Har-Tru®Surfacing
What is Har-Tru (Otherwise known as Fast-Dry or Clay)
Benefits from playing on Har-Tru
Surfacing Options
Maintenance
Construction
What is Har-Tru?
The Har-Tru Surfacing is the most popular "Fast-Dry" type surface in the
United States, and is a standard in the clay court industry. Maintaining this
position is a direct result of LEE Tennis' enduring commitment to high quality
and customer support.
Har-Tru is made from a billion year old Pre-Cambrian metabasalt found in the
Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. This rock is crushed, screened, and mixed in
the precise proportions necessary to produce a stable surface. All Har-Tru is
manufactured in house. This allows frequent quality control checks on the
gradation of particle size and the process of crushing, screening and blending.
Each step of the process requires supervision and quality control. LEE Tennis
Products' dedication to quality has made Har-Tru the number one selling surface
of its type in the United States.
Har-Tru can be used for both new court construction or for top dressing. A layer of these finely crushed, green rock particles is installed over a porous base of crushed, stone aggregate to produce a finished surface. A Har-Tru court can also be built over existing clay, asphalt, or concrete courts. Many clubs have already converted their hard courts to Har-Tru to satisfy player demand.
LEE Tennis Products supports its surface in every way. A full complement of engineering and design services, as well as on-site technical consultation is offered. LEE Tennis Products also manufactures a wide range of Proline maintenance equipment and tennis court accessories specifically for the Har-Tru surface. The Fast-Dry video, produced by LEE Tennis Products, is a detailed instructional video on how to maintain Har-Tru courts and extend the life of your court indefinitely.
LEE Tennis Products is the only company that provides everything you need to build and maintain your Har-Tru court.
The Benefits of Playing on a
Har-Tru Tennis Court
Har-Tru Courts reduce risk of injury: A recent survey by the United
States Tennis Association shows amateur tennis players play for life. They start
when they are very young and continue to play well into their retirement years.
They play for a variety of reasons, ranging from mere relaxation to maintaining
a lifetime of enjoyable health. However, they do not play tennis to receive or
aggravate back injuries, strained muscles, or broken bones.
A study on the physical injuries resulting from tennis play was conducted by the University of Calgary, Canada. It was found that one out of every two tennis players was likely to suffer a tennis injury during one 6 month season of playing. This study clearly connects tennis injuries of the lower extremities, back and groin, with two factors: the court surface and the shoe. Surfaces that allow sliding resulted in approximately 75% fewer injuries than surfaces which did not.
Tennis clubs can use these facts to their advantage. If you want your club members to continue playing in older age, it is necessary to provide them with a tennis court surface that will reduce the risks of injury. A Har-Tru Court is your answer.
Har-Tru courts are easier on the body than other types of courts. They are more advantageous for the back, legs, and ankles than asphalt, acrylic, or even grass. Har-Tru is flexible, allowing a player to slide and recover under control, instead of having to slam down onto the court, absorbing the shock in every joint in the body. Doctors praise the flexibility of Har-Tru, reporting that it reduces the risk of injury. Play it safe at your club: Har-Tru...making tennis playing safer.
Cooler surface temperature: Compared to other dark colored surfaces that absorb and retain the sun's heat, Har-Tru retains its moisture and breathes, keeping the surface an average of 20% cooler than hard courts, even during the sweltering days of summer. This means a more enjoyable game for your players.
Slower ball speed for a more enjoyable game: The ball bounce on a Har-Tru court is uniform and has a consistently slower bounce than other surfaces. This attribute allows longer rallies, a greater variety of strokes and a more controlled game for players. In short, every move by the player is made more effective but less strenuous. Even the lines are easier to call since ball marks are visible to players. This also creates exciting matches for players.
