State of the Art Floodlighting
Ideal for both club and
home courts, Kevin McNamara's environmental floodlighting systems enable
you to floodlight your tennis court and keep your neighbours in the
dark.
Make the most
of your tennis court investment with a Kevin McNamara floodlighting
system.
Tennis courts that blend with the garden landscape
Kevin McNamara's
experience in landscape design and construction means that he views a
home tennis court as an opportunity to create a multi-use sports area
which complements the garden and outdoor living areas.
Kevin will
gladly provide a landscape concept plan with your tennis court
quotation.
Design and innovation that leads the field
There is no doubt that
the appearance of tennis courts has changed greatly since 1973. Many of
the changes have been introduced by Kevin McNamara.
Examples
include the following:
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The octagonal
court (with diagonal corners) introduced in 1979.
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The Quick-Flo
drainage system for synthetic grass courts - more playing
time - less down time. |
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Lightweight
fencing systems resulting in a minimum of steel work in
your tennis court fence - ideal for garden settings.
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Kevin also
specialises in custom designed fencing systems to provide a dramatic
backdrop for your tennis court.
Many Purposes
Modern synthetic grass
surfaces allow your tennis court to be used for many activities as well
as tennis:
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Basketball
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Netball
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Volleyball
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Cricket
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Football
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Golf putting
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These are just
a few of the activities you can enjoy on your new Kevin McNamara court.
Tennis Courts - An Historical Perspective
Melbourne Cricket Club foundation tennis members
C. 1879. (M.C.C.)
In 1879,
Australia's first tennis court was constructed for the Melbourne Cricket
Club - two years after the Wimbledon Championships commenced.
Surprisingly, the first tennis court had a synthetic surface of sorts -
asphalt.
The game
proved so popular that the MCC built a second court the following year
by which time inter-club matches were being played.
Tennis was
almost certainly being played on the lawns of Melbourne's more stately
homes prior to 1879, but the limitations of grass soon led to the
widespread construction of asphalt surfaces, thus ensuring year round
play.
Norman Brookes (later Sir Norman) the
first non Briton to win the Wimbledon
singles championship (1907). He was a
member of Australia's first successful
Davis Cup team the same year. (Jim
Entink Collection)
Tennis was all the rage for wealthy 19th century Victorians and
the tennis court often provided a focal point for garden parties and
other social activity.
The first
tennis court floodlighting systems, using carbon arc lamps were
installed before the turn of the century.
The
popularity of tennis quickly spread to country areas and the game soon
developed an egalitarian quality which has lasted to the present day.
In Australia
and more particularly Victoria, the love of tennis is rooted deeply in
our culture.
For well over
100 years, tennis has been a favourite pastime for Victorians and for
just as long, many of them have aspired to that most enjoyable
investment - their own tennis court.
Tennis Party at Coal Creek near Korumburra. C.
1890 (Melbourne University Archives)
Of course
today's tennis courts are expected to be capable of accommodating many
activities as well as tennis. Depending upon your preference a synthetic
surfaced tennis court can also be used as anything from a securely
fenced general play area to a venue for a game of backyard cricket,
football or netball!
Advances in Technology
Low wage costs meant that many of last Century's
tennis courts were built using picks and shovels. No doubt progressive
contractors soon found that horse drawn equipment often improved
productivity.
The
loader/grader pictured (right) with manual controls, was state of the
art in 1973.
The purpose built, laser guided grader (below), can
level a tennis court to tolerances of a few millimetres, using the
latest in computer technology. In the hands of an experienced operator
like Brian Smyth, with over 25 years experience building tennis courts,
it becomes a formidable construction tool.
Investing in a Tennis Court
The
Real Estate Experts seem to agree on one thing - Tennis Courts are a
great investment.
"If you have the choice between putting in a tennis court or a pool,
a tennis court is the better investment. "They're more versatile and
apart from playing tennis can be used for hockey practice, cricket,
football, and other games.
