FAQs

Can I join Bass River?

The Bass River Tennis Club has a membership freeze as of September 2021. We welcome anyone to fill out our member application and one of our staff will be in touch with you to discuss options. If your desired court times are available for booking, we’d be happy to call you our newest member. We do not wish to sell a membership to anyone, only to find we don’t have any open court times or programs available when you want to play.

Do I have to join to participate in programs?

You do not. There are a few programs that are open to members and non-member alike. Each program has a signup date and members do get first dibs, but if space permits, we welcome non-members in these specified programs.

Can I do a monthly membership instead of an annual membership?

Bass River does not offer a monthly membership. All memberships are annual with every membership starting on September 1st and expiring the last day of August the following year. If you join us on December 1st, we pro-rate out September - November and the membership you take will last through August 31st. We offer a monthly payment plan, but it is an annual membership with payments spread monthly.

Do you offer drop-in clinics?

No. To protect the integrity of each program, we do not allow people to drop-in for classes. The teaching staff needs to prepare for each class and knowing the head count and level of each participant is paramount.

Do you offer makeups for classes missed?

Bass River does not offer credits or refunds for class time missed. We price programs knowing life is busy and it’s likely an occasional class will be missed. The full series lesson fee is generally 10%-20% less than if classes were purchased individually. Our summer programs have an even larger discount.

How do I rent a court?

Members can reserve court time up to three days in advance. Reservations are made by calling the club, stopping at the desk, or our online booking software. A 24-hour cancellation is required to cancel a court without a charge. Please call the front desk to cancel. If the club can sell a late cancel court, no fee will be charged.

Do you have a ball machine for rental?

Bass River has two ball machines. Please identify that you want the ball machine when you reserve the court as some court banks do not have access to the machine. We do supply hoppers of balls and a remote control. All usage of the machine should stop at least 5 minutes prior to the end of court time so that the machine can be properly stowed and the area in front of the machine swept up. All balls are returned to the front desk. Bass River takes its cleanliness seriously.

What can I charge to my member account?

Bass River members may charge anything the club offers to their house account. This includes court time, lessons, Pro Shop, vending and clothing. The only exceptions are activities where the club is hosting but not running the event. USTA match play and ESSCO-MGH fundraiser are examples of those. A member is sent their previous month statement on the 1st. You have 7 days to review and bring any questions. The account balance is swept on the 8th with the credit card on file.

Can I cancel my membership?

Bass River will cancel the membership for a few specific reasons. First, if anyone should move or transfer out of the area, a refund of fully paid membership dues will be returned, or a monthly membership payment plan will cease to incur charges. A member who is laid up due to injury for illness for an extended period will receive credit for time lost. We require a physician note to freeze and will freeze from the date that note is received.

What programs and events do you offer and who can participate?

Bass River offerings can be broken down into three categories.

1) Member only activities – These include things like our Member Appreciation Day (MAD), Contract courts and Team participation, Pro-Am’s, Club Championships and more.

2) Member specific activities – These are for member subgroups. Activities like our Ladies Team Banquet, Men’s Woody Classic, Holiday week Junior and Ladies team camps and more.

3) Fundraiser events – Open to members and non-members (member priority) would include the ESSCO-MGH Breast Cancer Fundraiser, Sr. SaraAnn Tennis Tournament, Saturday Night Friendship Cup, Sunday night Mixed and more.

Adult-Specific FAQs

What are some options for adult members?
Bass River has a wide variety of adult programs. Some are instructional. Others are team based and competitive. We also run social events, contract play and of course random court time.

What do the different clinic level mean?
Our instructional classes cover a wide range from never played before up to an intermediate level of play. This key may be helpful…

Introduction to tennis – Never played. No instructional background
Level 1 – Little formal instruction. May or may not have ever played tennis
Level 2 – Has the basic stokes down. Can maintain a rally. Ready for singles and doubles basic strategy
Level 3 – Has the basic strokes mastered. Can maintain form. Developing consistency. USTA 2.5 equivalent
Level 4 – Most advanced class. Developing elements like pace, spin and placement. USTA 3.0 or higher.

Junior-Specific FAQs

Every junior in our clinic program must have a junior membership. The two main memberships are QuickStart and Full junior. QS is for all level 1 and 2 players. Full junior memberships are required for level 3 and 4 as well as our junior travel team. QS members may book court time and are full members of the club. This membership does not come with any free court time. Full junior members receive free court time with their membership (90 minutes per day max). There is no limit to the number of daily visits however, the court can only be reserved no more than 1 day in advance. Note: Bass River will not sell a Full junior membership to anyone not in our club program.

What is the drop/transfer policy for clinics?
Any drop or class transfer must be approved by the Junior Coordinator. Students who wish to withdraw from clinics after they have started may not receive a refund. If the club can replace with a waitlist player, and the program is not yet at the halfway point, a refund will be issued for the remaining time.

Can I take a junior membership without being in clinic or junior team?
Bass River will allow junior players who are not in programs to take a QuickStart membership. This will allow court reservations and private lesson instruction without guest fees.

Can I sign up my child for any level program?
We structure our programs based on level and age. We invite beginner players so sign up for our Level 1 classes. New players to Bass River with some tennis experience, need to be evaluated by our age coordinator to insure proper placement.

Can I request my child move up in level?
All level changes are done by age coordinators and decisions are made when appropriate. The staff is focused on everyone’s best interest and do not hold anyone back. Advancement to next level programming is based on our developmental curriculum to ensure proper technique and tactical advancement.

Pro Shop FAQs

Can I take demos off site?
We do not allow demo racquets to leave the facility. Frames should be available when members want them so they must stay on the property.

How do I purchase a new frame?
Each demo use is $3 per time. The demo fees accrued will be credited against the purchase of a new frame. Once you’ve decided on the racquet, the front desk can assist in the ordering of the frame. Larry Lebatique or any of the Pros are available to answer questions about racquet choice.

How long does it take for a racquet to be restrung?
Racquets are typically turned around within 3 business days. Faster turnaround times can be requested, but not always met. See Larry.