How Generous Are You With Court Time?

[lordmanji]

so i usually play at public parks and there's always the sign that limits play to a set if there are other people waiting but no one actually adheres to. when its just me and another friend, we'll play usually for an hour and a half to two hours. when im with friends and we play doubles, its even worse: sometimes 3 to 4 hours.

when people are waiting, they normally dont quote the rules on us and just ask us when we'll be done. so i wonder if youre playing and people are waiting, how long will you stay? will you keep playing and let them find another court? or just finish your set? go another set? if i have someone waiting and ive been there for a while, i may cut my hitting session just a bit shorter if im on the tail end. otherwise they have to wait until i get all my tennis in. what about the rest of you guys?

 

[jimstorm]

I usually keep playing until I'm done with my match or set. I don't usually have any problem though, because there are six courts relativly close to my house, and people don't usually fill them all. If I leave early from hitting, I can usually go somewhere else.

 

[volusiano]

Usually nobody is going to sit around to wait for more than 1/2 hour. They'd leave to find another court somewhere else. So it's not like they really know how long you've been there to be able to call you on the rule anyway.

That's why they usually just ask how much longer you have left, and if you just tell them honestly how much longer you need, they can decide for themselves whether to stick around and wait or not.

 

[GeoffB]

Unfortunately, this topic has become relevant in my life again. There are usually enough public courts in San Francisco to go around with minimal waiting, but once it gets dark in the evening, it's crunch time. There just aren't enough lighted courts for everyone who wants to play after work.

I played on Monday and had to wait about 45 minutes for a court. I probably should have left to find another, but there would have been a wait no matter where I went, and when you tally it up, it's usually not worth it in my experience.

The rules are 30 minutes of hitting or a short warm up (I forget how long) and a set. However, I don't think 30 minutes is enough time for tennis, so I don't boot people right away. The folks on the court told me they had been there for about 15-20 min, and I gave them another 45, but then I pulled the rules, because I'd been waiting a while, and they'd had an hour. Of course, there have been times when I was cool and gave people a full hour and then got booted after 30 minutes.

The whole thing sucks. I really wish we had more lighted public courts in SF. The problem is that SF's biggest public tennis complex - Golden Gate Park, doesn't have *any* lighted courts, nor does SF State (another big spot). There are some private clubs here with good lighted courts... in the summer, doesn't seem necessary, but in the winter it does. I have a toddler at home, so getting away to play tennis is something I can usually only do one evening a week. Burning 45 min on waiting by the side of the court is pretty frustrating.

 

[JavierLW]

so i usually play at public parks and there's always the sign that limits play to a set if there are other people waiting but no one actually adheres to. when its just me and another friend, we'll play usually for an hour and a half to two hours. when im with friends and we play doubles, its even worse: sometimes 3 to 4 hours.

when people are waiting, they normally dont quote the rules on us and just ask us when we'll be done. so i wonder if youre playing and people are waiting, how long will you stay? will you keep playing and let them find another court? or just finish your set? go another set? if i have someone waiting and ive been there for a while, i may cut my hitting session just a bit shorter if im on the tail end. otherwise they have to wait until i get all my tennis in. what about the rest of you guys?

We just keep playing until we are done, nobody pays attention to time limit rules outdoors around here. Ive heard in smaller communititys the residents will get uptight about this, but in the city and most larger suburbs it's pretty much a free for all.

UNLESS someone pays $$$ to reserve a court, then they are basicially paying money for the privledge of kicking someone off. We do this at some courts all the time if they are busy, and our whole $4 also goes to help the local community.

If we are waiting, I usually am a lot nicer than certain people on this board used to be though. If my opponent is not there yet and two people who showed up behind me are ready to play and a court opens up, I'll give them the court. Having one person sitting on a court by themselves when there is a big line of people waiting is sort of screwy, but that might just be me.

Also normally we are playing matches (not just hitting), so we stay until the match is over. Maybe if we were hitting or if we were just deciding whether we are going to play an extra (unnecessary) set or so, we'll be nicer.

 

[LuckyR]

Wow. When I routinely played on public courts (during the Golden era of tennis), folks adhered to the rules religiously, since if they didn't, the folks who were waiting, demanded it.

Times change...

 

[GeoffB]

yeah, I did too

Wow. When I routinely played on public courts (during the Golden era of tennis), folks adhered to the rules religiously, since if they didn't, the folks who were waiting, demanded it.

Times change...

