Q3: Why Thames Ditton?

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So you decided to join a tennis club. But why Thames Ditton? What was it about the Club that appealed to you, before you joined?

The Club was situated near my home.

• Closeness to home.
• It was one minute's walk away!
• Locality—I live 10 mins walk, two mins drive. Well known. I assumed lots of options re. lessons etc.
• I could walk home.
• TD was the closest. Thought I'd try it for a year!
• Local.
• It is so close to home and I like the grass courts too.
• Friends that are members and how easy it is to get there. I like the grass courts and events for juniors. Thames Ditton is my local club.
• Close location, grass and hard courts.
• TDLTC was the nearest club! Grass courts were also a factor in not looking at possible alternatives.
• It was the nearest tennis club to my house.
• Because I live in Thames Ditton!
• Closest to home
• We wanted the most local club not just for convenience, but for social reasons.

The grass courts

• Local and the grass courts appealed.
• Grass courts.
• Grass courts.
• Grass courts.
• Good grass courts.
• Grass looked nice, near to my house and had just moved to TD.

Fewer grass courts

• TDLTC needs to keep some grass courts as that is its peculiar appeal, but no more than needed. The LTA's Play Tennis/Sport for All initiatives depend upon all-year round facilities. A move in that direction would get more people playing seriously, particularly younger players who don't want grass.

Recommendation of a friend

• Recommended by friends
• Recommended by a friend; affordability; grass; friendliness; 'played in' by club coach.

I had friends there.

• Knew people there already.
• It was local and my nephew who resided with me at the time played tennis there.
• Simply through knowing people there. Didn't look at other clubs. Not sure the grass was particularly appealing.

The short tennis court

• It appeared to me to be a good club for my kids to join at some point, as it has a kids' tennis court on the back. I liked the summer house which I realised soon is not in use at all!

It was a vibrant club.

• In 1980 it was a busy thriving club with a friendly feel and great competition for courts and places on teams.
• It was local. It was 1986. The sun shone. The grass courts were full. There were people waiting to play. Although the pavilion was fairly ramshackled, the place had an air of class and permanence and continuity and some style—a club worth belonging to.

The Coaches

• The coaches (Cathy and Steve).

Multiple factors

• I loved the grass, friendliness of members, social scene, bar. Also there was a good and very fair structure in place with regards to full playing and intermediate members (i.e. the board system).
• It seemed a friendly club, it had an open day and it offered some free coaching.
• A reasonable number of courts, a reasonable standard of tennis and a club which was not dominated by the requirements of team players.
• Grass and friendliness also no nearer club
• Knew people there already. Grass courts, bigger than previous club, friendly.

The friendliness of the Club's members

• I looked in the local phone book, found TDLTC and came to be played in by friendly people, who welcomed me. I think joining as an Intermediate, going to coaching and meeting other new members restored my faith in tennis clubs.
• I first joined Surbiton club in 1982 and was completely ignored. I got no tennis, so in 1983 the next club I looked at was TD. I was very impressed with the grass and was made very welcome and put straight into the first team. TDLTC offered everything I wanted from a club: good tennis, good courts, great people to play with and friendly members. It is why I love the club.