A good outdoor tennis lighting plan considers what happens beyond the baseline. Nearby windows, paths and property boundaries belong in the brief from the beginning. Choosing LED fixtures alone does not establish that a scheme will avoid light spill or be acceptable at a particular site.
Light spill and glare are different questions
Light spill is illumination outside the intended area. Glare concerns visual discomfort or reduced visibility from bright sources. A scheme therefore needs more than an average lux figure on the court. Ask the designer to explain both the playing-area results and the effects at relevant surrounding locations.
The LTA’s external floodlighting guidance treats the surrounding environment as a design consideration. It is UK guidance, not a substitute for the requirements applicable to your own location.
Give the designer a useful site plan
- Court dimensions and the position, height and condition of existing poles.
- Nearby homes, windows, roads, paths and property boundaries.
- Differences in ground level and any relevant screening.
- Current fixture positions and photographs taken from the court and its surroundings.
- Intended playing level, booking patterns and proposed operating hours.
Do not treat a hedge or seasonal foliage as a guaranteed permanent screen. Show the actual surroundings so the designer can state the assumptions used in the calculation.
Check optics, height and aiming together
The beam distribution, mounting height and direction of each fixture work as a system. Ask for the exact fixture configuration and aiming schedule used in the report. A product photo or wattage alone does not describe where its light will fall.
If shields or other accessories are proposed, ask whether the calculation includes them and whether they are approved for the selected fixture. Avoid improvised additions or changes to aiming after handover. Existing poles also need a structural and electrical assessment; see our guide to retaining tennis-court poles.
Include operating controls in the brief
Discuss switching times, separate court circuits and who can override the controls. If dimming is proposed, confirm that the selected drivers and controllers support it and that every intended playing setting has been assessed. A reduced output setting should not be assumed suitable for match play simply because it looks bright enough.
Define how players can leave safely when court lighting switches off. Court floodlighting and lighting for access routes should be considered together by the project team.
Ask for evidence before accepting the proposal
Request the court results, relevant off-court calculation points, fixture schedule, aiming details and operating assumptions. Ask the project team which local requirements apply rather than borrowing a single boundary limit from another country. Our lighting-report guide explains the other figures worth checking.
At handover, agree how the installed arrangement will be checked against the design. Keep the final settings and report so later maintenance does not unintentionally change the scheme.
Plan your outdoor tennis upgrade
Explore the TNS 200 outdoor tennis fixture, then send us your site plan and project details. Fixture quantities, suitability, transport and delivery timing should be confirmed for the project. The product itself is not a guarantee of planning approval or of a particular off-court lighting result.