Each year, Kilbirnie Tennis Club runs a Senior Handicap Tournament. In this tournament, everyone is handicapped according to their ability. Anyone can win, even a beginner!

All senior club members and junior members playing senior, junior A-grade, or junior B-grade interclub competitions should enter.

Doubles pairings will be assigned randomly within groups of players of similar ability, but you can also choose your own partner.

This annual fun and popular tournament is a great opportunity for club members to play in friendly competitions against others with different skill levels. 

Tournament Information

Venue

Kilbirnie Tennis Club.

Dates

The tournament is usually held over a weekend in early/mid December. The tournament might be delayed by weather. Singles competitions will usually be held on one day of the weekend and doubles on the other. 

Club members will be emailed details of the tournament beforehand including:

• Dates of the tournament
• Date tournament is open for entries (registration)
• Entry/withdrawal deadline

Competitions

• Mens Singles
• Womens Singles
• Mens Doubles
• Womens Doubles
• Mixed Doubles

Who can enter

All senior club members and junior club members who play in senior, junior A-grade, or junior B-grade interclub competitions.

How to enter

Register online at Tournament Software. Search for Kilbirnie under tournaments and enter the Kilbirnie Senior Handicap Tournament.

If you haven't used Tournament Software before, you will need to create a Tournament Software account for yourself (and each of your children). See How to Register for Club Champs . You will be able to use your account to enter other club tournaments or tournaments in New Zealand in the future.

For doubles competitions, select partner required (recommended) or if you prefer you can also select your preferred partner. If you select a partner, your partner will also need to register and select you as their partner to confirm the partnership. When entering your partner, just enter their first name and surname. There is no need to enter your partner’s member Id.

Cost

There is no charge for club members to enter this tournament.

Draw

Competitors will be emailed the draw and times of play a day or two before each competition. Any adjustments to the rules (depending on the number of entrants and to meet time constraints) will be included with the draw.

The draw may be formed so up to two seeded players/teams have a separate stream to the semi-finals. Other players/teams are randomly placed.

Competition Format

• Single Elimination/Consolation Format. Most competitions will be a series of elimination rounds. Winners of each round will advance in the competition and compete for the championship. First match losers however will compete for a consolation title in a separate single elimination competition.
• Doubles partners will be assigned randomly within groups of players of similar ability by the tournament organisers (unless players have specifically requested partners). 

Match Format

• All matches are first to 31 points. A winning margin of 2 points does not apply.
• Server changes every four points.
• Ends change every 16 points.
• Server to call scores before each point.
• Matches are expected to take about an hour.
• The first 5 minutes of each match may be used for warm-up.

Handicaps

Handicaps will be assigned to individuals and doubles teams.

Starting scores for each match are then adjusted according to the players' handicaps - some may start with an initial score of zero, some may start with a negative initial score, and others may start with a positive initial score. The match is won by the first player/team to get to 31 points.

• Handicap assignment. The competition organisers will assign competitors (individuals or doubles pairs) a handicap. Handicap assignment is subjective but the organisers will aim will be to create competitions where all competitors have an equal chance of winning.
• Starting scores. Starting scores are adjusted from the assigned handicaps so that the difference between the handicaps is retained but the initial scores add up to 0 or -1.
• Example 1: if team A has a handicap of -12 and team B has a handicap of +5, then the starting score for team A will be -9 and team B will be +8. The winning team is still the first to get to 31.
• Example 2: if team C has a handicap of +10 and team D a handicap of +6, then team C’s starting score is +2 and team D’s is -2.
• Formula: Team A starting score = HA – [(HA + HB)/2] and Team B starting score = HB – [(HA + HB)/2]
  where HA is Team A’s handicap, HB is Team B’s handicap, and [x] refers to the ceiling function that maps x to the least integer greater than or equal to x.

Wet Weather

If wet weather is expected, the tournament may be delayed. Cancellation notices will be posted here.

Food/water

Remember to bring your own water bottle and snacks. There may be a sausage sizzle during the tournament.

Awards

Winners and runners up will receive certificates and will be posted on the Honours page of the club website. Prize-giving likely to be held in June

Queries

Email tournament organisers.