With so much use, the courts have worn down. 

The club has been doing patch up glue jobs on its old courts for a few years but now the courts are set for renovation. 

A $56,530 grant was delivered by Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall on Friday to tear the old artificial grass on two courts and replace it with a new synthetic surface that is fit for professionals.

Glen Innes tennis club president Peter Haselwood was thrilled with the news. 

“This grant has come in the nick of time, it’s fortuitous, we really appreciate it and the work Adam has done to get it for us,” Haselwood said.

“We’re a small club with a small base and that means to save a bit takes ages and you can’t get big things done all the time, so we’re very appreciative of any grant we get, and this one will go a long way.”

There are 10 courts at the tennis club with two undergoing renovations four years ago.

“Adam helped us to get some money in 2014 to re-carpet two of our courts and now we’ve got more to do another two and that’s great,” Haselwood said. 

In 1994 the two courts were originall done with carpet cover but they are now starting to rip and tear. 

The funding will ensure they are re-done with synthetic grass. 

Haselwood said the courts passed their use-by date about five years ago.

“The ball bounces unpredictably and it’s reached the stage where competition tennis wasn’t very much fun,” he said.

Marshall said it’s an important facility in Glen Innes and it was important to give the club a boost. 

“There’s about 60 or 70 full playing members and 25 or so junior players, so it’s a complex that is really a part of the fabric of sport in Glen and keeping the playing conditions to a standard for good play is pretty important to all of them,” he said.

“But there’s a lot of social players too who like to use the courts, and visitors to town who want to have a hit up, so there’s players there most days of the week.

“The existing carpet on two courts is worn out after 24 years of constant use and due because of surface damage, including the deterioration of the markings on the general court, the club has been concerned about the overall safety of all players. 

“A number of players have complained that the court surface is now substandard and dangerous – but this project will resolve all those issues.”

Two coaches take clinics at the courts, there’s social tennis on Tuesdays while in summer there’s competitions three nights a week. 

In winter, competitions are played on Saturdays.