Australia's aging population means that the retirement community industry is only going to become more competitive, and providing a wide range of amenities and activities is crucial to getting the edge over rival communities and attracting new residents. A well-built tennis court or two is practically mandatory for any well-appointed retirement community, giving your senior residents a place to both have fun and get much-needed exercise.
However, tennis courts can be surfaced with a wide variety of materials, not all of which are suitable for use by retirement community residents. Synthetic grass courts are a popular choice found in many retirement communities, and this unique court surfacing material provides numerous advantages over real grass, bitumen, acrylic plastic and other tennis court surfaces.
What are the benefits of choosing synthetic grass tennis courts for retirement communities?
Excellent durability
A retirement community tennis court may be used by thousands of people in any given year, so you need to choose a surface that can stand up to such heavy foot traffic without wearing out. Synthetic grass is extremely durable and long-lasting, and a high-quality synthetic grass surface installed by a court construction company will last for many years.
Low-maintenance
Real grass courts require a significant of maintenance and must be mowed, watered and fertilised frequently to stay lush. Synthetic grass only needs to be brushed occasionally to redistribute the infill and separate the synthetic grass fibres, making it a very low-maintenance option. During drier parts of the year, you can even leave a synthetic grass tennis court uncovered when not in use.
Weather-resistant
Heavy rains can make tennis court maintenance extremely difficult — real grass and clay tennis courts can become waterlogged, while rainwater tends to pool on the surface of concrete and acrylic plastic courts. Synthetic grass courts remain playable no matter how heavily it rains, and their underlays are specially designed to channel rainwater away from the court. This makes them ideal for communities in locations with wetter climates.
Gentle on players
Real grass and clay courts can shift underfoot when wet, causing twisted ankles and other injuries. Hard courts made from concrete and/or plastic have the opposite problem — they provide no cushioning at all and can be very rough on the joints and muscles of aging tennis players.
Synthetic grass is particularly suitable for retirement community tennis courts because it is very safe to play on. While it is just as firm in wet weather as a hard court surface, the leaves of synthetic grass also have a mild cushioning effect, making them much easier to play on for people with arthritis or other age-related joint issues.
Cost-effective
In addition to all of these advantages, synthetic grass tennis court surfaces are generally quite reasonably priced. A synthetic grass court will usually cost far less than a real grass or tournament-level clay court, and their low maintenance requirements make for very low upkeep costs.
Contact a tennis court construction company for more information.