The rules and regulations of the Middlesex Club are for the protection and benefit of all its members. These rules have been established to assure the safe operation of your Club.

Many of these regulations are mandated by Local and State laws and regulations, including the Club’s zoning permit as granted by the Town of Darien.

Club staff are responsible for seeing that all rules are enforced. The Club Manager will make the final interpretation of any rules and direct the appropriate action.

Failure to comply with these rules will be considered cause for cancellation of membership.

Parents should inform their children of all rules and regulations and are responsible for their children's compliance with the rules and with the instructions of the Club Staff. Infractions of the rules by children will be reported to their parents and will be considered grounds for suspension of Club privileges.

1. When entering the Club pool area, all members must register their name and number of guests in the registration book, which is kept at the office. This is required both for billing of pool/tennis guest fees, and to ensure that there will be adequate lifeguard coverage for all swimmers.

2. All Members and their guests, including children, use the Club facilities at their own risk.

3. All bicycles are to be parked in the bicycle racks located near the entrances to the Club building and to the tennis courts.

4. No pets are allowed on the Club premises. The Dog Warden will be notified in case of violation.

5. Food and drink is allowed only in the snack bar and tennis patio areas.

6. Cash is accepted at the snack bar. Adults ( 16 and over ) may charge purchases at the counter.

7. The sale of alcoholic beverages is not permitted on Club grounds. The use of alcoholic beverages is permitted only at designated social functions.

8. The Club premises are not to be used for private parties, except with the permission and under the direction of the Board of Directors.

9. Members are responsible for putting their litter in proper containers.

10. No loitering is permitted in the Clubhouse breezeway. This is a safety regulation.

11. State health regulations states that hair grooming will be limited to the locker room areas.

12. Members and children using the locker rooms are requested to store their belongings neatly in the storage cubbies provided. Belongings left on the floor will be collected and placed in a box. Items not claimed within one weeks time will be given to Goodwill.

13. The Club is not responsible for the loss of or damage to personal property.

14. Under no circumstances should a member or guest give a gratuity to an employee of the Club.

15. The cost of any property damage is charged to the responsible member.

16. Club staff members are responsible for seeing that all rules are upheld.

17. The Club staff can and will take any action necessary to protect the safety and welfare of members and guests even though not specifically covered in the Rules and Regulations.

18. Any infraction of the Club rules is to be reported to the Club Manager who will make the final interpretation of all rules and will take the appropriate action.
    

The privileges of the Club will be extended to guests upon introduction by a Club member. The guests' and members' names will be entered on a Guest Card at the Office, or at the Tennis Shack. There is a Guest Fee.

1. The introducing member will be responsible for his/her guest. Guests are not permitted at the Club without their host member being present.

2. Host members should inform their guests of the Club rules, and in a particular, rules governing entrance to and exit from the Club and the speed limit (20 MPH ) for the neighborhood.

3. No guests, except house guests, will be admitted to the Club on Memorial Day, Fourth of July or Labor Day.

4. No guests, except house guests, will be admitted more than five (5) days a season, regardless of the number of members introducing them, except as specifically provided in the following rules. Permission to have a long-term house guest must be obtained from the President in writing.

5. Au pairs and babysitters may not bring guests or non-member children.

6. Member children babysitting non-member children may not bring them to the Club as guests.

7. All members who fail to register a guest, or whose children fail to register a guest, are subject to disciplinary action by the Board, which may include both fines and loss of guest privileges.

8. Saturday and Sunday Night Barbeque Guests are subject to the normal weekend guest fee. Please indicate the number of guests you will have when you make your reservation.

The Lifeguards are responsible for enforcing pool rules and regulations.

The pool opens at 10:30 AM on weekdays. No one, except those at swim practice, may swim before that time

1. No swimming is permitted unless a lifeguard is on duty.

2. Everyone using the pool must wear proper swim apparel. No underwear, shorts, cutoff jeans, or gym shorts are permitted.

3. When the pool is crowded and there are not enough lounges, children will give up their lounges to adults. Children will also not play on the lounges.

4. Lap Lanes are strictly for swimming laps; no playing in the lap lane.

5. Every hour on the hour, there is a mandatory 15 minute rest period for all children under age 18.

6. Swimming will be so limited to avoid fatigue.

7. No running or violent play in the pool area.

8. Children under nine (9) years of age, or children who can not swim a pool length are not permitted within the main pool area unless accompanied by an adult or a responsible babysitter.

9. Parents are responsible for their children the entire time the children are at the Club.

10. Fins, goggles, snorkels are permitted, if they are worn and used only for their intended purpose.

11. No inflatable or flotation devices are permitted in the big pool.

12. The high diving board is only open during team practice, diving lessons, or under the direct supervision of the diving coach. No guests are permitted on the high board.

13. Only one person is allowed on the diving board at a time.

14. No diving toward the side of the pool.

15. Chewing gum is prohibited for safety reasons. Small objects, including Band-Aids and chewing gum, can block the filtration system and must not be allowed to fall into the pool.

