San Francisco Tennis Club Tourney's

[Say Chi Sin Lo]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Well, most courts do face N and S, instead of a combination of W and E, so you're gonna get sun no matter which courts they are, at some time of the day.
GoldenGatePark's 20 courts get glary sun in winter mornings...on one side.
As do Dupont, VincenteSt., and every court in Berkeley, since they're all aligned N and S.
Don't play between 9 and 1PM.
I'm a lefty, and I like the challenge of facing the morning sun.

Courts are usually built so the path of the sun travels perpendicular to the court. So either half of the court is exposed to the sun by the side. Not directly at it either in the morning or the afternoon.

[Overdrive]

Thank goodness for public courts here!

[LeeD]

Ah, you forget, summer and winter, the sun is rising, pathing, and setting at a different spot.
And fall and spring is different.
Every court get's glare sometime of the day, sometime of the year.

[barringer97]

I only paid $25k for my membership up here in the Bay Area. :/

Ridiculous, but glad I did it.

[LeeD]

Yes, you need it with all the rainy days we're having, and the lack of public courts in the SFBayArea.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Yes, you need it with all the rainy days we're having, and the lack of public courts in the SFBayArea.

Public courts keep disappearing whenever I go back and visit. Not sure when, but Helen Wills became a basketball court...

[LeeD]

Which one is HelenWills?
Is it the one in the PacificHeights district, overlooking the bay somewhat?

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Which one is HelenWills?
Is it the one in the PacificHeights district, overlooking the bay somewhat?

I think Broadway near the tunnel, Russian Hill-ish (?). The longer I'm away, the more I forget...

[LeeD]

Oh, I thought the one on HydeSt. and Greenwich was called AltaPlaza, but I could be wrong.
I used to live on Pacific /Larkin, and don't remember courts nearby.

[slowfox]

Originally Posted by LeeD

Oh, I thought the one on HydeSt. and Greenwich was called AltaPlaza, but I could be wrong.
I used to live on Pacific /Larkin, and don't remember courts nearby.

Not that one. Helen Wills is Broadway/Larkin I believe...

[LeeD]

Yeah, you might be right.
I did remember seeing 2 courts on Broadway, just before entering the tunnel, and we lived the next street up, Pacific, like 1527, 3rd floor.

[Raul_SJ]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

I've asked them about membership, because the thought of playing on fast courts with near perfect conditions is something I will always fancy.

- Initiation fee is something ridiculous like $500-$1500. They don't have a set price and fluctuate depending on the season.
- Monthly dues can be anywhere from $180-$250/month.
- Add $$$ court time fees on top of your monthly dues.

Even if I overlook that ridiculous initiation fee, ~$200/month+court fees for stuffy, overbooked, poorly designed courts (no room beyond the alleys), and non-impressive amenities.

Please...

I had visited the SFTC several years ago and seem to recall that initiation fees were several thousand dollars... Maybe I misunderstood or perhaps they have reduced the initiation fees since then?

[Raul_SJ]

Originally Posted by barringer97

I only paid $25k for my membership up here in the Bay Area. :/

Ridiculous, but glad I did it.

Was that for Membership at the San Francisco Tennis Club?

[Raul_SJ]

Originally Posted by eastbayliz

Anyone in the Bay Area here? After a 15 year tennis hiatus I am for the first time playing competitively as an adult rather then a Junior player. SF Tennis club is hosting almost a tournament every month in 2013.

Are these monthly tournaments official USTA tournaments? Or just tournaments organized by the club?

[sam_p]

Originally Posted by Raul_SJ

Are these monthly tournaments official USTA tournaments? Or just tournaments organized by the club?

They are USTA tournaments. The new general manager has put in a schedule of more frequent tournaments and hired a person to run the tournaments. Don't know if they are monthly all year round though.

[tennis tom]

Could you please explain the format for the tournaments: singles, dbls, mxed., reg. scoring, no-ad., 2/3 sets, pro-sets., age-groups, NTRP? What time, day, open to public, members only?

Thanks

[Fintft]

Originally Posted by Say Chi Sin Lo

It can get pretty windy up there.

Lol yeah it certainly seems so to a visitor like me: i.e. each time I try to play in Dolores park I curse the wind and the setup of about 8 courts side by side, making the balls go over many courts (and some people chasing them like headless chicken). And I come from Canada, mind you.

Recently they've renovated the public courts by 19th and Valencia (forgot the name of that community center) and b/c it's only two courts, they are much better sheltered.
Would love to try the Golden Gate ones, but I usually just stroll through there on my way to the beach or to tour the beaches from W to E (Embarcadero).

Are the courts in Golden Gate park free/public?

Cheers!

[eastbayliz]

Originally Posted by Raul_SJ

Are these monthly tournaments official USTA tournaments? Or just tournaments organized by the club?

These are USTA NTRP and Open tournaments. Great way to use (IMHO) a nice facility and courts. You do have to have a USTA membership.

[eastbayliz]

Originally Posted by tennis tom

Could you please explain the format for the tournaments: singles, dbls, mxed., reg. scoring, no-ad., 2/3 sets, pro-sets., age-groups, NTRP? What time, day, open to public, members only?

Thanks

Singles and doubles regular scoring. 2 out of 3 sets with a tie breaker in lieu of third set (lame IMO).

Anyone with a USTA membership can play in the tournaments. Friday-Sunday. This year it looks like there is one nearly every month.

Here is the link to the next tournament:

http://tennislink.usta.com/tournamen....aspx?T=125744

The way to get here is as follows:

Go to USTA.com
Click on NORCAL section
Click on Adult link
Click on Tournaments
Click on Schedule
Then choose NTRP (if that is what you are interested in)
This gives you by the month all NTRP tournaments.

[LeeD]

Those courts in the alley at 19th and Valencia are great, but noise from the pool can sometimes be distracting.
GGPark is a public pay court, the fees something like 5 bucks per hour per player, which usually causes time constraints.