courts
Squash57
Leagues
We have three squash courts at Heywood, available to book in 40 minute slots.
You're welcome to call the club and ask if there are courts available, but it will be quicker and easier to book a court using the online booking portal.
CLICK HERE to book a court.
Leagues
Squash57
Leagues
Heywood hosts a ladder of thriving squash leagues, with over sixty players. At the end of each month, players can win promotion, or may face relegation.
If you'd like to join the leagues, Tom will assess your ability and place you in a group that offers competitive matches.
Squash57
Squash57
Squash57
Squash 57 (formerly known as racketball) is rooted in squash, with players using a larger racket and a bigger, bouncier ball. The bounce gives you more time to get to the ball, so it's a little less challenging than squash and a lot of fun - as you get engrossed in longer rallies.
Coaching
Championships
Squash57
Tom is a fantastic squash coach and offers 40 minute sessions to improve your approach, technique and fitness.
Coaching is available for all ages and abilities, if you're a novice junior or a seasoned veteran, Tom can sharpen your skills with a coaching session.
Championships
Championships
Championships
The annual championship matches are one of the much anticipated sporting highlights on the Heywood calendar.
Rising young stars are beginning to break through the ranks and the recognised top seeds are being dethroned; who will take the crown this year?
Footwear & Clothing
Footwear & Clothing
Footwear & Clothing
We always request that every player wears 'non-marking' sports shoes, that won't damage or stain the surface of the wood flooring on our courts.
Footwear worn on Squash courts should also be completely clean; to protect the floor and prevent injuries (dirt and moisture make the courts very slippery).
We expect you to change into clean sports shoes on arrival at the club; Tom won't be best pleased if you walk through the front door and straight onto a court without changing your shoes.
You don't need to wear the expensive branded outfits sported by champions (and club regulars). Comfortable, athletic clothing that allows you to run around our courts should do the job. You will need to sprint, stretch and lunge to get to the ball, so ensure that you wear items of clothing that allow substantial freedom of movement; we don't want you splitting at the seams.
We also recommend that you remove watches and any loose jewellery before playing Squash, because you could accidentally make contact with the walls or another player, causing injury or damaging a treasured possession.
As such, we also suggest that you use protective eyewear when playing Squash and Squash57.
Rackets
Footwear & Clothing
Footwear & Clothing
There are many different brands, sizes and weights of racket available, but as a rule, Squash rackets have a long handle and a small head; Squash57 rackets have a short handle and a large head.
If you're going to try Squash or Squash57 for the first time, or you already play - but don't intend to play regularly, we have rackets available for you to hire at the club (£3.00 per racket).
We also offer a range of excellent Karakal rackets for sale. Prices start at around £50 and ascend to over £100 for the high-end rackets with responsive features.
Heywood is proud to be a regional distributor for Karakal, stocking the latest products and offering a no-quibble exchange in the unlikely event of a manufacturing defect.
Before purchasing a racket, we highly recommend that you 'have a hit' with a few different options, to get a feel for what size and weight is right for you.
We advise against searching the internet to find an online 'deal' and buying a racket that you haven't had the opportunity to use and compare with a few others.
Balls
Footwear & Clothing
Balls
There are plenty of 'pre-loved' balls available for you to use at the club, however it's regarded as 'good form' to use a new ball when playing competitive matches (available for £3.00 at the club).
Pro and Competition balls are less bouncy and take more time to warm up. Progress and Intro (Max) balls are larger and bouncier; making it far easier to get a rally going and develop your technique.
- Pro balls are used by elite players and feature distinctive double yellow dot markings.
- Competition balls are ideal for regular/club level players and bear a single yellow dot.
- Progress balls are for improving or recreational players. Slightly larger, with more bounce, these balls are plain black.
- Intro (Max) balls, black with a blue dot, are larger and bouncier; best for beginners.
For Squash57, there are two types of ball.
- Blue balls are slightly bouncier, ideal for beginners.
- Black balls are more suitable for experienced players.
What is Squash?
You're on fire. You're chasing every ball, thriving on adrenaline as the rally progresses, enjoying banter and getting fit without thinking about it.
This is sport as you’ve never experienced before.
Whether you want to get your squash thrill back, or pick up a racket for the first time, you’ll find squash an exciting, indoor game for all ages and abilities.
All you need is a ball, a racket, a friend and a wall.
THE GAME
Squash is a racket sport played by two players in a four-walled court, with a small, hollow rubber ball. The players alternate in striking the ball with their rackets onto the playable surfaces of the four walls of the court.
The objective of the game is to hit the ball in such a way that the opponent is not able to play a valid return.
ORIGINS
The game evolved from 'Rackets', which was originally played in the confinement of London's prisons in the 19th century.
Boys at Harrow School discovered that more variety was added to the game when they used a punctured ball, which "squashed" on impact with walls. Over several decades in the 1800s, the school developed safer purpose built courts and refined the use of rubber balls.
The game spread to other schools across the country, then into private clubs and venues, eventually spreading overseas, but with no agreed rules or court dimensions.
In 1907 the Tennis, Rackets & Fives Association began to establish standards, combining the three sports together and calling the game “Squash”.
In 1923, the Royal Automobile Club hosted a meeting to further discuss the rules, which led to the formation of the Squash Rackets Association in 1928 (now know as England Squash).
There are now over 20 million people who play squash regularly, in 185 countries.
Squash Court Bookings
You're welcome to call the club and ask if there are courts available, but it will be quicker and easier to book a court using the online booking portal.
