Best Tennis & Pickleball Net Post Systems
Fourteen tennis and pickleball post models from Douglas, Har-Tru and Jaypro compared on published specs, plus how to choose between sleeved, surface-mount and retrofit posts on a New Jersey court.
Get a Free Site Visit →By NJ Court Pros · Updated October 28, 2026
For a tennis court, shortlist an internal-wind post set in a sleeve: Douglas Premier XS (galvanized 8-gauge steel) or DTP-37 (7-gauge steel) if you want the heaviest steel wall, Har-Tru Deluxe Internal-Wind (Schedule 80 aluminum, 37 lb) if rust is the worry, or Jaypro TP278 (11-gauge steel, stainless worm-gear winch). For pickleball, use posts built to stand 36 inches above the court, such as the Douglas SW-36 or Har-Tru Advantage Aluminum Pickleball Post in sleeves, or a surface-mount post bolted to a concrete slab when you're adding pickleball to an existing court. If old posts are rusting in concrete, Har-Tru's retrofit post slides over them. Choose on mounting, material and winder, not looks. The footing and sleeve matter more than the brand.
Disclosure: NJ Court Pros builds, resurfaces and converts tennis and pickleball courts, including setting net post sleeves and footings, and earns money when you hire us. We aren't a dealer for any brand on this page, and nobody paid for placement. Every spec below comes from the manufacturer's own product page or spec sheet, linked in Sources. We haven't invented ratings, reviews or prices, and where a maker doesn't publish a weight or warranty we say so.
Hero photo: tennis net winder at the Hotel Amilia Mare courts, Rhodes, by Andrey Filippov, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Not one of our courts.
How We Picked
Net posts get less attention than the surface or the fence, but they take more abuse than either. A tennis net under full tension pulls hard on the top of each post every day of the season. New Jersey adds freeze-thaw cycles that work on the footing, road salt and sea air near the shore, and a long winter when nobody plays. A post that's wrong for the court shows up as a net that won't hold height, a winder that seizes, or a post leaning out of plumb.
We limited this page to three U.S. court-equipment makers that publish full post specifications on their own sites: Douglas Sports, Har-Tru Sports and Jaypro Sports. We compared each model on:
- Body: steel wall gauge (a lower gauge number means a thicker wall), galvanizing, or aluminum
- Winder: internal or external, gear ratio and gear material where published
- Mounting: in-ground sleeve, surface mount on a slab, or retrofit over an old post
- Height and rule fit: 42 inches above the court for tennis, 36 inches for pickleball
- Published weight and warranty, marked "not published" when the maker doesn't list one
Nets, center straps and windscreens are separate decisions. Our net post and windscreen installation guide covers how posts get set and tensioned. This page is about which post to put in the hole.
Net Post Systems Compared
| Post | Sport | Body | Winder | Mounting | Height | Weight | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Premier XS (2-7/8 in OD) Douglas Sports (Iowa) | Tennis | 8-gauge steel, Flo-coat galvanized, powder coat | Internal, 30:1; plated, stainless or brass gears | In-ground sleeve (24 in PVC or aluminum, sold separately) | 60 in long; 42 in above court | Not published | 5-year limited |
| Premier RD (3 in OD) / Premier SQ (3 in square) Douglas Sports | Tennis | 11-gauge steel, powder coat | Internal, 30:1 self-locking | In-ground sleeve (24 in steel for RD, aluminum for SQ) | 60 in long; 42 in above court | Not published | 5-year limited |
| DTP-37 (3 in OD) Douglas Sports | Tennis | 7-gauge steel (extra heavy), powder coat | Internal, 30:1 self-locking | In-ground sleeve (24 in steel, sold separately) | 60 in long; 42 in above court | Not published | 5-year limited |
| Premier SQ Tennis Surface Mount Douglas Sports | Tennis | 11-gauge 3 in square steel welded to a base plate | Internal, 30:1 self-locking | Bolted to a concrete court surface; no sleeve | 42 in high | Not published | 5-year limited |
| Har-Tru Deluxe Internal-Wind Post (100-303) Har-Tru Sports | Tennis | Schedule 80 aluminum, powder coat | Internal; turned with a 1/2 in or 19 mm socket wrench or a drill | In-ground sleeve (sold separately) | 62-1/4 in overall | 37 lb | Not stated on product page |