Christopher Koren of Koren Vickers - Willis: Melbourne Weekly - Real
Estate Guide
"Even if the tennis court is run down it will still add value to
property ..... In some cases swimming pools add very little value to a
house whereas a tennis court will always add value because of the land
factor. "
Alistair Craig of Richard Jellis: Melbourne Weekly - Real Estate
Guide
"The tennis court adds a huge component of value to property in
Portsea and Sorrento. The opportunity for healthy outdoor activity and
post tennis lunch parties is high on our client's agenda"
Jensen, Kay & Burton - Portsea
"What exactly does $1 million buy! A glamor property with a pool!
Maybe. But to secure a floodlit tennis court, which some agents say is
the most important element of a million-dollar-plus home, you'll need
to find significantly more . "
Elisabeth Tarica writing in the Sunday Age - Sunday Property
In addition to the financial benefits of a home tennis court, the most
important dividend most families enjoy is the opportunity for safe,
healthy recreation for themselves and their friends.
Getting Started
Choosing a
Contractor
Once you have decided
to build a court, your next step should be to seek advice from a
reputable, experienced contractor.
Make sure the
contractor can:
- Properly
advise you on the best siting for your court in relation to the living
areas of your house and the existing landscape features. At the time
of quoting, the contractor should also be able to provide you with
suggestions on landscaping your completed court. A well designed and
located court will integrate readily into your garden.
- Explain
what permits (if any) are necessary for your new tennis court and take
responsibility for obtaining those permits.
- Advise on
the advantages and disadvantages of each type of surface; synthetic
grass, synthetic acrylic or red porous.
- Provide a
written guarantee on his/her work.
If you are not
familiar with the contractor's work, ask for the names and addresses of
some previous clients in your neighbourhood.
Landscape
Planning
Each year I see many
examples of poorly designed tennis courts that detract from the rest of
the property.
A well
designed tennis court will integrate readily into your garden. Many of
my clients initially find it difficult to visualise the finished court
in their garden.
In these
circumstances, I normally suggest preparation of a landscape plan
showing the new tennis court together with adjacent landscape features.
The Low Price
Cycle
Each year
many court buyers and court builders get caught in the low price cycle.
The court builder is anxious to sell tennis courts and falls for the
trap of quoting at unrealistically low prices.
A well designed tennis court will integrate
readily into your garden.
The builder is then forced to take short cuts when building the court
and use the cheapest available materials.
Inevitably problems arise with the court and the contractor (if he/she
is still in business) cannot afford to properly rectify them thus
leaving a disgruntled client unwilling to recommend the builder to
friends.
The builder
unable to win further work from recommendation cuts prices (and quality)
further.
The
Purchasing Decision
Many people mistakenly make a
purchasing decision for their tennis court based purely on price, in
much the same way as they might shop around for a particular brand of
new car.
Because tennis
courts are not produced on a production line in a factory, the quality
of your new court will depend upon the skill and experience of your
court builder, the quality of materials used and to some extent the
price you are paying for your court to be built.
If your major
objective is a low priced tennis court it is unrealistic to also expect
a top quality finished product.
Earthworks
If the proposed site
for your tennis court is sloping, it will be necessary to cut and fill
the ground to obtain the optimum grade for your tennis court pavement
(this varies from .4% to 1% depending upon the type of court surface
chosen).
In years gone
by, the normal practice was to excavate the site and then allow the fill
to settle for a period of 3 to 12 months, Because natural settlement can
continue for 25 years or more, this practice often led to the court
owner facing expensive repair bills after completion of the tennis
court.
A more
sensible method is to compact the fill mechanically during excavation
works, This will involve the use of a vibrating sheepsfoot or smooth
drum roller (depending upon the type of material being compacted). It is
also important that the fill is compacted in layers -rolling only the
surface is NOT sufficient.
Today,
compacting equipment is so effective and the science of soil mechanics
so advanced that roads, freeways and even buildings are constructed on
compacted fill. A competent, experienced tennis court contractor will be
able to explain the steps necessary to provide a stable foundation for
your tennis court and will have no hesitation in guaranteeing his work.
Be especially
wary of any contractor who suggests that it is better that you arrange
earthworks separately. Under this arrangement you are the one who may
have to foot the bill for future repairs if the earthworks are not
prepared correctly.
