How To Prepare Courts For a Looming Hurricane or Tropical Storm

A detailed guide to preparing sport courts for a storm

Written by Rich Buerkle, COO, 10-S Tennis Supply

Storm-Prep-ImagesAs the 2017 Hurricane season moves in to full swing, take a moment to familiarize yourself with the best ways to storm-proof your sport courts.  For all properties, your sport courts or sporting facilities are an asset you want to protect.  The better you pre-plan when a bad storm is looming, the more likely you are to decrease the damage sustained and therefore minimize any expense incurred to get your facility back up to par.  Many of the tips shown here are very cost effective to enforce – it’s just a matter of taking the time to protect your investment before it’s too late.

As we’ve seen in year’s past, both tropical storms and hurricanes can pose a real threat in the southeastern coastal states especially, Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas.  Those threats include damage to all types of sport courts (tennis, bocce, shuffleboard, Pickleball, basketball, volleyball, etc.), their surrounding fencing, amenities and lighting.  It is recommended that you take the following steps to prepare for an impending storm.

Tips for Windscreens

  • Many of the most important storm preparedness tips surround the area of securing windscreens around your facility.  During heavy winds, windscreens can act almost as a sailboat sail, catching strong wind gusts and potentially damaging your fencing.  It is not uncommon for a windscreen to pull over a fence completely when bad winds are blowing through your area.  This is why this portion of storm preparation is often one of the most important for safeguarding your facility.
  • If your facility has windscreen be sure to order plenty of extra windscreen ty-raps, fastening rope and snaps before the storm season approaches.
  • As the storm makes it way towards your facility, remove, label and store your windscreen.
  • If it is not practical to remove your windscreen or you don’t have adequate storage, the following process will reduce stress on your fencing:
    • For 6-foot windscreens:
      • Cut the ty-raps along the bottom and sides of the windscreen.
      • Roll your windscreen to the top of the fence.
      • Fasten and secure with rope.
  • For 9-foot windscreens:
    • Cut the ty-raps along the top and bottom of the windscreen.
    • Roll your windscreen to the middle of the fence.
    • Fasten and secure with rope.

Tips for All Types of Sport Courts – these include Hard Courts (asphalt and/or concrete), Clay Courts & Synthetic Turf Courts

  • Remove all tennis and/or Pickleball nets.
  • Remove cabana awnings.
  • Remove all unsecured court benches, tables and chairs from cabanas or viewing areas and secure in a safe area.
  • Remove all court equipment from fences (liner brooms, squeegees, etc.).

Tips for Standard, Sprinkler Irrigated Courts

  • Roll the courts the day before the storm is expected to compact the Har-Tru as much as possible.  This will reduce the amount of material that is lost during the storm.
  • If high winds are expected, water the court before the storm to reduce the amount of material lost due to the wind.
  • If the irrigation system is on a timer, be sure to manually shut off the system so that it does not turn on during the storm.
  • Remember to turn the timer back on after the storm has passed.

Tips for FDC HydroCourt Subsurface Irrigated Clay Courts

  • Shut off water to the control boxes +/- 12 hours before the storm and open the drain pipe on the control boxes.  This will allow the system to fully drain and prepare the FDC HydroCourt to receive the torrential rains experienced with most hurricanes.
  • Remember to turn the water back on and close the drain pipe after the storm has passed – specifically after there is no longer any standing water on the court.

Please remember, 10-S Tennis Supply offers a full line of windscreen accessories to help get you through the hurricane season.  Visit us online at www.10-S.com for all of your sport court needs.  Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. is also available to help you get your sport facilities in top notch shape – regardless of the weather.  Visit us online to see more ways we can assist with making your facility even more desirable to new residents – www.Fast-Dry.com.

Article By Rich Buerkle

 

10-S Tennis Supply & Fast-Dry Courts
1400 NW 13th Avenue
Pompano Beach, FL 33069
800-247-3907
www.10-S.com

How to Install New Lines on a Clay Tennis Court

Installing new line tapes on a clay tennis court on your own can be a daunting task!

Will the lines be straight?  How will I know where to mark the court?  Will all the nails be even?

