How to Book a Tennis Court in San Francisco

Updated October 2026. Tennis City SF

San Francisco Rec & Park tennis courts are booked online at rec.us/sfrecpark for $5 per court per hour. Goldman Tennis Center in Golden Gate Park uses its own system (see below). Courts that aren’t booked are open for walk-up play.

How to book on rec.us

  1. Create a free account at rec.us/sfrecpark and add a payment card.
  2. Pick a park and date. Each court shows its open slots.
  3. Choose a slot and pay. The booking is in your name; bring your phone in case someone asks to see it.

Rec & Park also has a step-by-step booking guide (PDF).

When courts open for booking

  • Most courts: open 7 days ahead at 8am, in 90-minute slots starting at 7:30am.
  • Some courts (often one court per park): open 2 days ahead at noon, mostly in 60-minute slots. These are the best bet for short-notice play.
  • Each neighborhood page lists which courts release when.

Limits and rules

  • One reservation per person per day and three per week.
  • Reservations are for individual play. Teaching or running paid lessons without a Rec & Park permit is prohibited (Park Code 3.08).
  • No-shows: if nobody is on a reserved court 15 minutes after the start, it becomes walk-up time.
  • Cancelling: cancel at least 48 hours ahead from March to November, or 24 hours ahead from December to February, to get a $3-per-hour credit.

Walk-up play

Walk-up courts, and reservable courts with no booking, are first come, first served. The posted rules:

  • A 5-minute warm-up.
  • When others are waiting, play one set or 30 minutes, then rotate off.
  • When four or more people are waiting, play doubles.
  • You must be at the court to hold your place in line.
  • At most two balls per court, and tennis shoes are required.

More in court etiquette and getting a walk-up court.

Goldman Tennis Center

Goldman’s 16 courts are booked on CourtReserve, 8 days ahead for registered SF residents and 7 days ahead for others, from 12:30pm, at $10 to $20 per hour. See the Goldman guide.

FAQ

Are San Francisco tennis courts free?

Walk-up play is free. Reserving a Rec & Park court costs $5 per court per hour, and Goldman Tennis Center charges for every booking.

Every slot is booked. What now?

Check the 2-day courts at noon, look for no-shows 15 minutes after the hour, or go to a walk-up-only site.

Who do I contact about a booking problem?

Email [email protected]. For someone ignoring a reservation on court, call the Park Rangers at (415) 242-6390. Official details: How to Book a Tennis or Pickleball Court.

Looking for someone to play with? Join nearly 1,800 San Francisco players in the Tennis City SF Slack group and post a day, time and court at your NTRP level.

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