Welcome to the Netherlands! If you’re a newcomer like me and love tennis, or even if you’re looking to pick up a racket for the first time, you’re in luck. Tennis is popular here, and there are plenty of ways to play. However, figuring out the local tennis scene can be a bit of a puzzle when you’re new.

When I moved here in 2022, one of the very first things I bought was a new tennis racket – even before I found a permanent apartment! I was eager to play, but I quickly realized I had a lot to learn about how tennis works in the Netherlands. I spent time hitting against a wall, researching clubs, and slowly finding my way. This blog post is my way of sharing what I’ve learned to help you get on the court faster and with less guesswork.

Dutch Tennis Clubs

This was a big one for me. Back in my home country, we didn’t really have “tennis clubs” in the same way. You’d just rent a court by the hour. In the Netherlands, tennis clubs are a huge part of the scene.

What’s a Tennis Club? Think of it as a community. You pay a yearly membership fee, and that usually gives you:

  • Court Access: Play on the club’s courts for free whenever they’re available. Peak hours can be busy, though.
  • Club Events: Most clubs have fun social events like “toss” evenings (more on that later!), ladder competitions, and small club tournaments.
  • Coaching: Clubs usually have coaches, and lessons can be cheaper if you’re a member because you’re not paying extra to rent the court.
  • A Tennis Community: You become part of a group of people who love tennis.

While there are some places where you can just book a court by the hour, joining a club is often the best and most cost-effective way to play regularly.

It’s good to know that club memberships are typically for the full calendar year. So, when you register, you become a member until the end of that year, and it usually gets automatically renewed for the next year if you don’t cancel it in time. This means you generally can’t be a member for just the summer months, for example.

Finding and Joining a Club

Search online or on Google Maps for clubs in your area. The good news is there are clubs everywhere – big cities, small towns, even villages! In Amsterdam, you can usually find a club within a 30-40 minute commute.

Most clubs have websites (often in Dutch). Look for info on:

  • Membership: Are they accepting new members? Popular city-center clubs might have waiting lists.
  • Fees: How much does it cost per year?
  • How to Join: Usually, you fill out an online form and transfer the membership fee to their bank account (IBAN).
  • Types of Membership:
    • Full/Adult Membership: The standard option with all benefits.
    • Junior/Senior Memberships: Often cheaper for younger or older players.
    • Off-Peak Membership: Some clubs offer cheaper rates if you only play during less busy times, like weekdays before 5 PM.

Bardienst (Bar Duty)

Many Dutch tennis clubs have a bar or café run by the members themselves. This means you’ll likely be scheduled for “bardienst” (bar duty) a few times a year (usually 2-3 times, for 3-4 hours each shift).

  • Is it mandatory? Usually, yes, to get full club benefits.
  • What’s it like? It can actually be a fun way to meet other members and serve drinks or snacks.
  • Can I skip it? Most clubs let you pay a fee (around €30 per duty) if you can’t or don’t want to do it.

Types of Courts

You’ll mostly find clay courts (often called “gravel” in Dutch) or smash courts (a type of artificial clay). Some clubs also have artificial grass, and less commonly, hard courts or indoor carpet courts.

Finding Hitting Partners

Okay, you’ve joined a club (or are thinking about it), but who will you play with?

  • Online: Websites like the Global Tennis Network have pages for Dutch cities where people post looking for partners. I found a couple of my regular hitting buddies this way.
  • Your Network: Ask around, colleagues at work, fellow students, or friends might play or know someone who does. Use your company’s Slack or a student WhatsApp group.
  • At the Club: Visit clubs, watch people play, and if you see someone around your level, don’t be shy to ask if they’re open to a game.
  • Club Activities: “Toss” evenings and ladder competitions (see below) are fantastic for meeting new players.
  • Be Open: I’ve even had people stop me on the street when they saw my racket sticking out of my bag and ask to play. We became doubles partners and played tournaments together.