These are all good questions and concerns for anyone attempting to lay new lines.  However, 10-S Tennis Supply and Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. have you covered!  With a little preparation and know-how, you can make sure the job gets done right – with correctly and securely fastened line tapes!

  • Please be sure to take all the time necessary to properly measure and mark the court for the line tapes.
  • After you have measured out a line, use a nail to mark the spot.
  • Snap chalk lines on the surface to ensure your line tapes will be laid in a straight line from point to point.
  • Roll out the line tapes, securing the corners with nails as you go.
  • Fill in the remaining pre-punched holes with nails (use every hole available).  With the exception of the corners (or places where lines overlap), only hammer in the nails until ¼” remains above the surface.  This way, the nails will all be set into the ground with the same pressure when you roll the lines.
  • Take a roller and roll down the lines.  All of the nails will now be fully – and evenly – set into the ground.
  • Trim the excess ends of the line tapes so that every line and corner is crisp and straight.

For a full tutorial on how to install new line tapes,  check out this video showing you the proper methods and techniques!

If you are in the South Florida area and would like an estimate for professional installation of lines, or about building/resurfacing any court, please contact Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. toll-free at 800-432-2994!  If you would like to purchase line tapes, nails, or any other equipment from anywhere nationwide, call 10-S Tennis Supply toll-free at 800-247-3907 to get an estimate or to place an order!

8 Maintenance Tools Every Clay Court Facility Needs

We all know that clay court facilities – while worth the work – require a lot of maintenance to keep the courts in their best playing shape. And here at 10-S Tennis Supply, we often get asked the question of, “What tools do I need to maintain my clay court?”  Well, here are the top 8 clay court maintenance tools you might want to have on hand for your court or facility.

LUTE/SCARIFIER

The Lute is an incredible tool to have in your arsenal for court maintenance.  How better to break up hard-pan, scarify hard-to-reach areas, and spread new material?  We recommend the 30” Standard Lute/Scarifier.  This is our most popular Lute used by tennis maintenance professionals.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


30” Standard Lute/Scarifer – Product Code: VL1052

DRAG BROOM

The Drag Broom is another great tool for clay courts – especially sprinkler-irrigated courts – and helps your courts to have that “freshly groomed” look.  These brooms come in a hand model to be pulled manually, or in a tow model – which is an especially good option for multiple court facilities.  The 7’ Aluminum Drag Broom is our pick for this category!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7’ Aluminum Drag Broom Hand Model (Shown) – Product Code: SL2002
7’ Aluminum Drag Broom Tow Model – Product Code: SL1002

LINE BROOM

No maintenance routine would be complete without a Line Broom to clear stray clay off of the lines and ensure your courts are in top-shape and ready for play!  The 10-S Linesman fine bristle line sweeper is your easy-to-use tool for the task.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


10-S Linesman Fine Bristle Unit – Product Code: WL2004

LINE SCRUBBER

If your clay court lines have stubborn spots of hardened material that your Linesman can’t touch, you might need to have a scrubber on hand to clean off the lines.  The extra-stiff bristles on the Proline Line Scrubber can help you clear up those trouble spots and get you back on the court.

 

 

 

 

 

 


Proline Line Scrubber – Product Code: WL3002

 COURT RAKE

Court Rakes are a necessity for HydroCourts, to keep the courts groomed, in shape, and properly scarified.  However, on a sprinkler-irrigated Har-Tru court, a court rake can be a nice add-on, especially for the perimeters and un-played areas to keep algae from forming.  For this category, we recommend the Classic Court Rake, as well as the Gator Rake (Standard or HydroCourt Model).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Classic Court Rake – Product Code: VW2002
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gator Rake HydroCourt Model – Product Code: VG1000HY

AUSSIE CLEAN SWEEP

If you find your court accumulates a lot of debris, such as leaves or pine needles, the Aussie Clean Sweep could help you out!  This tool is pulled by hand, and with the 8’ length, can clean up your court in no time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aussie Clean Sweep 8’ – Product Code: SL9002

