Long Crendon Tennis Club loving Matchplay 2

Long Crendon Tennis Club, Bucks was founded in 1982 when a local farmer donated some land to the Parish Council, who in turn leased to the newly formed tennis club. Initially two porous macadam courts were constructed with flood lights being added in 1990.

Membership grew steadily and in the 1990s a junior coaching programme was inaugurated which now has over a hundred youngsters signed up.  In 2004 sufficient funds had been saved to resurface the courts but instead of replacing the macadam the club decided to lay Playrite Matchplay 2 synthetic grass carpet over the old macadam. 

This has proved to be a popular surface summer and winter because it is much less slippery than macadam, especially on frosty days.  The carpet lasted well under the wear and tear of league matches, social play and coaching but started to wear thin at the baselines in 2014 after 10 years use.

It has now been replaced in 2015 with a new Playrite Matchplay 2 carpet on a new foundation layer of crushed limestone and 65 mm macadam to provide enhanced drainage. 

Long Crendon Tennis Club also managed to obtain planning permission for a third court and this was constructed in 2007 with the same Playrite Matchplay 2 carpet.  It is a surface that is relatively easy for this small club to maintain, particularly since the courts are surrounded by lime and horse-chestnut trees that drop considerable amounts of leaf and twig litter on to the surface.  Bob Merry, Treasurer of Long Crendon Tennis Club “Overall, Playrite Matchplay 2, has been a popular tennis surface with our members for over 12 years of continued use”.