Back then, you had to, because there was often a line at the courts. I mean, you'd be second or third in line behind the person who was waiting. Under those circumstances, you absolutely have to adhere to the time limit (in SF, that's 30 min or 1 set). I was a kid, but I remember driving from court to court with my Dad trying to find an open one, before finally concluding that it was usually best to wait (this was late 70s/early 80s - I'm assuming that's what you're talking about, rather than the 20s, heh).

Golden Gate Park was the only spot that allowed reservation of public courts - those you could get for an hour and a half, but then went quickly. I remember that you had to call exactly at 6pm on Wednesday evening and keep trying until you got through (my job was to keep dialing that rotary phone until I got a voice on the other end, then my Dad would do the reservations). You were allowed one court on Sat and one on Sun. If you didn't reserve it on Wednesday night, you could get on the waiting list with a 50-50 shot at getting a court that weekend.

These days, it isn't as much of a problem in the summer, and I rarely have to wait. But when it gets dark, I do start to feel that stress from way back when, because there definitely aren't enough lighted courts to go around.

 

[burosky]

Personally, if there are a lot of people waiting and no courts are available, after a set I give up the court regardless of the amount of time I still have. Just like other public courts, the typical posted rules are almost never followed. This is specially true if there are "regulars" who feel some kind of entitlement to the courts as if it was their own. Those regulars can be notorious for not observing the posted court usage rules. However, if non-regulars violate the rules, they impose the rules on them.

Such is life playing at public courts.

 

[spiritdragon]

i usually dont follow these rules. i usually just play as long as i want and someone else leaves b4 us.

 

[LuckyR]

Back then, you had to, because there was often a line at the courts. I mean, you'd be second or third in line behind the person who was waiting. Under those circumstances, you absolutely have to adhere to the time limit (in SF, that's 30 min or 1 set). I was a kid, but I remember driving from court to court with my Dad trying to find an open one, before finally concluding that it was usually best to wait (this was late 70s/early 80s - I'm assuming that's what you're talking about, rather than the 20s, heh).

I also remember that you had to call exactly at 6pm on Wednesday evening and keep trying until you got through (my job was to keep dialing that rotary phone until I got a voice on the other end, then my Dad would do the reservations). You were allowed one court on Sat and one on Sun. If you didn't reserve it on Wednesday night, you could get on the waiting list with a 50-50 shot at getting a court that weekend.

It isn't as much of a problem in the Summer, and I rarely have to wait. But when it gets dark, I do start to feel that stress from way back when, because there definitely aren't enough lighted courts to go around.

Yeah, that's what I recall as well (in LA, not SF).

 

[takl23]

This all seems so foreign to me. I live in NH and in my city (Concord) we have 15 public courts and they're never full day or night. In the winter it's different, there's one club in Concord with 3 indoor courts, but I play a couple towns over where there's 4 courts and it's easier to get a court for 1.5 hours.

Cheers,

Tim

 

[lordmanji]

Personally, if there are a lot of people waiting and no courts are available, after a set I give up the court regardless of the amount of time I still have. Just like other public courts, the typical posted rules are almost never followed. This is specially true if there are "regulars" who feel some kind of entitlement to the courts as if it was their own. Those regulars can be notorious for not observing the posted court usage rules. However, if non-regulars violate the rules, they impose the rules on them.

Such is life playing at public courts.

lol your post just made me remember this one regular who tried to use the rules on me. i told him that i usually see him with his friends and they never give up the court early so i wasnt going to either. he looked all heartbroken but he finally got a court with his friends next to ours and he stayed there at least a couple hours while others were waiting.

 

[lordmanji]

Wow. When I routinely played on public courts (during the Golden era of tennis), folks adhered to the rules religiously, since if they didn't, the folks who were waiting, demanded it.

Times change...

this is why i hope tennis' popularity stays low :twisted:

 

[atatu]

I'm pretty good about giving up the court after an hour, this is due to: 1) the fact that I hate to wait on a court, so I follow the golden rule, and 2) also growing up in the 70's when court time was at a premium. The one exception is when I've been on over an hour, but some other guys on an adjacent court have been on longer than I have...in that case when someone asks when I'll be finished, I just say "well, we started after those guys..."

 

[FedererISBetter]

just have those players waiting to play join with your hitting buds, at least thats what some of us do. we rotate, do king of the hill... its fast, can be compeitive, and is just being courteous.

 

[r2473]

I think the custom is:

If I am playing, then I try to limit my time to 5 hours if someone else is waiting.