 SPREADER

When it comes time in every maintenance routine to add new clay material or calcium to the court, you might find yourself wanting to save time and add the clay from a spreader, rather than by hand.  This helps with even distribution of clay, and depending on the size that you prefer – these machines can hold multiple bags of material at once without reloading.  The 42” Gandy Spreader (show below) can be found in a hand or tow model.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

42” Gandy Spreader Hand Model – Product Code: TG1012

 ROLLER

Rollers are mostly utilized on Har-Tru sprinkler-irrigated courts to groom after new material is added, and also to tamp down lines.  They can be a nice addition on a HydroCourt, but are not as often needed or widely used on the sub-surface irrigated courts.  There are different kinds to suit your court or facility’s needs – ranging from fully powered stand-alone units, to tow-behind rollers, to a hand-roller for the 1 or 2 court home or facility.  One popular and recommended unit is the CourtPac 24” Roller (shown below).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CourtPac Roller 24” Model – Product Code: PL6024


Information about these or any other products can be found at 10-s.com, or by giving a call at 800-247-3907 to the friendly and capable staff at 10-S Tennis Supply!

 

If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now…Day 1 of 17

Blog Post Art - USPTA Advertorial - 10-S Tennis Supply - 5-19-14

10-S Tennis Supply recently published an educational article in the USPTA ADDvantage section of Tennis Industry Magazine. The title of the article was “If I Only Knew Then What I Know Now…USPTA Leaders Share Court Supply and Maintenance Wisdom with Under 30 Peers.”
As part of our research for this article, 10-S Tennis Supply asked 50+ experienced Tennis Directors to let us know the three things they wish they knew about tennis court supplies or tennis court maintenance before they became a Tennis Director. Many of their responses were included in the article. However, we did not have room for all of them and wanted to share the others with you.

So…we will post some additional thoughts over the next couple of weeks from different USPTA Tennis Directors wish they knew when they started out. Today we’ll hear from…

Will Hoag, Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale, FL

1. I wish I had more information regarding maintenance of subsurface irrigated Har-Tru courts and what was required, including:

a. Daily (rake, broom, Aussie Clean Sweep- what are the plus & minus to each)
b. Weekly (rolling lines, removing algae)
c. Monthly (adding material- should the court be wet or dry? How to handle each way
d. How often to use the court devil
e. How often the level of the water should be changed and why
f. Plusses & minuses to installation of subsurface irrigated Har-Tru courts vs. conventional sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru courts
g. A list of clubs that are well known for their superior maintenance of subsurface irrigated Har-Tru courts (Lost Tree, Boca West) and their contact information

2. How to budget and forecast for the maintenance of Har-Tru courts

a. what is involved besides court material (nets, trays, waste baskets, etc.)
b. keeping a log of each court ( record how much material is put down every time, record when the nets are changed, etc.) you will notice especially that not every court requires the same amount of material each. This is why the log is important

3. How to forecast court resurfacing – what to look for – differences between resurfacing subsurface irrigated Har-Tru courts & conventional sprinkler irrigated Har-Tru courts, when to resurface all weather courts

 

Will-Hoag---6-13-14About Will:

Will has been the Director of Tennis at Coral Ridge Country Club since 1973 and is a USPTA certified Master Professional.  Some of Will’s accomplishments include: 2002 USTPA National Professional of the year, Florida Division USPTA Professional of the Year in 1985, 1987, and 1990, National Past President of the USPTA, and Past President of the USPTA Florida Division.  Will has earned national and sectional singles and doubles rankings in both the USPTA and USTA.  He is currently a member on both Head and Nike’s advisory staffs.

Saving the Planet…One Tennis Facility at a Time

Hero - With LogosBy Stacy Montoya, Marketing Maven
Fast-Dry Courts & 10-S Tennis Supply

As time goes on, we hear more and more about ways we can help save the planet in all aspects of our lives…drive a hybrid car, recycle your garbage, eat organic/eat local.  But did you know you can also help in several ways around your tennis facility?  Statistics abound for ways people can reduce their impact on our environment, so why not try a few new things on your courts and make a step towards becoming a “Green Tennis Facility”.

