Club Etiquette

All players (members and visitors) are advised to read up on the club etiquette before playing.

Equipment Tips

Tennis Equipment Info

Rackets:
Length – Adult rackets are generally 27 inches
Weight – Heavier rackets have the potential to generate more power and are aimed at stronger / more advanced players. Lighter rackets are more manoeuvrable and more suitable for beginner / intermediate players.
Head Size – Larger head sizes are more forgiving but less accurate for advanced players
Grip size – can be found on the butt of the racket ranging from 0-4 (and above for people with very big hands!) A good starting point to see if you have the correct size is to see if the index finger of your non dominant hand fits snugly between your palm and fingers when you hold the racket with a forehand grip. Most people are playing with too small a grip size but you can make it bigger with overgrips (each overgrip is 1/4 of a grip size)

Further reading: https://www.tennis-warehouse.com/LC/SelectingRacquet.html

Strings:
Lots of variables when it comes to strings but broadly speaking there are 3 types of strings to consider for club players: Synthetic gut, polyester, multifilament
Synthetic Gut – Go to string for beginner intermediate players.
Polyester (or poly) – For more advanced players, low power but good durability and tension retention.
Multifilament – Best for comfort, a good option for anyone struggling with tennis elbow.

String tension:
Rackets will have a recommended tension range written on the frame. Lower tension equals more power but can lead to loss of control (shots flying out). Higher tension doesn’t necessarily mean more control, it’s about finding the sweet spot that works for you. Poly strings should be strung 10% lower than normal. Strings lose tension over time and should be replaced on average twice a year even if they don’t break. Grandstand Sports in Dun Laoghaire offer an excellent stringing service https://grandstandsports.ie/

Balls:
There are two types of balls to consider, pressurised (with the ring pull) and non-pressurised (no ring pull). Pressurised Balls – Offer more feel and control initially but don’t last very long before they lose air and bounce
Non-Pressurised Balls – Last much longer and recent advancements have given them better feel and control but still not as good as pressurised balls.

Shock Absorbers / Vibration Dampeners:
As the name suggests, reduces vibrations felt by the player but makes no difference objectively to performance (although the feeling a player gets when striking the ball can have an impact).

Members don’t often consider the options available to them when selecting equipment but it is always worthwhile speaking to the salesperson to get the right equipment to increase performance and avoid injury. All the info out there can be confusing but the best approach is to experiment with small changes over time.