We play doubles games at all club sessions. This can take the form of men’s, women’s and mixed or any combination of those. We operate a pegboard system for selecting who will play in the next available game. This helps to ensure a healthy mix of games throughout the night.
Every member of the club has a peg with their name on. If you are visiting, you will be assigned a “Visitor peg”. When you arrive for the session, you need to find your peg and place it at the back of the queue of members waiting for the next available court. When a court is free, the person at the front of the queue selects three other members they wish to play a game with. They then move the 4 pegs onto the free court bay on the board that corresponds with the numbered courts in the hall. The player picking the game, also chooses who will partner who in that doubles game. The next player in the queue who wasn’t selected then moves to the front of the queue and will pick the next game when another court becomes available. When players finish a game, they must move their pegs from the court bay on the board to the back of the queue of players waiting. The pair who won the game are placed before the pair who lost with whoever picked the previous game in 2nd or 4th place so they don’t pick the next game again.
When used correctly, the pegboard system allows everyone to get a chance to pick a game they would like to play. Please always remember to put your pegs on the correct court before starting a game. When picking games, try to mix in with players you haven’t had a game with yet on that session. Also, try to pick a balanced ability game. For example, don’t pick 3 of the best players in the club and a beginner. However, 2 stronger players and 2 beginners is fine. This way the game will be more fun for everyone. Please ask one of the coaches for help picking a game if you are not sure what a balanced game will be. If you are not happy about the games you are getting picked for, please speak to one of the coaches and we will try to help to mix and ensure balanced fair games are selected.
If there are only 2 or 3 players waiting and there is a free court available, then you may play a singles game if you wish. This is only likely to occur on the Sunday sessions when we usually have all 5 courts in the hall booked.
If you wish to sit out or take a rest for a while during a session, please ensure to return your peg to the top storage area of the board to avoid being accidentally selected by the next player picking a game.