TENNIS BALLS

Landfills accumulate 20,000 tons of used tennis balls each year.  If your club spends time and money reordering practice balls after only one use, that likely means those used, “flat” balls are going into the trash at your club or facility – then on to landfills.  To help reduce that impact, there are actually a handful of alternatives for you.

The first option is a new technology offered by Rebounces.  This company has created the “Green Tennis Machine” that restores the bounce to flat tennis balls.  The process is actually called “repressurizing” and is simple.  You drop your flat tennis balls into the Green Tennis Machine and set the machine for approximately 3 days.  After the process is complete, open the machine and reclaim your newly pressurized balls.  If you choose to purchase one of these machines for your facility, you can extend your ball life by 2 to 3 times – meaning your practice ball budget is greatly reduced.  You’ll give Mother Nature a little help, along with your budget – think of all you could do with that extra money saved!  To learn more, check out their site, www.Rebounces.com.

If you prefer to donate your old tennis balls, Project Green Ball may be an alternative.  They will take used tennis balls and grind them up to create safe flooring used for equestrian arenas and playgrounds.  This is a safer and dust-free alternative for these applications.  To learn more, check out their site ProjectGreenBall.com.

And one of the warmest and fuzziest options is to donate used tennis balls to your local animal shelter.  Many times these shelters are in need of donations, and a used tennis ball could help bring a little joy into their pooch’s lives.

CLAY TENNIS COURTS

FDC HydroCourt

Despite the unquestioned health benefits of clay court tennis, the water, material and maintenance requirements of traditional sprinkler irrigated clay courts have historically placed them out of reach for most court owners. The FDC HydroCourt changes the equation, so consider converting your conventional sprinkler irrigated clay court to a subsurface irrigated FDC HydroCourt.

The FDC HydroCourt is a “green” technology, developed to make clay court tennis an attainable and environmentally friendly option for all court owners. The FDC HydroCourt system greatly reduces the amount of water, material, rolling and time required to properly maintain a clay court. Clay court tennis is now a real alternative for almost any court owner.  Of all the leading sub-surface irrigation systems, the FDC Hydrocourt requires the least amount of aggregate fill material for construction in most instances. This results in less of an impact on our valuable natural resources and reduced utilization of heavy machinery needed to extract and transport such material.

Lower Water Usage

Many environmental experts believe the next great challenge facing our planet is water usage. The FDC HydroCourt subsurface irrigation system addresses this concern and utilizes up to 60% less water than sprinkler irrigated clay courts, making a clay court an environmentally friendly choice even in arid climates.

Lower Material Costs

The FDC HydroCourt system keeps the surface of the clay court continuously moist and free of blowing clay dust. This results in 50% less use of clay court material, an igneous metabasalt greenstone product found exclusively in the Appalachian Mountains. The FDC HydroCourt system also extends the life of your windscreens, as they are not continuously stained by a sprinkler system.

Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions & Labor Costs

Climate change is a hot button topic these days. Regardless of your individual beliefs on the topic, we can all agree that anything we can reasonably do to cut emissions is a good thing. Sprinkler irrigated clay courts require an extensive amount of power rolling, a process that requires significant labor time and the release of harmful greenhouse gasses. FDC HydroCourts require little rolling after the initial installation process.

ClayTech Court

ClayTech is a relatively new clay court surface that blends the sliding feature of Har-Tru courts with the easier, more cost-effective and environmentally safer maintenance features of a hard court.  A big selling feature of these courts is how easy they are to maintain and how little water they require.

ClayTech’s natural, clay top layer (Har-Tru) and synthetic, polypropylene membrane create an attractive, uniform, sliding court surface. Maintenance requires nothing more than a simple sweep, even after a season of not seeing play.  This reduces your carbon footprint since heavy gas or battery powered machinery such as rollers are not required to maintain these courts.  Another bonus for planet earth provided by the ClayTech court is that water consumption is considerably reduced because of the material facilitates water absorption and drainage. All you need to do is simply spritz the court for 3-5 minutes before play.  The clay-topped surface prevents holes and cracks and the polypropylene membrane contributes to a very long life. And since the perimeter lines are painted in place when the surface is installed, the lines easily last for two or three years.  That means the amount of court material ending up in a landfill is greatly reduced – no more disposing of hundreds of feet of lines!

