David's Best Tips:

• Planning permission may not be required for building a grass court in your back yard.
• Allthough the stipulated area for a tennis court is 120 feet by 60 feet, 110 by 55 is adequate for most people and can shave thousands off the cost.
• Putting fencing only around the backs of the court saves money and is visually less intrusive.
• Cutting the corners off at 45 degrees doesn't effect play but instead is visually more pleasing and it also trickles the balls to the centre of the court behind the baseline.

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Wimbledon is only played on for the two weeks ... the centre court is only played for the two weeks of the championship, plus the Sunday before the start on the Monday where they have a four to test out the speed of the court. According to the speed of the court so they instruct the person the cutting the grass, "Cut it a little bit shorter"..."Let it grow a little more". That affects the speed of the ball - and the bounce of the ball. And so have they have this little test. For years and years dear old Dan Mascall used to one of those people who tested the court at Wimbledon and his judgement was fantastic. He was a good player in his time. And he understood and loved the game. So he loved grass because there's nothing better than going on to a grass surface that's been prepared a whole year and then tested out just one, cause it is worthy of the champion the year before. He gets on the very first match.

So he would get on there and play a few games and see how the bounce was coming through.

Yeah. They used to have a four. The four would go out and play on it and they would talk about it. All people who had played the game to a fairly good standard. And they were the testers. Their judgement was relayed back to the head grounds man who made the final cut etc.

That's not a bad way to earn a living is it?

Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

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