Quality tennis court lighting is an important addition for any serious sports facility. Providing players with quality lighting will allow them to utilize your facility year round in the evening hours of the day. Recreational tennis is most popular in the hours after work—the smart tennis club owner will take advantage and provide clients with the best conditions possible to have an enjoyable and consistent night tennis session. It is both convenient for the player and lucrative to a club owner to provide tennis courts with lights.
Acceptable Tennis Court Lighting Standards and Requirements
When implementing a lighting system there are a number of different requirements to be aware of. Recreational or home court requirements are, of course, not as rigorous as professional tournament standards. Aiming to achieve a balanced lighting system that at least approaches these standards is usually fine for a non-professional facility. The following requirements are referenced from the ATP tour tennis court lighting standards.
- Intensity – Evenly distributed with as minimum intensity of 70 foot-candles averaged by 14 different readings throughout the court.
- Uniformity – The high to low ratio of these readings should be no greater than 1×2.0 and the recommended is 1×1.5
- Light Mounting Fixtures – Should be evenly distributed to produce the desired effect. Light poles or other fixtures should be no lower than 40’ from the base of the court.
Tennis Court Lighting Specifications and Modifying Them to Your Local Laws and Regulations
Once you have attained the requirements for your facility, either the ATP guidelines or a sufficient subset, you must verify that these lighting standards comply with the local lighting rules. Facilities in residential areas should check with city officials that the height and intensity of the chosen lighting structures will not violate any laws or regulations.
Developing a Tennis Court Lighting Design for Your Facility
This is a checklist for developing your facilities tennis lighting plan. Make sure you have consulted professionals regarding all of these different necessities before beginning construction of the chosen lighting system.
- Tennis Court Light Poles – Make sure there is space on the court for lighting poles. These must be placed evenly, usually there are four on each side of the court, evenly distributed for the best uniform lighting. These poles will be at least 20’ high, but can be up to 60’ in some cases.
- Securing Light Poles and Foundation – The poles that you erect will need to pass safety standards. Consult the builder about wind safety requirements for whichever height the structures are placed at
- Lighting and Intensity – Consult a provider about the specific model of bulb to use for a tennis light. Depending on your facilities requirements, the amount of intensity may vary.
- Sharp Cut-Off – This refers to the design of the lighting enclosure. Look specifically for this type of design for minimal glare/blinding.
- Wiring and Available Voltage – Consult an electrician and engineer on the matters of wiring and power for your structures. The wiring will be underground for convenience and aesthetic reasons, but verify that your facility has sufficient means to power the specific intensity of the lights you plan to purchase.
- Number of Courts – Know the number of courts you need to have lit. Make sure to use an optimal design for courts that are next to each other in order to save on the overall cost.
Differences between Indoor and Outdoor Tennis Court Lighting
The majority of these design guidelines apply to an outdoor tennis court lighting system. For an indoor court, the process will be simplified because you likely already have access to fixtures for mounting and a readily accessible power solution. When considering an indoor tennis court lighting solution verify that there is a sufficient amount of power available for the number and intensity of lights needed. Light fixtures for indoor courts can either be hung from the ceiling in lamps, or they can be extended from a wall fixture. Choose the best design to achieve maximum stability and safety.