If I am waiting, I remind players every 10 minutes that their time is up and it is my turn.

 

[onehandbh]

We just keep playing until we are done, nobody pays attention to time limit rules outdoors around here.

There are some people who hog the courts here in socal also...

If my opponent is not there yet and two people who showed up behind me are ready to play and a court opens up, I'll give them the court.

That's generally the rule. You can't sit there by yourself holding a court.

Also normally we are playing matches (not just hitting), so we stay until the match is over. Maybe if we were hitting or if we were just deciding whether we are going to play an extra (unnecessary) set or so, we'll be nicer.

What would you do if the people waiting read you the rules and told you
your time is up? Would you just ignore them and tell them you're not leaving? They are PUBLIC courts!
You don't own them. Try this at a public pickup basketball court like
Ruckers in NY. See what happens. Just tell them you guys are going to
keep playing your 3 on 3 full court game w/your friends and they have to
wait until you're done and they don't get to play the winners.

Here in socal, many of the courts have rules posted that limit play to
30 minutes or the completion of your set if there is somebody waiting on
the court. If there's nobody waiting, I play until I'm done, otherwise
I follow the rules.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

Try this at a public pickup basketball court like
Ruckers in NY. See what happens. Just tell them you guys are going to
keep playing your 3 on 3 full court game w/your friends and they have to
wait until you're done and they don't get to play the winners.

It'd be great to have an addendum to rules, "When courts are full, new comers have the right to challenge a court."

In all the public courts (that I play on) in the tri state area... unless they are policed by an "official" person, no one gets off the courts for anyone else. You can ask how long someone's going to be, but that's about it.

While I am usually one of those guys that stays on for 2+ hrs, I'd actually prefer if busier courts (or just during primetime) had an attendendant checking/managing court times. I'd gladly pay a $100-200+ season pass. Not only will getting on a court be more predicatable but the price will keep most less serious players off, not to mention, hopefully the proceeds will go to keeping the courts maintained.

 

[Deleted member 23235]

If my opponent is not there yet and two people who showed up behind me are ready to play and a court opens up, I'll give them the court. Having one person sitting on a court by themselves when there is a big line of people waiting is sort of screwy, but that might just be me.

What if I want to just practice my serve?

 

[Deleted member 23235]

While I generally agree with the etiquette the folks are suggesting that everyone would follow... when there's no one to enforce things, it takes a couple bad experiences (eg. someone not getting off after their hour is up), before everyone is doing the same thing.

 

[lordmanji]

While I generally agree with the etiquette the folks are suggesting that everyone would follow... when there's no one to enforce things, it takes a couple bad experiences (eg. someone not getting off after their hour is up), before everyone is doing the same thing.

ya unfortunately most players dont care if youre waiting for two hours. theyll keep playing and playing even if its only two of them. so its hard to be as generous when others dont follow the same rule.

 

[beernutz]

Our public courts that are run by the city charge $3/person to play. I've never seen the courts crowded enough to find out exactly how much playing time that $3 buys you. I expect that its $3/hour/person but since I've never been asked to leave because of crowding I really don't know for sure.

Last night I played for 2.5 hours for that $3 and out of 12 lit courts, ours was the only one being used. It was 38 degrees here (Gulf Coast) however which is probably equivalent to sub-zero temperatures anywhere north of here. People here start wearing coats when it drops below 60 degrees.

 

[WNocturne]

usually at my tennis park in 4 out of 16 tennis courts are empty and its completely free and no rules of waiting. I never saw a person wait for a tennis court there.

 

[LuckyR]

this is why i hope tennis' popularity stays low :twisted:

This is the bane of the USTA's existance.

 

[some6uy008]

usually at my tennis park in 4 out of 16 tennis courts are empty and its completely free and no rules of waiting. I never saw a person wait for a tennis court there.

Wow, where do you live? I have never seen any place that has so many courts in one area before.

 

[gocard]

All the public courts in my area have the clocks where you set the start and end time for each court. Generally people playing singles can have 1h15 minutes and doubles can have 1.5 hours. People waiting for courts need to put their racquets on the rack to hold their spot in line.

People generally keep on playing past the time, but after their time is up those waiting will usually ask if the people on that court are almost done. Usually people are fairly polite in stopping ~ 15-20 minutes after you ask, IF they are aware of the rules of setting the clocks. Often there are people who have no idea about the public court etiquette and get upset if you try to point out that they didn't set the clock for the courts.

It's better in the winter though, not as many people will come out and play!