Royal Melbourne Tennis ClubHow the season works:
Each season runs for 7 weeks:
- Weeks 1–6: Each team plays the other three teams twice.
- Week 7: Finals — all four teams play to determine final rankings (1st vs. 2nd and 3rd vs. 4th).
Each week you’ll play two matches. The format depends on team size:
- 2 or 3-player teams: a mix of singles and doubles.
- 4-player teams: all doubles.
Boomerang Cup Style Pennant: The final season of the year usually adopts the Boomerang Cup format — 4 players per team, all doubles, wide handicap ranges (high handicap teams get to play low handicap teams), and a few unique Boomerang rules. It is fantastic preparation for our major tournament in January.
Each member of the finals-winning team receives a small trophy at the AGM and Awards Night — but even the 3rd/4th place playoff is a proper competitive workout.
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How to join:
Invitation emails for each grade go out 6–8 weeks before the season starts. Reply promptly — spots fill up.
You can either form your own team or let the Pros assign you based on your handicap. If you’re not sure which grade suits you, just ask them.
New to Pennant? Start as a fill-in
The easiest way to get a feel for Pennant is to volunteer as a substitute. Let the Pros know you’re available and they’ll call on you when someone pulls out. It’s a great way to meet people and get a feel before committing to a full season — particularly useful for Temporary Members.
Can’t make a week?
No problem. Let the Pros know at least 2 days in advance and they’ll find a substitute. Life happens — just give them enough notice to sort it out.
What happens on the night
Matches start from 7pm on Tuesday or Thursday evenings (juniors play Saturday or Sunday afternoons). Both courts run simultaneously, so all four teams play every week.
To keep the night moving, warm-ups should be limited to 3–4 minutes, and the next match should be ready to go as soon as the previous one finishes.
Supper — the “third half”
After play wraps up, all four teams come together for supper. The French call it “troisième mi-temps” — the third half — the vital social gathering after the game. It’s an important part of the evening and all players are expected to take part.
Each week, one team is responsible for providing supper. The format is flexible, but typically includes:
- During play: Light nibbles (cheese, biscuits...) served in the dedans
- After play: A shared meal. Teams can agree on the style, ranging from finger food and grazing platters to a sit-down meal.
The cost of supper is split equally between all players on the night. There is a communal bar tab for drinks — let the Pro Shop know if you’re not drinking so it can be noted.
If you can’t stay for supper, please let the Pro Shop know at least 2 days in advance so the catering team can plan accordingly.
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Teams can swap supper duties with another team if needed — just arrange it in advance and confirm with everyone. The club kitchen is fully equipped, with commercial dishwashers and glass washers, so clean-up is quick.
Submitting supper receipts
The team providing supper should submit their receipts to the accounts office by the end of that week (receipts submitted on the night are ideal).
Include the following on every receipt:
- Total amount
- Your name
- Date of the pennant
- Name of the pennant (e.g. “Tuesday Night D Grade Pennant”)
Method:
- Hard copy: Write on receipt, drop in Pro Shop letterbox (see photo)
- Soft copy: See pro forma word document below. Email here and attach scanned receipts (your smartphone works well at this).