Player develops a better more well rounded game: The USTA Executive Committee recently reviewed a report discussing the disappearance of U.S. Tennis Superstars. One of the reasons cited for this was the lack of early training and competition on clay courts in the U.S. An analysis of the world's top tennis players showed that most had extensive clay court development backgrounds. Clay court play develops toughness, stamina, patience and strategy that hard court play does not.
Surface dries quickly after rain: Unlike hard court surfaces, players can be on a Har-Tru court in a matter of minutes after a rain shower. Because of the way a Har-Tru court is structured, water is absorbed through the surfacing and into the base like a blotter. The slope of the court then allows excess water to run off, leaving the court moist and ready for play. Environmentally safe surface: Har-Tru is made up of natural, crushed, green stone, leaving no chemicals or toxic waste of which to dispose. The surface also solves run-off control problems, since it absorbs water as effectively as the original sod it replaced.
Easier on eyes, clothing, and equipment: Because of its non-glare surface, Har-Tru makes it easier to follow the ball. The natural, green surface does not stain or discolor your clothing and will reduce the wear and tear on your tennis racket, balls, and shoes. This can add up to considerable savings.
The cost is comparable: A Har-Tru clay court can last a lifetime. Other courts may crack or bulge, and will need to be replaced over time. These hidden replacement costs can add up to a significant dollar investment. Not so with Har-Tru. Proper maintenance ensures court longevity which gives you the best value for your investment.
Why club owners and managers love Har-Tru: Har-Tru courts show your
members that you are committed to quality tennis. It also demonstrates care and
concern for members' health and level of enjoyment. Har-Tru courts present a
pampered, service-oriented image for the entire facility and places the club in
the league with some of the finest tennis resorts in the world. According to a
recent survey by ATIF, 59% of tennis players play on free public courts. If you
are going to charge members to play tennis, you need to offer them more than
public courts on which to play.
LEE Tennis
Surfacing Options
Har-Tru has three basic surfaces. The regular green Har-Tru, LEE's
American Red Clay, and the LEE HydroBlend designed
specially for the HydroCourt, a sub-surface
irrigation tennis court.
In
an effort to better serve both our contractors and court owners, we have vastly
improved our packaging options for our Har-Tru products. Shown here are our
Easy-Lift 50 lb. bag, as well as our regular 80 lb. bags. The 50 lb. bag is an
option for those of us unaccustomed to handling bags all day. The 50 lb. bag
also conforms to some insurance company requirements in certain areas where back
problems have dictated lifting restrictions. Both the 80 lb. and 50 lb. bags can
be palletized and stretch wrapped for easy handling and weather protection.
For
our contractors, we also stock and load Har-Tru or HydroBlend in the bulk
bags shown above. these bags hold 3,000 lbs. or less and can be taken directly
from the truck to the court with a forklift. These bags have a special tie spout
on the bottom and can be dumped directly on the court, then returned to us for
partial credit and to be re-used. This system allows for savings in handling
costs, effectively making our court more affordable.
Maintenance Made EASY!!!
The Fast-Dry Court Maintenance Video Tape, produced by LEE Tennis Products,
is a detailed instructional video on how to maintain Har-Tru courts, and on
reconditioning procedures that need to be done in order to get the courts
looking new year after year. The tape also presents the history of Har-Tru,
describing where it comes from, what characteristics make it work, and the main
benefits of Har-Tru. This video is an excellent tool to use when training
maintenance people or educating potential customers, tennis committees, and
pros. The video tape is approximately 32 minutes long and comes in a 1/2" VHS
tape.
We also carry a full line of maintenance equipment designed especially for Har-Tru Courts.
Construction
LEE solves all of your tennis court construction needs. Our experienced staff of
technical consultants provides customers with full service and
technical expertise. Your old, cracked hard courts can be converted to Har-Tru
without removing the asphalt or concrete. You simply change the pitch with
suitable fill and build right on top of existing courts. Also, throughout our
thirty-two years of service, we know what it takes to be a good contractor.
That's why we have put together an index of
contractor references.
The advantages are clear. LEE Har-Tru.