| Har-Tru Advantage External-Wind Post (100-302) Har-Tru Sports | Tennis | Schedule 80 aluminum, powder coat | External reel, removable handle, ratchet guard | In-ground sleeve (sold separately) | 62 in overall | 37 lb | Not stated on product page |
| Har-Tru Deluxe Internal-Wind Retrofit Post (100-301) Har-Tru Sports | Tennis (retrofit) | Aluminum shell, 2-7/8 in oblong OD | Internal threaded rod; socket wrench | Slides over an existing 2-7/8 in OD post | 42 in overall incl. cap | 26 lb | Not stated on product page |
| COURTMASTER Round Steel Post, External Wind (100-247) Har-Tru Sports | Tennis | 2-7/8 in OD 8-gauge galvanized steel, powder coat | External aluminum reel with ratchet guard | In-ground sleeve (sold separately); set collar for height | 60-1/4 in overall | 66 lb | Not stated on product page |
| Jaypro TP278 Club Tennis Posts Jaypro Sports (Connecticut) | Tennis | 2-7/8 in heavy-wall 11-gauge steel, zinc undercoat + powder coat | Internal stainless worm-gear winch, self-locking | In-ground sleeve (TP-278G, sold separately); adjustable height-stop collar | 63 in long; 42 in above court | Not published | 3-year limited |
| SW-36 Deluxe Pickleball Posts (2-7/8 in OD) Douglas Sports | Pickleball | 8-gauge steel, Flo-coat galvanized, powder coat | External aluminum deluxe reel, removable handle | In-ground sleeve (24 in PVC or aluminum); base collar sets 36 in | 54 in long; 36 in above court | Not published | 5-year limited |
| Premier SQ Pickleball Surface Mount Douglas Sports | Pickleball | 11-gauge 3 in square steel, 7 x 7 in welded base plate | Internal, 30:1 self-locking | Bolted to a concrete court surface; no sleeve | 36 in long | Not published | 5-year limited |
| Har-Tru Advantage Aluminum Pickleball Post (102-3442) Har-Tru Sports | Pickleball | 2-7/8 in OD aluminum, powder coat | External reel; adjustable height | In-ground sleeve (sold separately) | 54 in overall | 31 lb | Not stated on product page |
| COURTMASTER Pickleball Posts (102-3441) Har-Tru Sports | Pickleball | 2-7/8 in OD steel, powder coat | External reel (104-219); adjustable collar | In-ground sleeve (optional PVC 104-248) | 54 in overall | 58 lb | Not stated on product page |
| Har-Tru Surface Mount Pickleball Post Har-Tru Sports | Pickleball | 2-7/8 in OD Schedule 40 steel, powder coat | External reel, removable handle | Bolted down; Har-Tru says you need eight 4-1/4 x 1/2 in concrete anchors | 36 in overall | Not published | Not stated on product page |
Specs as published by each manufacturer, checked October 28, 2026. Har-Tru's product pages don't state a warranty; ask the dealer. Douglas doesn't publish post weights. Lengths are overall post lengths; the part below the court sits in the sleeve.
The Posts, One by One
Douglas Premier XS: galvanized steel with a choice of gears
Douglas calls the Premier XS its top tennis post. It's 2-7/8-inch OD, 8-gauge steel that goes through Allied's Flo-coat galvanizing before the powder coat, so the steel is protected under the paint as well as by it. The internal winder is a 30:1 "jam-free" tensioning system, and you can order it with plated steel, stainless steel or brass gears. The gear plate is flush-mounted and the handle comes off to discourage tampering. Like every Douglas tennis post here, it's 60 inches long, sits 42 inches above the court and carries a 5-year limited warranty. Douglas sells 24-inch PVC or aluminum sleeves for it separately.
Douglas Premier RD and SQ: round or square, same internals
The Premier RD (3-inch OD round) and Premier SQ (3-inch square) are 11-gauge steel posts with the same internal 30:1 self-locking gear, cast aluminum caps and gear housings, and welded lacing rods. Douglas says the choice between round and square is a matter of looks. The practical difference is the sleeve: Douglas lists 24-inch galvanized steel sleeves for the RD and 24-inch aluminum sleeves for the SQ, and recommends T-plugs if posts will be pulled for storage.
Douglas DTP-37: the heaviest wall on this page
The DTP-37 is a 3-inch OD post in 7-gauge steel, the thickest wall listed by any maker here. It uses the same internal self-locking 30:1 gear as the Premier line. Douglas describes it as a long-time staple of tennis courts. On a backyard court, the extra wall matters most where the post may get leaned on, hit by equipment or left tensioned through bad weather.
