Guidelines for USTA League Play at Murraywood

General Guidelines

  • Before the beginning of each season, the Club’s Tennis Committee Chairperson or appointed representative will send a club-wide communication advising all members of the upcoming tennis season.
  • Members planning to form a team for the season (Captains) should inform the Tennis Committee Chairperson prior to registering on the USTA site to ensure that their team would have court availability for the season and to assist other members seeking league play.
  • While the Tennis Committee cannot guarantee placement on a team, every effort will be made to place club members on a team. Additionally, the Tennis Committee’s expectation is that members can enjoy reasonable playing time during the season, in accordance with their team’s goals communicated to them by their Captain.
  • Murraywood teams should be made up of at least 75% members.

Non-Member Play

  • If a Captain, after a club-wide solicitation and in collaboration with the Tennis Committee Chair,  determines that non-members are needed to reach a minimum* number of players to begin and/or sustain play throughout the season, then the Captain can submit the Request for Ratio or Fee Waiver form to the Tennis Committee .       
    • (Here, minimum* is defined as either (1) the number of players/partner pairs/positions needed to meet the LATA “legal team” deadline numbers or (2) as the number of players/partner pairs/positions needed to sustain team play throughout the season, as determined by the Captain’s knowledge of the members’ periods of anticipated nonavailability during the season.)
  • Prior to adding nonmembers, the Captain should be in receipt of an affirmative response to the request for a fee reduction or for lowering the required 75% member ratio on a team.
  • Non-members are required to pay $50.00 per season per team to Murraywood before the first match for each season he/she is on the team roster. The non-member fee is for team play only, and does not include any practices at Murraywood. Non-members who practice with a team must pay the $10 non-member fee for each practice session.
  • It is the responsibility of the team captain to collect the $50 non-member fees prior to scheduling non-member play time. Additionally, it is the responsibility of all team members to collect the $10 court fee when a non-member practices at Murraywood.
  • The Captain of each team will:
    • Email the Tennis Chair with the team roster, listing each player, their rating, and whether they are a club member.
    • Ensure nonmember league play checks are mailed to MSRC PO Box 334, Irmo, SC 29063 or submitted to the Tennis Committee Chair. The $10 guest fee for practicing should be placed in the collection box at the kiosk. .

Court Reservation Guidelines

  • Courts are blocked out as soon as the schedules are posted on TennisLink.
  • Captains should check that courts are blocked out for scheduled matches at least 3 days prior to match date.
  • If courts are NOT blocked out for a scheduled match, please contact the Tennis Chair (Martha Hanks – drhanksm@gmail.com ) or designee (Bob Hawsey  -rhawsey@bellsouth.net ).
  • Matches that have to be rescheduled due to rain or weather below 32°F can make reservations prior to 48 hours if courts are available.
  • To have courts rescheduled prior to the 48-hour rule due to weather events, contact the Tennis Committee Chair or designate.  To ensure some courts are available for non-league play, a night that has a regularly scheduled league match may NOT be used for a match make-up and the original surface-type courts should be reserved. Courts that are rescheduled due to rainout or cold weather matches will have the team level, “adult” or “senior” and captain’s name indicated on the reservation grid.
  • Captains should not request the “bumping of” non-league players who have reserved courts following the Club 48-hour sign-up rule
  • Captains wishing to reschedule play to a different date for any reason other than rainout or cold weather must follow the regular 48-hour sign-up procedures.
  • Teams can reserve alternate surface-type courts instead of those initially booked if any are available 24 hours prior to the match date; i.e., after 7:00 AM on the morning before the match date. At the time the alternate courts are reserved, the captain or their designee must inform the Tennis Committee Chair or their designee to unblock the originally scheduled courts to allow last minute play by other club members.

Court Assignments

  • Adult (18 and 40+) matches are assigned five courts (two soft and three hard): 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6.
  • Senior matches (55+) receive two soft courts and one hard court. (4,5,6)
  • Super Seniors (65+ and 75+) receive 3 clay courts.

Safety

  • Before each match, the captain should remind their team and the guest team as to Murraywood’s address (2050 Cedarbrook Drive, Columbia, SC 29212) and how to gain access to and the location of the AED.

February 19, 2023 MHH