Finding a Coach

Want to improve and sharpen your skills?

  • Club Coaches: If you’re a member of a club, definitely ask them first about lessons or if they know coaches who teach there. This is often cheaper because you won’t need to pay extra for court rental – just the coach’s fee.
  • Ask Around: Chat with your tennis friends or hitting partners. They might have had good experiences with a coach and can give you a recommendation.
  • Online Search: Some coaches have their own websites with contact details. You can even reach out to people in the tennis community (like me, if you need a suggestion!).
  • Private or Group: You can usually choose between one-on-one lessons or cheaper group sessions.
  • Cost: Expect to pay around €50-€60 per hour for the coach’s time, plus court fees if applicable.

Club Activities & Official Competitions

This is where the Dutch tennis scene really shines.

Club-Level Events

  • “Toss” Events: These are super popular. Usually, one evening a week, members just show up, have a coffee or beer, and get randomly paired up (“tossed”) for fun singles or doubles matches. It’s very social and a great way to meet people.
  • Ladder Competitions: A bit more serious than toss, but still unofficial (so it doesn’t affect your official rating). You join a ladder in your club, challenge people around your rank, and try to climb up. You usually schedule matches with your opponent when it suits you both. You can often choose how many matches you want to play (e.g., one every two weeks, or more if you’re keen!).

Official KNLTB Events (Tournaments & Competition)

The KNLTB is the Royal Dutch Lawn Tennis Association. Playing in their official events can affect your national tennis rating.

Tournaments

  • How to Join: You’ll need to be a club member or buy a KNLTB tournament pass (€25 per year).
  • Finding Them: Check the KNLTB tournaments website . You can filter by location, level, singles/doubles, etc.
  • When: Mostly April to August, peaking in May and June, but there are tournaments year-round.
  • Format: Often week-long (e.g., Saturday to the following Sunday) knockout events. Sometimes there are one-day tournaments. If there aren’t many players in your category, it might be a round-robin (everyone plays each other).

Competitie (League Competition)

  • Team-Based: You need to be part of a club and join or form a team (men’s, women’s, or mixed).
  • How it Works: Your team plays against other teams, usually on a set day each week for a season. There are different formats (e.g., a certain number of singles and doubles matches per team encounter). There’s typically a spring competition (around March-May) and a fall competition (around September-October). Since it’s team-based, you can try to find a team looking for players, and many teams also need substitutes now and then.
  • Your Rating: Only the matches you personally play will affect your KNLTB rating, not your team’s overall win or loss for the day.

Your KNLTB Rating

When you join the KNLTB (either through a club or a tournament pass), you’ll be asked to self-rate yourself.

  • The Scale: It’s from 1 (pro level) to 10 (complete beginner). This is the opposite of the US system, so a lower number is better.
  • Starting Point: If you’ve played matches and are comfortable with strokes and serving, you might start at an 8.
  • How it Changes: Winning official tournament or competition matches, especially against someone with a better (lower number) rating, will improve your rating (make your number smaller). Losing, especially to someone with a worse (higher number) rating, will make your rating worse (make your number bigger).
  • Doubles: Your doubles rating is separate and works similarly, based on the average rating of your team versus your opponents.

I started at an 8 for both singles and doubles and have bounced between 9 and 7 as I’ve played more.

TV Linnaeushof club in Amsterdam

How Much Does It All Cost?

There are universal costs that you pay when you play tennis anywhere (rackets, shoes, balls). But here are some Netherlands-specific ones:

  • Club Membership: Roughly €100 to €300+ per year, depending on the club’s location and facilities. Amsterdam city center clubs tend to be pricier.
  • Coaching: Around €50-€60 per hour for the coach, plus court fees if you’re not taking lessons at your own club.
  • Tournament/Competition Fees: Usually around €15 to enter a tournament. Competition fees are often paid as a team and might be around €10 per player per season.
  • Court Rental (if not a member):
    • Outdoor (Summer): Around €20+ per hour in areas like Amsterdam.
    • Indoor (Winter): Much more expensive, as courts are limited. Expect €40-€50+ per hour, especially at peak times.
  • Bar Duty Buy-Out: If you opt out of your “bardienst,” it’s usually around €30 per shift. So, if you have three shifts, that’s an extra €90.

