NYC Central park north side: are 28 clay or destroyed hard courts?

[corbind]

I just happened to be looking on Google Earth this morning and saw there are 32 courts on the north side of New York City's Central Park. Adjacent to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis Reservior called Central Park Tennis Center.

Zooming down on them I see 13 x 2 rows of very light green courts and white boundary lines all messed up. So 26 courts. Are these dilapidated hard courts unused or clay courts currently being used? I do see 4 blue hard courts just north of those too.

40.789928,-73.962098

[ollinger]

Both guesses are correct: they are destroyed (well, not superbly maintained) Har Tru courts. New York City tennis permit required.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by ollinger

Both guesses are correct: they are destroyed (well, not superbly maintained) Har Tru courts. New York City tennis permit required.

What shape are the red clay courts in near Central Park?

[Bartelby]

Get Bloomberg to shell out of his own pocket for a renovation.

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by corbind

I just happened to be looking on Google Earth this morning and saw there are 32 courts on the north side of New York City's Central Park. Adjacent to the Jacqueline Kennedy Onasis Reservior called Central Park Tennis Center.

Zooming down on them I see 13 x 2 rows of very light green courts and white boundary lines all messed up. So 26 courts. Are these dilapidated hard courts unused or clay courts currently being used? I do see 4 blue hard courts just north of those too.

40.789928,-73.962098

They get a lot of play without much maintenance and can be petty brutal to play on.

[vsbabolat]

Originally Posted by mikeler

What shape are the red clay courts in near Central Park?

That's Riverside Park and they are better.
http://www.rcta.info/

[corbind]

Aha, clay courts in NYC? God I thought the were only for rich people at clubs. Here in the ******* we have only hard courts unless you're rich and belong to a club. We have no public clay courts and they're sparse here.

How can NYC afford Har Tru courts for the public? Even if they do a poor job maintaining them would it not still be double or triple the cost of the long-term cost of hard courts?

What does it cost to use the courts for a day? For a week? A season? Is the wait time really long to use them?

[millicurie999]

$200 city wide pass for the entire season apr to nov. You can play at any city court.

[J011yroger]

Originally Posted by corbind

Aha, clay courts in NYC? God I thought the were only for rich people at clubs.

Most country clubs here have amazing clay courts (as amazing as you can get Har-Tru to be) but the public ones and clubs open to the public or low membership cost are dry and chopped up, which is still better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

J

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by millicurie999

$200 city wide pass for the entire season apr to nov. You can play at any city court.

That is what I pay for an annual membership at my club. Sounds like a steal for NYC.

Originally Posted by J011yroger

Most country clubs here have amazing clay courts (as amazing as you can get Har-Tru to be) but the public ones and clubs open to the public or low membership cost are dry and chopped up, which is still better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

J

Our courts are always on the wet side, especially in the winter.

[volleygirl]

Originally Posted by Bartelby

Get Bloomberg to shell out of his own pocket for a renovation.

that dope is too worried about banning Big Gulps

[SoBad]

In the winter the Jackie O lake freezes over and only the four hardcourts are available, no permit required.

[tyu1314]

DO any one know that are those permit require court are lock up during the winter? like the riverside one?

[SoBad]

Originally Posted by tyu1314

DO any one know that are those permit require court are lock up during the winter? like the riverside one?

The CP green clay courts are only open during the season (April - Nov). CP hardcourts are public in the offseason. The red clay at riverside only open during the season.

Do you want to hit in jamaica when the snow melts? sobad2006@gmail.com

[corbind]

Originally Posted by millicurie999

$200 city wide pass for the entire season apr to nov. You can play at any city court.

So does that mean most public courts in NYC need a pass to play there? If so how would someone enforce that or check for a guy's pass if he just rolls up to an outdoor court and starts playing?

Is playing on the Har Tru courts messy? I have not played on clay since college.

[millicurie999]

All the courts have sign up huts where you need to show your pass. Day pass is $15 per day.
Clay is definitely messier compared to hard.

[mikeler]

Originally Posted by corbind

So does that mean most public courts in NYC need a pass to play there? If so how would someone enforce that or check for a guy's pass if he just rolls up to an outdoor court and starts playing?

Is playing on the Har Tru courts messy? I have not played on clay since college.

You just need to clean off your shoes real well and it is not too bad. Red clay turns your legs, socks and shoes red.

[Gonzalito17]

Courts are decent. A bit dry. Often crowded. Used to play USTA tourneys there about ten years ago. Saw Yannick Noah hitting there three years ago.

[puck1230]

More to add on NYC courts:

During the season, there's a very long wait to get on the popular courts like CP, Riverside, LES. The 15 dollar pass allows you to put yourself on a wait-list for the courts for that particular day. It's also allows you one hour of play, and you cannot stay on for consecutive hours of singles play unless nobody else is waiting. Court reservations a day in advance or more requires the full season permit (I think they made this rule 2 years ago?) costs an additional 15 dollars for the court, and is only available for certain courts in the city.