Trial Pre-pay Court Lighting Fees with Court Bookings – October 2025 to March 2026 

We are trialling a new way to manage court lighting fees to make things simpler and more transparent for everyone.  

From October 2025 to March 2026, South Hawthorn will be trialling a “pre-pay and play” system for court lighting fees. When booking courts through ClubSpark during evening hours, members will be prompted to pre-pay a lighting fee of $5 per 30 minutes, aligned with our standard 90-minute booking slots.  

This trial brings us in line with other clubs using ClubSpark and helps members clearly see what they are spending upfront. As the club is run by volunteers, moving to this trial will help reduce admin time and support smoother operations for the committee. Payments will be made securely online via Stripe, the platform used by ClubSpark and Tennis Australia.  

What’s Changing During the Trial? 

• Lighting fees will be pre-paid at the time of booking through ClubSpark 

• Fee is set at $5 per 30 minutes, aligned with 90-minute booking slots 

• Payments are made securely online via credit or debit card using Stripe 

• Applies to evening/night-time bookings only 

• Trial period runs from October 2025 to March 2026 

What’s Staying the Same?

• Court lights continue to operate using your swipe card  

• There are no changes to how lights are turned on or off—simply swipe your card to activate the on/off buttons on the control panel

• Please remember to ensure you have booked the court online and use the one swipe card for managing the lights

❓ Frequently Asked Questions 

Q: What if I cancel my booking - will I be provided a refund?  

If you cancel at least 2 hours before your booking, your lighting fee will be automatically refunded. Refunds may take 3–5 business days to appear in your account.    If your circumstances change, you're welcome to cancel and receive a refund—just make sure it's done at least 2 hours in advance.

Q: What if there is a washout ?  

If you cancel due to a washout at least 2 hours before your booking start time, an automated refund will be processed. If the washout occurs within 2 hours of your booking, please email [email protected] on the same day to request a refund. Be sure to mention that the cancellation was due to a washout in your message. We’ll do our best to assist promptly. 

Q: What if I only use part of my booking time?  

Lighting fees are calculated based on your full booking duration. As the system does not track partial usage, refunds won’t be issued for early finishes or unused time. 

Q: I can't seem to be able to cancel with my Safari browser on iPhone, iPad and Mac, what should I do ?

Tennis Australia have advised there is a 'bug' with ClubSpark when using a Safari browser.  There is no ETA  as to when this will be rectified.  Tennis Australia have suggestion to use other browsers such as Edge, Google or Firefox to manage or cancel court bookings.

Q: How do I turn on the lights? Do I need a PIN?  

There is no change to how lights are operated. Simply use your swipe card at the light control panel—no PIN is required. Please ensure you have booked a court and you use the same card to manage the lights when turning on and off. 

Q: Why can't you send me an email with fees like before?  

We are trialling moving away from manual follow-ups and post-play invoicing, which required volunteers to track usage, send reminders, and process payments. This trial system allows members to pay upfront, reduces volunteer admin time, and keeps things fair and consistent for everyone. 

Q:  Is the system secure?

Yes — it's part of the ClubSpark platform and uses Stripe, a trusted global payment provider. Stripe ensures safe, encrypted transactions, and your credit card details are never stored.

Q: What if someone uses the court lights without a booking?

Evening court bookings and lighting is reserved for members with valid pre-paid bookings. This trial system relies on the honesty and integrity of all members, and we trust that lights will only be used when a pre-paid booking has been made.

To help keep things fair for everyone - here are some tips:

• ✅ Always ensure you have a court booking before using the lights.
• ⏱️ If you use the lights beyond your pre-paid time, we ask that you make an EFT payment (BSB: 033039  Acct No: 863 031)  to cover the additional usage.

Your cooperation helps keep things fair for everyone.

Q: Will this be permanent?  

We are trialling this approach for 6 months and will review feedback and usage before making a long-term decision. 

Thanks for your support as we continue to improve club operations.  

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to let us know.  

Warm regards,  

Committee - South Hawthorn Tennis Club 

 Date: 15th September 2025