to unlock tennis clubs around Australia by giving flexible and convenient access.

“Whether your last match was years ago or you’re a regular player, we encourage you to get back on court at your local club and benefit from the lifelong health and social benefits that tennis provides.”

The Book a Court program was first piloted in 2015-16 and has been installed in more than 85 venues and 554 courts nationwide. In 2017-18 there have been more than 41,000 bookings made, generating $240,000 in online payments and unlocking new revenue for all clubs involved.

The initiative recently won an award for Excellence in Innovation at the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) Participation Awards, recognising an ASC-funded sporting organisation that continues to evolve and encourage participation through various strategies and initiatives.

Book a court at the Anglesea Tennis Club online at tennis.com.au/angleseatc.