Read more about earthworks in the
Code of Practice
 
A home tennis court provides year-round
enjoyment for children. A tennis Court can also be used for a multitude
of other ball sports.
Retaining Walls
Like earthworks,
retaining walls are an important structural element of your tennis
court. On the cut side of your site, a retaining wall will normally be
necessary to prevent water or soil washing onto the court surface from
above.
Railway sleeper walls offer dubious structural
integrity.
Retaining
walls can be constructed from a number of different materials, stone,
brick or even railway sleepers.
Stone is the
most popular medium because of its moderate cost and, if properly
constructed, attractive appearance. Brick retaining walls although
suited to some sites can be quite expensive.
Railway
sleeper walls are usually moderately priced but offer a limited life
span and often dubious structural integrity.
Whatever
retaining wall you choose, insist that is be built to an engineer's
specification
Stone retaining walls combine natural beauty
with strength.
A cheap
retaining wall that collapses onto your court will prove a very
expensive proposition in the long run.
Approvals Required
Planning Permits
In 1993 I met with the
Victoria Minister for Planning on behalf of the Tennis Court Builders'
Association of Australia. As a result of this meeting, the Minister
decided that the existing planning controls for tennis courts were too
complex and suggested that these controls should be replaced by a Code
of Practice.
In August
1996, after a lengthy period of drafting and discussion the "Code of
Practice - Private Tennis Court Development" was approved by the
Minister and signed into law.
Under the Code
of Practice, provided a proposed tennis court meets certain standards
regarding court location and extent of earthwork etc. and is not located
in an area affected by environmental overlay planning controls or an
urban conservation zone, it may be constructed without a planning
permit.
The Code of
Practice removes many of the frustrations and delays involved with the
old system of planning permits and encourages sensitive tennis court
design.
To Access the
Code of Practice
click here:
Building Permits
Amendments to the Victoria
Building Control Act in February 1997 mean that a standard tennis court
no longer requires a building permit.
Retaining
walls higher than 1.0 metre costing more than $5,000, still require a
permit as does non standard tennis court fencing (other than chain mesh
type) higher than 2,0 metres.
Your local
council no longer has a monopoly on the issuing of permits, today
building permits may also be issued by independent building surveyors.
Easements
If the Tennis Court encroaches
on an easement the approval of any statutory body with an interest in
the easement may also be required.
NOTE: Because regulations change from time to
time you can contact any of my offices for up to date information on
approval requirements.
The information detailed here applies only to Victoria.
Court Sizes
While the line marked
area of the tennis court does not vary, the fenced area may.
The most popular sizes are:
INTERNATIONAL COURT
36.5m x
18.2m
(120' x 60')
COMPETITION COURT
This is
the most popular size for home courts
33.0m x
16.4m
(108' x 54')
REGULATION COURT
30.5m x
15.2m
(100' x 50') |
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Court Surfaces
The most commonly used
surfaces are
synthetic grass,
red porous
& synthetic acrylic.
I will also deal briefly with
granitic sand,
asphalt & concrete
surfaces.
1. SYNTHETIC GRASS
Synthetic grass consists of a
polypropylene carpet filled with specially graded sand, which is
normally laid on a reinforced concrete base. The surface was first
installed in North America in 1913.
Since its
introduction to Australia under the brand name 'Omnicourt', this surface
has increased in popularity to a point where it is by far the most
popular tennis surface nationwide.
The reasons for this can be summarised as follows:
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Appearance - not unlike a natural grass court.
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Durability - a good quality synthetic grass court
will provide many years of trouble free use.
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Player comfort - the sand infill ensures that the
surface 'gives' slightly underfoot.
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Flexibility of use - synthetic grass can be used
for other sports, such as volleyball, basketball, netball, cricket,
football or even as a golf putting green.
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Synthetic grass is a low maintenance surface.
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The surface drains quickly after rain.
Most synthetic grass is manufactured in Australia
using yarn that is sourced from either Australia, Europe or the United
States of America.
My personal
favourite is "Polyloom" yarn manufactured in the United States. The
first synthetic grass courts installed in Australia in 1978 used 5700
denier 'Polyloom' yarn.
