The Goal:

 

• To provide a competitive doubles league for women whose age is 55 years or older and

are located in Palm Beach County.

 

Seasons:

 

• There are two seasons offered each year. Fall and Spring

• Each season lasts 9 – 12 weeks.

 

Levels and Day of Play:

 

• Matches will be played on Monday mornings.

• Princess I, II, III and IV levels will be offered.

 

Palm Tennis reserves the right to move teams into competitive Divisions based on past performance

 

The Format:

 

• Matches will be played in the mornings. Golden Girls offers flexible start times of 9:30, 10:00,10:30 or 11:00 a.m. depending on the club requirements. The start times will be noted on the schedule. The latest start time a club may have is 11 a.m. A club that requires a later start time is welcome to join the league but will be required to play at their opponents’ club, if the opponents can provide courts at an earlier start time. Teams may agree to play at the facility that can provide an earlier start time. The safety provided by an earlier start time is the most important factor. Matches may be played at a later start time if both Captains agree.

 

• Matches should start promptly. If a player is more than 15 minutes late, the team must

forfeit that position. When teams are lacking players and must default positions, they

must begin by defaulting the lowest positions and moving remaining players up.

 

• Each team will field 3 partnerships on match day.

 

• All lineups must be prepared for exchange prior to the start of a match. Once

exchanged, a lineup may not be altered.

 

• Home team will provide 3 courts and 3 cans of balls.

 

   Water and ice must be provided. Teams are required to provide bottled water for all opposing players.  A water/ice dispenser with cups to carry onto court is acceptable. It is not sufficient to have a fountain from which to drink.

 

• Regulation scoring. Ad will be played.

 

• All matches will be 2 out of 3 sets with a 7 point tiebreaker (first to 7 points by 2) in any

set at 6–6. A match tie-breaker (first to 10 points by 2) will be played in lieu of a third set.

In both tie-breaks, the player who is next to serve, serves one point to the deuce court.

After the first point, the serve changes to the opponents who serve two points, first to the

ad court and then to the deuce. This rotation continues until a team reaches (7 by 2) or

(10 by 2). After 6 points, players switch sides.

 

• Warm-up is limited to 10 minutes, including practice serves. A 2-minute break (which includes coaching time) may be taken after the first set and a 10-minute break (which includes coaching time) may be taken after the second set. Otherwise, play must be continuous throughout the match as specified in USTA Rules.

 

Teams:

 

• Team rosters should have a minimum of 6 players. Rosters are unlimited.

 

• All players must be age 55 or turning 55 within the year.

 

• Final determination of level placement will be made by the League Directors and in

consultation with the Tennis Professional and Captain.

 

• Team movement from one division to another will be based on the most recent team

history as well as on the addition of new players and the loss of other players. The goal

is to match teams with comparable abilities within the same divisions.

 

• Players that are on the roster of a team that drops out of the league after the schedule

has been published will not be permitted to play on any other team for the remainder of

the season. Extenuating circumstances will be considered.

 

• A division consists of a minimum of four teams.

 

Participation in any Palm Tennis activities is governed by our Liability Waiver

 

Substitutes:

 

•A player may sub up to a higher division but not down. A player subbing down will not be

awarded any points for games/ matches won.

 

• All players and substitutes must be added to the roster prior to participating in a match.

When an ineligible player is found to have participated in a match, the offending team

will be penalized by forfeiting that line.

 

Scoring:

 

The K-Swiss Scoring System will be used.

 

•The winner of each court receives 14 points for a 2-set win and 12 points for a 3-set win.

The loser receives a point for each game won in their two highest scoring sets up to a

maximum of 8 points for each match played. Example #1 - match score 6-4, 6-2, winner

= 14 pts. & loser = 6 pts. Example #2 - match score 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, winner = 12 pts. &

loser = 8 pts

 

•In the event of a default, teams will receive 14 points for each line forfeited to them.

 

•Home Captains are required to enter the scores online at www.palmtennis.com no later

then 24 hours after the day of the scheduled match. Results and standings are published

at www.palmtennis.com.

 

Defaults:

• If a team has excessive defaults, the team may be suspended for the next season. Excessive defaults are when a team defaults all positions for a given match or averaging more than one default per match.

 

• A player who is added to the roster for the final match must have the league director’s

approval.

 

• Play-offs may be held at the end of the season depending on the number of teams

participating and the length of the season. No new players may be added to a roster

during the play-off period.

 

• In the event that the score of games is tied during a playoff match, the team with the

most court wins will be the team that advances or wins.

 

Coaching/Specators:

 

• Coaching is permitted during the breaks between sets. A 2-minute break (which includes coaching time) may be taken after the first set and a 10-minute break (which includes coaching time) may be taken after the second set. Otherwise, play must be continuous throughout the match as specified in USTA Rules.

 

•Spectators are welcome and may sit and view matches in the wells between the courts.

All spectators must be seated. Seats must be provided for all players. Players may ask

for a spectator/s to be removed if they are interfering with match play. No clapping or cheering please.

 

Rescheduled Matches and Inclement Weather:

 

•In the event of rain, the captains and players should make arrangements to complete

the match within two weeks. If the match has not begun, the lineups and/or players may

be changed. Once play has begun, then all four players on a court must continue THAT

match in THAT position. Rained out matches will be continued at the point of interruption

by the same four players. All players should keep a complete record of the score, server,

sequence of serve, side, etc. at the time of interruption. Each foursome will choose a day

convenient to all four as long as it is within two weeks. In the event that a foursome has

given the other team at least 2 days to choose from in the specified time frame and the

date still cannot be decided, both teams will be defaulted.

 

If the temperature is above 95 degrees or below 45 degrees at the court at match time

and both Captains agree, the match may be played. Once a match has begun it must be

completed except in the event of rain. If the match is not played due to the temperature,

the captains and players should make arrangements to complete the match.

 

•A match can only be rescheduled if it rains or there are extreme weather conditions

(heat/cold/potential hurricane).

 

• Rescheduled matches are to be made up within two weeks. Once a day for rescheduling has been set, it cannot be changed (unless it rains). The party that is unable to play on that day will retire that line.

 

 

• If the Final match is rained out, it must be completed within one week.

 

Additional Information:

 

Any player from an adjacent court whose ball rolls onto another court may call a let.

Continuous play is a must. Water may be consumed quickly between points but sitting down to rest at unscheduled times is not allowed. A player requiring rests between points and non-changeover games must retire the match. 90 seconds is allowed on changeovers.

 Medical time-outs are restricted to one time out per issue and can last no more than 15 minutes

  Foot faults are not seen as offering any significant advantage. If they are obviously flagrant and repetitive, call a line judge.

• Palm Tennis rules govern play. In cases not specifically covered by these rules, USTA

Rules govern play. Friend At Court and The Code.

 

• Palm Tennis reserves the right to make any rule modifications and/or other changes

during the course of the league whenever it deems such action necessary and proper.

 

• Palm Tennis reserves the right to ban any player, coach, spectator, or participant

from further participation for an indefinite time period due to any misconduct and/or

unsportsmanlike conduct.

 

• Pros/Captains are responsible for assuring that players are placed on teams appropriate

for their level.

 

•Current tennis teaching professionals and ranked players may not participate unless

approved by the League Directors.

 

• All grievances and protests are to be submitted in writing via email within 2 days of the

contested match to:orly@palmtennis.com.

 

Awards:

 

Awards will be given to the two teams in each division with the most points at the end of the

season.

 

Palm Tennis Management Group LLC reserves the right to exclude any player from participating in any associated team or league.