1- BRUSH AND LINE AFTER PLAY - EVERY TIME - WITHOUT FAIL
Just like any other clay court , you should always brush the court and clean the lines after playing. This is common courtesy and is expected across the world. Leave the court ready for the next players.
In addition to being an excellent way to warm down, it is vital to brush your court as you want to keep the level of the material even with your lines.
Once you water the court before playing, the water will “lock in” the level of material. So, if the court is not swept, the surface will become uneven and lead to a poor playing surface. Ultimately a lack of simple regular maintenance will damage the lines and unevenly wear the turf below.
2 players can brush and line a court in 3 minutes. 4 players can do the whole court quicker.
There is no excuse for not brushing after play tennis. If you are able to play, you are able to brush the court when finished.
Brushing before playing sounds like a good idea - but it is better to build a habit of brushing afterwards. Why? Because if you don’t brush after playing and it rains, the rain will drain unevenly and move more material. It will also “lock in” that uneven level and lead to a lesser playing experience.
Common courtesy tells us to leave things the way you found them. Nobody wants to get on a court that looks bad and plays poorly because the previous group didn’t brush the court when they were finished.
2- FOR COURTS WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC - CLUB COURTS / TRAINING COURTS
The more hours a court is used, the more it will need to be maintained. If you are running clinics with multiple players, it may be necessary to stop and brush the surface during a break in the action.
Your clinic players can easily pick up balls and brush the court at the same time.
Keep in mind that the courts you see on TV at Roland Garros are brushed and lined during changeovers while the commercials are playing.... You don’t need to do it that often, but once an hour or so on a heavy traffic day will suffice.
If the surface gets bumpy, push your lute teeth down across the surface. There is no need to apply much pressure - you can let the weight of the rake do the work. Be careful around the lines and nails as you do not want to pull on them.
If you come across a nail that is loose or raised, take the nail out and slip a small
toothpick in the hole before returning the nail. Tap it lightly with a hammer until it is firmly in place. It is your responsibility to regularly inspect your court and notify us if you need some
assistance.
**** If you do not properly care for your court, you will invalidate your CaliClay 10 year warranty. CaliClay also assumes no responsibility for injuries due to lack of court maintenance.