Bognor Lawn Tennis Club has five
all-weather hard courts, two of which are floodlit, and four grass
courts.
Membership
is open to all ages and abilities and the Club offers a range of
tennis
and social activities. Two
ladies'
and three
men's
teams compete in the Sussex County tennis leagues throughout the year.
The
Club Championships, which take place in the summer months
with a Finals' Day in July, give adult and junior members a further opportunity for
competitive play. Regular "Fun" Tournaments are organised for members
and guests throughout the year, and players from around the Southern Counties are invited
to take part in a
Ladies' Open Tournament
in August and a
Mixed Open Tournamentin September.
Our Club Coach, Len Cooper, offers individual
and group
coaching
to adults and juniors, members and non-members. Junior squad coaching takes
place on weekday afternoons, and there are a number of informal drop-in sessions
during the week. Len, who is a licensed LTA Club Coach, with an
additional PTR qualification (Instructor), also provides a racket stringing
service.
RUSTY RACQUETS COURSE
Want to start or return to tennis? Not played for ages? Need to brush up
your
tennis skills? Join our rusty racquets course!
The aim of the course is to encourage either absolute beginners or players
who have had some tennis experience to come along and improve their game in
a fun and friendly atmosphere. Who knows where it may lead!
Contact Club Coach Len Cooper.
Social events are held during the year,
including Bridge, Quiz and Skittles Evenings, Barbecues, an Outdoor Games Event
and a Christmas Dinner.
Open Days are
held at the beginning of the summer season in April, when the Club’s courts and other
facilities are open to members of the public. Visitors can play
with members and receive coaching tips. They can
also experience playing the intriguing, and
sometimes ruthless, game of
Croquet,
an activity that has rapidly grown in popularity.
During the summer season the grass courts are
open from 10.30am to dusk. Holiday makers and visitors to Bognor who would like
to experience playing on this unique court surface can come along to the Club
and pay a green fee, which will secure a half day play session.
In 2005 the Club celebrated
its centenary!
Our theme:
"Tennis Through the Decades"
Bognor Lawn Tennis Club was founded in the
1880’s on the site of a meadow by Church Path in Lyon Street, where St.
Mary’s School in Bognor Regis town centre is now situated. The Club allowed
visitors to use the four courts, which could be hired by the hour from a Mrs.
Cox, who would also provide equipment. In July 1887 an American visitor wrote
that the young men "swaggered about in shirts and white flannels or
knickerbockers, held up by a silk handkerchief round the waist, like a
bullfighter, and wore a rather jaunty little cap pulled down over one eye. The
girls wore woollen dresses or thin white muslin gowns."
In 1908 the Club was transferred to premises in the Upper Bognor Road, where
it remained until 1912. Meanwhile, Mr. Reginald Booker had formed the Nyewood
Tennis Club in Nyewood Lane and in 1912 the two Clubs amalgamated to form
Bognor Lawn Tennis Club. This Club had Sir Christopher Feesdale, an Aide de
Camp to Queen Victoria, as its President and Dr. Conway Locke as Treasurer.
Tennis at that time took place on four courts, and has been played at the
Nyewood Lane grounds ever since.
Historical evidence that the Club was
flourishing over 75 years ago is provided by the Honour's Board, which is
still on display at the Club. The earliest entries record that the Ladies'
Singles title of 1923 was won by Miss G. Armstrong, and the winner of the
Roper Cup (Men's Singles) in 1932 was Mr. G. I. Bayley.
As the Club expanded four further grass courts were added to make a total of
eight courts and for many years the grounds were renowned as the venue for the
West Sussex Championships. In the early 1970's three macadam hard courts were
laid adjacent to the grass courts, and by the end of the decade a separate
block of two hard courts had been added. Several years later these two courts
were equipped with floodlights. In 1983 an area the size of four grass courts
was relinquished to allow the building of an Indoor Bowls facility. The Club
currently maintains nine tennis courts, along with two pavilions, and has in
the region of 100 adult members.
