Your new tennis lights switch on and the court looks brighter. That is a good start, but it is not the whole handover. Before you sign off the lighting work, ask the installer to demonstrate that the installed system matches the agreed design and is ready for everyday use.
Use this checklist when planning the project, so responsibilities and acceptance criteria are agreed before installation. It is a club management checklist, not a substitute for electrical testing or a specialist lighting assessment.
1. Match the installation to the final design
Check the fixture models, quantities, mounting heights and positions against the final drawings. Ask the installer to record the aiming settings. If a fitting, optic, pole position or height changed during the work, request an updated calculation rather than assuming the original report still applies.
For a retrofit, obtain the agreed assessment of any reused poles, brackets and foundations. For indoor courts, include the suspension points and clearances. A visual check from the ground does not establish structural suitability.
2. Request a useful measurement report
Agree in advance who will measure the lighting and which method and criteria will be used. The report should identify the court, measurement grid, measuring plane, operating setting, instrument and test conditions. Ask for the individual readings, average and minimum values, and the uniformity calculation used.
A single reading under a lamp does not describe the whole court. Nor does a phone photograph establish a lux level. Compare measurements with the appropriate design values: an initial installation reading and a maintained design value represent different conditions. Ask the designer to explain any differences.
Our guide to reading a court lighting report explains the main terms to look for.
3. Walk the court from a player's perspective
Include a coach or regular player in an evening check. Look from both baselines, the service positions and the net. Try looking upwards as you would for a serve or overhead shot. Note distracting brightness, dark areas or a ball that becomes hard to follow against its background.
This practical check complements measurements; it does not replace them. Report a problem with the position and direction of view, not simply “too bright”. That helps the designer assess whether aiming or another part of the installation needs attention.
4. Test every operating mode
- Switch each court on and off independently if that was specified.
- Check each dimming scene, timer and booking-system connection included in the project.
- Confirm that staff know how to override a setting and return to normal operation.
- For outdoor courts, check the agreed switch-off time and inspect the surroundings after dark.
- Have the installer check any separate emergency lighting requirements; do not assume sports lighting fulfils them.
5. Collect the handover documents
Ask for final drawings, the lighting calculation and measurement report, electrical test documentation, operating instructions, maintenance guidance and warranty information. Record product references and who to contact for faults. Keep these together so a future maintenance contractor can identify the system.
The LTA's external floodlighting guidance also emphasises testing the completed installation and obtaining operating and maintenance information. Local requirements and your project specification determine the checks needed at your own site.
Make unresolved items specific
Create a short list with the issue, responsible party and agreed completion date. Keep court access and any retesting arrangements clear. Avoid treating a missing report or a control setting as something everyone assumes somebody else will resolve.
Planning an upgrade? Explore the TNS 200 for outdoor tennis or AXION 2000 for indoor tennis, then send Global LED Lights your court details for a project-specific discussion.
Photo: Wendy Wei / Pexels. Illustrative stock photograph, not a Global LED Lights installation.