The Tennis Season

You can pretty much play tennis all year round if you don’t mind the cost of indoor courts in winter.

  • Outdoor Season: Generally from mid-March to mid-November (about 8 months). Yes, it rains, and yes, it can be windy. But I’ve found that most of the time, the weather is fine for playing. Light rain is often playable, especially on artificial surfaces. Serious wind that truly ruins a game is rare, maybe 10% of the time in my experience. July and August can get hot in the middle of the day.
  • Indoor Season: Mid-November to mid-March. You’ll need to find and book indoor courts for December, January, and February. Although they can be expensive, you can find indoor courts in winter. It’s often easier and cheaper if you’re lucky enough to be available to play during off-peak hours. I’ve personally played at about 5 different indoor facilities around Amsterdam and one in Haarlem.

Getting Your Tennis Gear

If you’re new to tennis or just setting up in the Netherlands, you’ll need some gear:

  • Tennis Racket: Obvious, but important.
  • Proper Tennis Shoes: Don’t play in running shoes. Tennis shoes are designed for side-to-side movements and will help prevent injuries.
  • Tennis Balls: You’ll need to buy cans of balls regularly.
  • Racket Restringing: If you play often, your strings will eventually break or lose tension.
  • Tennis Clothes: Comfortable sportswear.

Where to Buy

I do most of my tennis-specific shopping online. Some websites I’ve used and can recommend include tennispro.nl , tennis-point.nl , tennisdirect.nl , tenniswarehouse-europe.com , kctennis.nl , and tennis-voordeel.nl .

Tennis equipment can get expensive, but here are a few tips:

  • Look for Discounts: Online stores often have sales, especially around Black Friday, Christmas, or during Grand Slam tournaments.
  • Buy in Bulk: For items you use frequently like tennis balls, racket strings, or overgrips, buying larger packs (e.g., 12 cans of balls, a pack of 60 overgrips) is usually cheaper in the long run.
  • Test Rackets Before Buying: If you’re unsure about a new racket model, many online shops offer a racket testing service. For a small fee (around €10-€15), they’ll send you a test racket to try for a week or two. This is much cheaper than buying a €200-€300 racket you might not like! You can try a few different models this way before committing.

A Few Things to Know

Based on my experience, here are a couple of common practices you’ll see on and off the court:

  • Sweeping the Court: This isn’t unique to the Netherlands but is very common due to the many clay and smash courts. After you finish playing (a practice session or a match), you need to sweep the court with the large brooms provided. This keeps it in good condition for the next players. In an official match, you’ll sweep your half, and your opponent will sweep theirs.
  • Post-Match Socializing: Dutch tennis community is generally quite social. It’s common for the winning player or team in a tournament event to offer their opponent(s) a drink at the club bar after the match. Many people will hang around and chat for a bit. Competition is even more of a social event. The home team usually provides snacks and will buy drinks (coffee, tea, etc.) for the visiting team. Before, between, and especially after all the matches are done, both teams will often sit together, have refreshments, and chat about tennis and life in general.

Playing tennis in the Netherlands has been a fantastic experience for me. It’s a great way to stay active, meet new people, and feel more connected to local life. While it might seem a bit different at first, the system is well-organized, and there are tons of opportunities to play at every level.

I hope this guide helps you navigate the Dutch tennis scene. Grab your racket, find a club or a partner, and enjoy the game! Good luck, and maybe I’ll see you on the court. Feel free to reach out to me via email if you’re an intermediate tennis player in the Netherlands and looking for new people to play with.

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