Hamilton Lawn Tennis Club
Hamilton Lawn Tennis Club (HLTC) is a tennis club located at Blackswell Lane in Hamilton, South Lanarkshire, Scotland. The club has 4 artificial, all weather courts and has recently invested almost a quarter of a million pounds in a large modern clubhouse, new car parking facilities, landscaping and improved floodlighting. The Club has a mixture of all ages and abilities.
Formation
The actual formation of the club goes back a long way. On 26 March 1884, a meeting of gentlemen who were for the formation of the lawn tennis club was held in a Hamilton hotel. HLTC was the third lawn tennis club to be formed in Scotland, and was formed seven years after the world-famous All England Lawn Tennis Club in Wimbledon was formed.[1]
Location of club
A sub-committee was elected in the year of HLTC's formation, before a site for the club was found. Various different fields and premises were explored by the sub-committee, who eventually decided to rent out fields in Auchincampbell. They were to play there for a year before moving again due to high rental costs.[1]
HLTC re-located to a site in Hutton Bank, Hamilton, where two ash courts were created, the weather back then having a major influence on the change from lawn to ash. On 30 March 1885, the club were admitted into the West of Scotland Tennis Association. A year later, a clubhouse was built and two further courts were constructed. The Duke of Hamilton was known to be the president of the club in 1898.[1]
Death and Re-birth
HLTC went into liquidation in 1902 as some of the premises were lost due to road construction, but immediately afterwards the club was reborn in premises at Blackswell Lane. A new company known as Ballantyne & Jackson constructed new courts for just £2, and paid extra for working order of the courts and nets. It is known that in 1922, the new courts were purchased by the Duke of Hamilton. During World War II, the courts were closed and covered over to give working war troops a dancefloor for leisure time.[1]
The club today
As of 2013, the HLTC has 4 artificial grass courts, and a set of free floodlights. There is no joining fee for any new members of the club, and the club is open to new members irrespective of age and ability. The club is based approximately 100 metres from the Regent Shopping Centre in the town centre. The club is run by volunteer members for members. All money generated at the club goes back into facilities as well as ensuring that fees remain affordable and that floodlights and tennis balls are provided free of charge.
Club successes
The club has won the junior calcutta cup on a number of occasions in recent years, and won the senior calcutta cup in 2011. The Men's first team plays in division 1 in the west of Scotland leagues, and players from the club regularly win tournaments around the Glasgow area. The club also started its own annual tournament in 2013.
There is also an extensive coaching programme for juniors and adults catering for beginners and advanced players. The coaching programme is run by head coach Ian Cannon supported by assistant coaches Stuart Annetts, Euan Clarke and Murray Whitelaw.
References
- 1 2 3 4 "Hamilton Lawn Tennis Club History". Retrieved 2012-08-09.
External links
Coordinates: 55°46′31.5″N 4°01′47″W / 55.775417°N 4.02972°W