In 1983 'Polyloom'
developed a 10,000 denier yarn which has proved to be exceptionally
durable and remains in use in the 'Omnicourt' product to this day.
While 'Omnicourt'
may be a little more expensive initially, its exceptional durability
means a very low "annual cost".
European yarns
have a relatively short track record under Australian conditions.
Because synthetic grass is rarely used for tennis courts in Europe,
often European yarns have characteristics best suited for sports such as
hockey and soccer.
Some
Australian yarns have experienced problems with durability in the past
and I am sure the local manufacturers are working hard to improve their
product. However at this time, I would only recommend Australian yarn as
a cost saving measure.
The Omnicourt, Polyloom story
Read
more on
Omnicourt
In 1973, Canadian, Seymour Tomarin, invented the sand filled artificial
grass concept. He subsequently applied for patents on his invention and
established 'Omnisport International'.
Then as now,
he insisted that his carpet be manufactured from the world's finest yarn
- 'Polyloom'. The Polyloom Corporation invented polypropylene yarn and
remains the world's largest manufacturer of slit fibrillated yarn.
From his
manufacturing plant in Dalton, Georgia, Omnicourt was distributed to
many parts of the world. The earliest examples were installed in
Australia in 1981. many of these early 5700 denier court remain in use
to this day.
Today, the
Omnicourt synthetic grass product is manufactured in Dandenong,
Victoria, for distribution throughout Australasia, South East Asia and
North America.
The Polyloom
yarn used in Omnicourt's products is not available with any other brand
of synthetic grass.
Although a
multitude of imitators have since entered the marketplace, Omnisport can
still make a unique statement - a statement that is the envy of other
synthetic grass manufacturers:
"After
19 years of installing and manufacturing 'Omnicourt' in Australia, not
one Omnicourt surface has worn out or failed during the warranty period"
The Omnicourt/Polyloom
track record is unique. No product can match its performance under harsh
Australian U.V. radiation. Even in commercial and club installations
there are many examples of Omnicourt which have provided 15 years or
more of trouble free use.
Discover why
Omnicourt continues to outperform its imitators - Kevin McNamara will be
happy to arrange an inspection of a genuine 'Omnicourt' in your
neighbourhood.
Kevin McNamara
holds exclusive rights to install Omnicourt in Victoria.
2. RED POROUS
The red
porous surface consists of a crushed red brick surface laid over several
layers of porous crushed scoria.
First
developed around 1930, this surface has been a perennial favourite for
club play since.
The main
advantages of red porous are:
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The surface
drains quickly after rain.
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It is
comfortable to play on.
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Red porous
is relatively low in cost.
The main
disadvantages of a red porous court are that it requires regular
watering, quite a lot of maintenance and can be easily damaged by
incorrect footwear or even children riding bikes on the court. This
reduces its attraction to many home court buyers.
3. SYNTHETIC ACRYLIC
This is a
colourful surface normally laid on an asphalt base. The finished court
is similar in appearance to a painted surface.
Twenty four synthetic acrylic courts at the
Traralgon Tennis Centre
Synthetic
acrylic surfaces are a low maintenance and durable alternative that
continue to be a popular choice for school tennis and tournament play
courts.
Their
popularity as home courts has continued to decline since the
introduction of the synthetic grass surface.
The most
common complaint against the synthetic acrylic surface is that it is
'hard on the legs'.
Like the red
porous court the synthetic acrylic surface can be damaged by incorrect
footwear or activities such as bike riding.
Unlike red
porous or synthetic grass the acrylic surface can be rendered unplayable
by light rain or even a heavy dew.
GRANITIC SAND
(Granitic
gravel) like the red porous surface, this is a relatively low cost
surface, but because of its cream colour a granitic sand surface
presents some problems with surface glare and has a less attractive
appearance than a Red Porous surface.
Granitic sand
tennis courts often become unstable and "puggy" when wet, meaning the
court will be unplayable for long periods after rain.
ASPHALT & CONCRETE
These
surfaces should only be considered as a temporary playing surface prior
to conversion to synthetic acrylic or synthetic grass.
Asphalt pavements can be readily damaged by tree
root intrusion.