COURT AMENITIES

Signage

Outpost Message Boards give you a green way to communicate with your members.  All Outpost models are made with environmental recycled plastic that will not rot splinter or crack.  You also reduce waste because they never need to be painted.  The Outpost Message Boards come in a variety of sizes and colors to match your facility’s needs.

Benches

There are a number of benches available made from recycled materials.  There is no stronger bench on the market than the Rock Island bench.  The “Rock” will provide you with unparalleled support and durability.  Each bench comes with a 50-year limited warranty against rot and termite damage. These benches are made from recycled plastic with no maintenance required – no painting, no rot or rust damage to attend to.

Another alternative in green benches is the classic elegance of the Malibu Bench.  This bench will enhance any seating area and its contoured design provides great support.  Each Malibu Bench also comes with a 50-year limited warranty against rot and termite damage. These benches are made from recycled plastic, as well, and there is no maintenance required to maintain their appearance and longevity.

A third example would be the Durawood Bench which is built-to-last from incredibly durable recycled plastic which has the appearance of lumber. These are perfect for tennis courts since they are designed to evenly distribute weight which prevents potentially destructive hard court indentations. They cannot rust, rot, split or warp.

Each type of bench above will be available a variety of colors to best match your existing court amenities, as well as varying sized, depending on the amount of space you have at your facility.

Trash Receptacles/Ball Recyclers

In keeping with today’s “green movement”, the Courtserve Trash Receptacle includes a special ball hole above the trash entrance to encourage tennis ball recycling. The Courtserve Trash Receptacle is an extremely functional addition to any tennis facility. The Courtserve Trash can functions very well at handling your facilities refuse, as it holds up to 40 gallons of trash. The balls roll into a separate compartment apart from the trash that can hold up to 50 tennis balls. And if using the Rebounces “Green Tennis Machine”, your teaching pros will find a steady supply of teaching balls to replenish their carts and baskets.

These are just a handful of the ways you can help your facility on its way to being more environmentally friendly.  This can also be a great selling feature for your members and future members.  When they find that you are taking additional steps to help our environment, they will understand that your facility truly cares about the impact you have on our planet and its resources.

To learn more about any of the products mentioned in this article, please contact 10-S Tennis Supply at 800-247-3907 or visit our website at 10-S.com.

A Before & After WOW! Using the 10-S Surface Master

Surface-Master-Before-&-After---Full-Size

Clay Courts – The Fast-Dry/Har-Tru Advantage

 Flamingo-Park-Clay-PhotoADVANTAGES ABOUND

-More comfortable play
-Easier on the eye
-Complements any landscape
-Reduces chance of injury
-Longer rallies
-Less fatigue
-Fast drying
-Cooler play
-Kinder to joints and back
-Environmentally friendly

 

The playing characteristics and health benefits of Har-Tru tennis courts make them the #1 choice for court owners.  Har-Tru courts promote the game for life, from early childhood into retirement.

In detail, here are some of the major reasons why Har-Tru courts are so popular:

Greater Health Benefits

Har-Tru granular surfaces act as a shock-absorbing cushion, allowing players to slide into their returns, preventing the joint jarring stops all too common on hard surfaces.  A recent study revealed that one out of every two tennis players is likely to suffer an injury during a six month period.  The study attributes injuries of the lower extremities, the back and the groin to two factors: court surface and shoes.  Unique tennis surfaces that permit sliding, as a Har-Tru tennis court does, result in 85% fewer injuries than hard surfaces.  Avid players find that Har-Tru courts allow them to play the game every day without soreness or pain.

Superior Playing Characteristics

Har-Tru courts, also known as clay courts, have several advantageous playing characteristics.  A Har-Tru court provides a consistently slower ball bounce than other surfaces, resulting in longer rallies, a greater variety of strokes and a more controlled game.  Playing tennis on a Har-Tru court requires the development of strategy and skill which promotes endurance and patience.  The rise of the European and South American players on the men’s and women’s professional tours has been largely attributed to learning the game on clay courts.  The United States Tennis Association is now encouraging its most promising players to train primarily on clay tennis courts by installing Har-Tru courts at all of its national training centers.