Har-Tru Deluxe and Advantage: aluminum that doesn't rust
Har-Tru builds its Deluxe Internal-Wind (100-303) and Advantage External-Wind (100-302) posts from Schedule 80 aluminum, and both weigh 37 pounds. The Deluxe hides its winder inside the post and is tightened with a 1/2-inch or 19 mm socket wrench or a drill, which is quick and leaves no crank on the post. The Advantage uses an external reel with a removable handle and a ratchet guard. Har-Tru's own catalog says aluminum outlasts steel, particularly in coastal salt air. That's the maker's claim, but it's the reason we'd look at these first on a court in Monmouth, Ocean or Cape May County. Har-Tru doesn't state a warranty on these product pages.
Har-Tru Deluxe Internal-Wind Retrofit: when old posts are set in concrete
Many older New Jersey courts have posts set straight into concrete with no sleeve. When those rust, the usual fix is to break out the footing. Har-Tru's retrofit post (100-301) is a 26-pound aluminum shell that slides over an existing 2-7/8-inch OD post and adds an internal winder. Har-Tru markets it for resurfacing jobs and overlays, where it avoids demolishing and replacing post foundations. It only makes sense if the old post is still solid and plumb at the base. A post that's rusted through at grade or leaning needs a new footing anyway.
Courtmaster Round Steel and Jaypro TP278: steel workhorses
Har-Tru's Courtmaster post (100-247) is 2-7/8-inch OD, 8-gauge galvanized steel with an external aluminum reel and ratchet guard, a cable cleat on the dead-end post, brass pulley caps and a set collar for correct height. At 66 pounds it's the heaviest post Har-Tru lists. Jaypro's TP278 is a 2-7/8-inch 11-gauge heavy-wall steel post, 63 inches long, with a zinc undercoat under the powder coat, a solid stainless worm-gear winch that locks against recoil, welded lacing rails and an adjustable height-stop collar. Jaypro lists a 3-year limited warranty.
Pickleball posts: in-ground or surface mount
Pickleball posts are shorter because the net is lower. The Douglas SW-36 is 54 inches long, 8-gauge galvanized steel with an external aluminum reel, and a collar at 36 inches stops it at the right height when dropped into its sleeve. Har-Tru's Advantage Aluminum Pickleball Post (31 lb) and Courtmaster Pickleball Post (58 lb steel) are both 54 inches with external reels and adjustable height. For courts where you can't or don't want to core sleeves, Douglas makes a Premier SQ surface-mount pickleball post on a 7-by-7-inch base plate with an internal 30:1 gear, and Har-Tru makes a Schedule 40 steel surface-mount post that bolts down with eight 4-1/4-by-1/2-inch concrete anchors. Douglas markets its surface mount for converting tennis or basketball courts to pickleball.
The Rules Your Posts Have to Meet
Tennis. Rule 1 of the ITF Rules of Tennis sets the net at 3 feet 6 inches (1.07 m) at the posts and 3 feet (0.914 m) at the center, held by a center strap. On a doubles court, the centers of the posts sit 3 feet outside the doubles sideline, and posts may be no more than 6 inches square or 6 inches in diameter. That's why every tennis post above stands 42 inches above the surface.
Pickleball. The USA Pickleball rulebook (Rule 3.B) puts the posts 22 feet apart, measured inside to inside, with a maximum diameter of 3 inches. The net must be 36 inches high where it crosses the outer edge of the sidelines and 34 inches at the center. On a 20-foot-wide court, that puts each post about a foot outside the sideline.
Combo courts. On a tennis court with pickleball lines, the tennis posts are far outside the pickleball sidelines, and a lowered tennis net won't match pickleball net heights across the whole width. If pickleball is a regular game at your house, dedicated pickleball post locations are worth it. Our tennis-to-pickleball conversion guide and combo court guide cover layouts.
Which Post System Fits Your Court
A new backyard tennis court
An internal-wind post in a sleeve, on a footing poured below the frost line. Steel (Premier XS, DTP-37, TP278) or aluminum (Har-Tru Deluxe) both work. Sleeves let you pull the posts each winter and replace them in 20 years without touching the slab. See our frost line and footing depth guide for why net posts need more footing than a fence post.
A court near the shore
Look at aluminum posts first, or galvanized steel under the powder coat. Pull the posts and cap the sleeves for winter so salt and standing water aren't sitting on the hardware. Our coastal court construction guide covers the rest of the court.
Adding pickleball to an existing tennis or basketball court
Either core new sleeves for in-ground pickleball posts, or use surface-mount posts bolted to the slab. Surface mounts are designed for concrete. Before anyone drills or cores a post-tensioned slab, the tendons need to be located, because cutting one is a serious structural problem. Our post-tension vs. reinforced concrete guide explains how to tell what you have. On asphalt, ask the manufacturer before planning a surface mount.