16. Admission to the pool may be refused to anyone on health and safety grounds by the Club Manager.

17. State health code regulations require all swimmers to shower before entering the pool.

18. Children six (6) and older will not be permitted to play in the kiddy pool unless accompanied at all times by an adult or a responsible baby sitter at least 12-years old.

19. Parents are fully responsible for any child in the kiddy pool area. Each child in the kiddy pool area will be accompanied by an adult or a responsible sitter at least 12-years old. Children under four (4) years old must be accompanied in the rest rooms by an adult.

20. Children not yet toilet trained must wear tight fitting bathing suits and a swim diaper while in the Kiddy pool. Children not yet toilet trained or wearing diapers are not allowed in the main pool.
    
    The changing of diapers is restricted to the locker rooms. All diapers must be disposed of in appropriate containers in the locker room.

21. Soft unbreakable toys which are not so small as to enter the pool drain will be permitted in the kiddy pool.

22. Members are encouraged to consult the bulletin boards, websites, and the handbook for schedule times or announcements concerning swim meets and special programs which may preempt the use of the pool.

Courts and backboards are open daily from 8:00 AM until 8:00 PM, weather permitting.

1. No play is permitted when the courts are closed by the Director of Tennis or the Club Manager.

2. No one is permitted on the tennis courts unless dressed in proper attire. This includes tennis shoes and all white tennis apparel. Members are reminded to advise their guests of this rule.

3. Four courts (#2,3,4 and 5) are available for reservations on a one-hour basis for singles and a one and a half hour basis for doubles. Reservations may be made by phone or by sign up at the Pro Shop, but may not be made earlier than the immediately preceding day. Reservations will be forfeited if the players do not arrive by five minutes after the reserved time. Weather/court conditions can dictate a change in court reservations.

4. Two courts (#1 and 8) are available on an unreserved basis. A member wishing to use an unreserved court should sign his name on the standby list (blackboard) in the Pro Shop. When a court becomes available, the member should erase his name from the standby list and place it on the court list, along with the starting time. The court may be used for one hour for singles and one and a half hours for doubles, from the time play begins. If play begins at 2:15 PM, for example, time is up at 3:15 PM. Doubles matches are suggested when others are waiting for a court. A member must be physically present when an unreserved court becomes available.

5. Adults (18 years of age or older) have preference on all courts on weekdays after 5:00 PM and all day Saturday, Sunday and holidays. Adults may have a junior as a partner.

6. Exhibitions, tournaments, inter-club matches and special Club events have priority use of the courts. Ladder matches in progress on unreserved courts will be allowed to finish, even if play exceeds one hour. Ladder matches on reserved courts must yield at the end of the hour.

7. GUESTS MUST BE REGISTERED IN THE GUEST REGISTER IN THE PRO SHOP, or if closed in the Guest Register in the main office at the Clubhouse. Please be reminded of applicable guest fee charges.

8. Court etiquette is to be observed at all times. Constant chatter and displays of temper are disruptive. The rights of all members to enjoy the game require basic court courtesy.

Courts may be reserved for in 1/2 hour increments up to 1 1/2 hours. Reservations begin at 8:00 AM.

1. Play on all courts can continue beyond the reservation period if no one is waiting to play. (Note: If a member of a foursome signs up for one hour, a second member of the same foursome cannot sign up for the second hour as this violates the intent of this rule.)

2. Reservations will be forfeited if players do not arrive by 5 minutes after the reserved time.

3. Reservations are accepted 7 days a week, 24 hours a day. Courts may be reserved no more than 1 week in advance, except in Rule 4 below. Check this Website or the Fall email notices for the court reservation telephone number.

4. For private parties, a member can reserve the clubhouse at any time after October 1st for up to two dates until March 31st. If any member wants to reserve the clubhouse for more than two dates they must call no sooner than two weeks before the additional requested dates. A $100 fee will be charged for use of the clubhouse. No other guest fee will be charged. This fee will be charged to the member who makes the reservation and the charge will appear on your Club bill. The charge cannot be split among members. The clubhouse will be opened for you at 6:30 pm and must be vacated by 10 pm. You are responsible for cleanup and any damage that occurs. Members are responsible for reserving courts for the nights that they have use of the clubhouse, only three (3) courts can be reserved (other members of your party can’t reserve the fourth court).

5. Adult players (18 years and older) have preference on all courts on weekdays after 6:00 PM and all day Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. (Adults may have a junior as a partner.)

6. All Courts are to be reserved for working persons only on Saturday from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon (except as in Rule 7, below).

7. Exhibitions, tournaments, inter-club matches and special events have priority use of all courts, at the discretion of the paddle Chairperson. Ladder matches do not have special priority.

8. Doubles play has priority over singles, reservations not withstanding.

9. All players must wear sneakers.

10. The court lights must go off at 10:00pm sharp. This is a legal curfew imposed by the zoning authorities. Please turn off lights when you finish, unless someone is waiting to play.

11. All matches played with non-members, other than Club sponsored play, will be subject to Guest Fees. The number and names of guests must be registered with the answering service at the time the reservations are made. The limit for any guest is five (5) times per season regardless of the number of members introducing him.