Fast-Drying, Cooler, Consistently Playable Surfaces

Har-Tru courts are ready for action in a matter of minutes after a rain shower. Water is absorbed through the surface and into the base.  The slope of the court then allows excess moisture to run off.  Since a Har-Tru court retains moisture and breathes during the hottest days of summer, the surface remains an average of 20% cooler than hard courts – a real advantage in Florida and the Sunbelt states. 

CHOOSING A MATERIAL

Clay-Court-Material-Options

Florida Blend Fast-Dry Material

Florida Blend Fast-Dry Material has been the preferred product for tennis court owners in Florida for over 20 years!  Florida Blend is made from the same green metabasalt rock as Har-Tru.  However, Florida Blend Fast-Dry has been specifically formulated to withstand the rigors of the Florida environment, including extensive rain, wind and year-round play.  Florida Blend Fast-Dry is designed to stay on your court longer, promoting superior playability day and night.  This is a great product for clay courts throughout the southeastern U.S.  Available in 50 lb., 80 lb. or bulk bags.

Har-Tru Court Material

Har-Tru is the most popular clay court surfacing material in the U.S.  Har-Tru is manufactured from an igneous metabasalt greenstone rock outside Charlottesville, Virginia.  The greenstone rock is crushed in to many particle sizes and blended with gypsum binder to create Har-Tru, the best tennis surface on the planet!  Har-Tru is designed for use on sprinkler-irrigated courts and is available in 50 lb., 80 lb. or bulk bags.  10-S Tennis Supply is the largest distributor of Har-Tru and can ship anywhere in the world.

HydroBlend Court Material

HydroBlend Court Material is specially formulated Har-Tru material that is used on subsurface irrigated Har-Tru courts (HydroCourts, HydroGrids and Cal-Cap) and is available in 50 lb., 80 lb. and bulk bags.

Coarse Blend Court Material

Coarse Blend Court Material is specially formulated Har-Tru material that is designed for use as a top dressing on subsurface irrigated courts (HydroCourts, HydroGrids and Cal-Cap) and is available in 80 lb. bags.

European Red

This rich red product leaves its mark in a way no other surface can. Not just on the clothes and the ball but in the heart of a tennis player.  Our European Red is ideal for top-dressing existing real clay courts and covering red ClayTech (synthetic turf with clay in-fill) courts. It has also been used as a cap on top of existing Har-Tru courts to seal off the green and leave the fiery red/orange finish on display. The product is produced from crushed bricks and is imported in 55 lb. bags.

American Red

Har-Tru’s American Red Clay is composed of red stone and brick dust combined in a time-tested formula to produce exceptional playability and a beautiful deep burgundy red.  While American Red Clay provides the rich color many people long for, it does so in a formula that behaves more like Har-Tru. This means simpler maintenance and very consistent playability.  American Red is formulated specifically for installation with HydroCourt sub-surface irrigation. American Red typically has a greater amount of loose top dressing than a green Har-Tru court and consequently plays a bit slower.

Northeast Red

Red material is more popular than ever and Northeast features high-quality Red Fast Dry or Red without binder.  A rich color infuses the stone, which ensures the color won’t drain away.  Provides the top-notch playability you expect from Northeast with a wonderful, deep red color gives your court a European flair.

WANT TO LEARN MORE?

We’re Here to Help!

Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. specializes in the construction, resurfacing and maintenance of Har-Tru (clay) tennis courts.  Founded in 1987, we provide professional, high quality tennis court construction services to court owners throughout Florida.  We are also the world’s largest builder of Har-Tru courts with our FDC HydroCourt subsurface irrigation system.

Fast-Dry Courts, Inc. provides its customers with a complete set of tennis court construction services, everything from initial design and consultation to new construction to resurfacing, repairs, lighting, and fencing. We also offer a complete line of tennis court supplies and accessories through our sister company, 10-S Tennis Supply (www.10-s.com). In short, we are here to support you for the life of your court.  Feel free to contact us with any questions you may have – 800-247-3907.