Asphalt has a
little more "give" than concrete and for this reason is often favoured
as a base for synthetic acrylic. Unfortunately asphalt suffers damage
from root intrusion if trees are growing close to the tennis court and
is more easily damaged by ground movement.
Concrete,
because of its inherent strength and stability is an ideal base for a
synthetic grass surface (synthetic grass provides adequate cushioning
within the surface itself).
Your synthetic
grass carpet is a long term investment and installing it on a second
rate base represents false economy. A properly designed reinforced
concrete slab will provide years of trouble free service.
Court Maintenance
Compared to swimming
pools or garden areas, all tennis courts are relatively low maintenance.
Leaves and
other organic matter should not be left lying on any surface for lengthy
periods.
Red porous
courts require extensive initial rolling, an adequate supply of water
(the surface should not be allowed to dry out during summer) and an
annual topdressing.
Many tennis
court contractors provide a regular maintenance service.
Floodlighting
BOX LIGHTS
The
introduction of the Code of Practice means that most tennis courts can
be floodlit without the need for a Planning Permit provided:
- The tennis
court is located at least three metres from an adjoining dwelling.
- The lights
installed meet the strictest standards regarding light spillage
outside the court and emission of glare.
Quite often
people assume that any of the so-called 'Box Lights' will automatically
satisfy the light spillage and glare requirements of the Code. This is
far from correct. The simple fact is that very few 'Box Lights' can
restrict spillage to 10 lux, three metres outside the court (as required
in the Code).
It disappoints
me that some contractors are installing floodlighting installations
using 'Box Lights" that not only provide mediocre on court illumination'
but also fail to meet the standards required under the 'Code of
Practice'.
In these
situations the problem is usually not discovered until well after the
tennis court is completed and a neighbour complains to the Council, The
Council may then order that the lights be switched off until the
installation can be made to comply with the necessary standards.
WHAT MAKES A GOOD LIGHTING INSTALLATION?
Metal halide "box lights" have become a favoured
lighting system for home courts
Apart from
controlling light spillage and glare a good lighting installation will
provide uniform light across the court, While the human eye can adapt to
low level of light it finds it very difficult to accurately trace a
small fast moving object (such as a tennis ball) through "hot" spots and
dark areas.
On court glare
must also be minimised and to this end I recommend a mounting height of
8.0 metres for your lights (the maximum height allowed under the Code of
Practice). At this mounting height a good quality lighting system will
provide excellent uniformity and minimal glare.
I would also
recommend that you use a 1000 watt light fitting and not a 1500 watt
fitting.
Because most
1500 watt fittings use a 1000 watt lamp that is 'overrun' by 50%, the
lamp life is drastically reduced. The higher operating temperatures and
greater U.V. emission tends to seriously affect the seals in the fitting
and the reliability of running gear (ballasts etc.), Because of the
higher output with a 1500 watt fitting, any problems with glare are
increased by 50% and even with an 8.0 metre mounting height, lighting
uniformity tends to be poor.
For all these
reasons I recommend a 1000 watt Box Light. A top quality fitting such as
"Spectra Ace" will provide excellent on court illumination and sharp
spill light cut off, with four light fittings.
Court Orientation
Most tennis players will tell you that the ideal orientation
for a tennis court is north/south.
Other people
(usually not tennis players) will assure you that a north/south
orientation means that you will never get the sun in your eyes.
While the
first statement is partly correct, the second is definitely not.
Because the
sun's path is constantly changing the ideal axis for a tennis court
actually varies according to the time of year, but it generally
approximates a true north/south alignment.
Even with this
orientation, a right handed player will experience some problems with
the sun in the morning from the southern end of the court. In the
afternoon a left handed player will have similar difficulty.
On an
east/west court, the roles are reversed, with right handers having most
difficulty in the afternoon and left handers in the morning.
While the
effect of the sun is somewhat greater on an east/west court, this can be
reduced by planning the court siting to take advantage of screening
provided by existing trees and buildings.
Often the
benefits of siting a court east/west (such as reduced excavation works)
far outweigh any other considerations.
Many courts
are used mainly under floodlights thus further lessening the problem. |
