Statistics show that night tennis is the major growth area in the sport, therefore a club with good lighting becomes more vibrant with increased use and revenue. Illuminated outdoor courts provide additional hours for play for working people who have limited time available to play tennis.

The main aims of tennis court lighting are to ensure that the ball is visible and the minimisation of adverse effects of the lighting.

Many local government authorities have introduced stringent requirements in respect to obtrusive and spill lighting for sports lighting installations. Before commencing, find out what are the planning permission obligations and address these as early as possible.

In very broad terms there are two types of lighting systems, corner lighting and side lighting.

A few issues that should come into your considerations:

• Future expansion options
• Planning permit requirements
• Light pole padding
• Adequate exit lighting
• Automatic time clock
• Coin operated activation
• Lights out warning
• Maintenance needs and costs

Some lamp considerations that you may not have thought of:

• Lamp strike / restrike time
• Factors affecting lamp life
• Mains voltage variation problems
• Lamp depreciation

To find out more, download the Tennis Infrastructure Planning Guide