Old posts rusting in concrete
If the post is still solid and plumb at the base and you're resurfacing anyway, a retrofit post like Har-Tru's 100-301 can avoid breaking out the footing. If the post is rusted through at grade or leaning, we replace the footing and set a sleeve. Our tennis court resurfacing guide covers the rest of that job.
Net Post FAQs
What are the best tennis net posts for a backyard court in New Jersey?+
There is no single best post, but the short list is easy. For a steel post with the most wall thickness, Douglas makes the DTP-37 in 7-gauge steel and the Premier XS in galvanized 8-gauge steel, both with internal 30:1 winders and 5-year limited warranties. For a lighter post that will not rust, Har-Tru makes the Deluxe Internal-Wind and Advantage External-Wind posts in Schedule 80 aluminum at 37 pounds. Jaypro's TP278 is an 11-gauge steel internal-wind post with a stainless worm-gear winch and an adjustable height-stop collar. Whatever you choose, set it in a sleeve on a footing below the frost line so it can come out for winter.
Are internal-wind or external-wind net posts better?+
Internal-wind posts hide the cable and gear inside the post, look cleaner and leave nothing on the outside to catch a player or rust in the open. Douglas says most users prefer them. External-wind posts use a reel on the outside of the post that is easy to see, service and replace. Both use removable handles. On a private backyard court, internal wind is the more common choice. On a high-use public court, a heavy external reel is simple to maintain.
Should net posts be set in sleeves or directly in concrete?+
Sleeves. Douglas recommends setting posts in ground sleeves and notes that it avoids digging up the court later to replace old posts. In New Jersey, a sleeve also lets you pull the posts for winter and cap the hole. The posts on this page are sold without sleeves, and each maker specifies its own sleeve size, so match the sleeve to the post you buy.
Can I add pickleball posts to my tennis court?+
Yes. Pickleball net posts sit 22 feet apart (inside to inside) under the USA Pickleball rulebook, so they need their own locations. You can core new sleeves for in-ground pickleball posts like the Douglas SW-36 or Har-Tru Advantage Aluminum Pickleball Post, or bolt surface-mount posts to a concrete slab. Douglas sells a surface-mount pickleball post specifically for converting tennis or basketball courts. Portable nets are a third option if you only play pickleball sometimes.
What height should net posts be?+
For tennis, the ITF Rules of Tennis set the net at 3 feet 6 inches at the posts and 3 feet at the center, with the posts centered 3 feet outside the doubles sideline. That is why the tennis posts here stand 42 inches above the court. For pickleball, the USA Pickleball rulebook sets the net at 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches at the center, with posts 22 feet apart and no more than 3 inches in diameter.
How much do new net posts cost to install in New Jersey?+
NJ Court Pros quotes after a site visit and does not publish price ranges. The cost depends on whether we are coring an existing slab, pouring new footings, replacing rusted posts set straight into concrete, or retrofitting over old posts. Ask us for a written, itemized quote.
More guides: net post and windscreen installation, winter closing checklist, best NJ court builders, and best ball machines for backyard courts.
Sources
- Douglas Sports — tennis posts overview (internal vs. external wind, sleeves, surface mount)
- Douglas — Premier XS tennis posts
- Douglas — Premier RD tennis posts
- Douglas — Premier SQ tennis posts
- Douglas — 24-inch aluminum ground sleeves (T-plug note)
- Douglas — DTP-37 tennis posts
- Douglas — Premier SQ tennis surface mount posts
- Douglas — SW-36 Deluxe pickleball posts
- Douglas — Premier SQ pickleball surface mount posts
- Har-Tru — Deluxe Internal-Wind Post
- Har-Tru — Advantage External-Wind Post
- Har-Tru — Deluxe Internal-Wind Retrofit Post
- Har-Tru — COURTMASTER Round Steel Post with External Wind
- Har-Tru — Advantage Aluminum Pickleball Post
- Har-Tru — COURTMASTER Pickleball Posts
- Har-Tru — Surface Mount Pickleball Post
- Har-Tru product catalog (aluminum vs. steel in coastal air; retrofit post use)
- Jaypro Sports — TP278 tennis posts (warranty)
- Jaypro — TP278 spec sheet (63 in length, 42 in height, height-stop collar)
- ITF — Rules of Tennis (Rule 1: the court, net and posts)
- USA Pickleball — Official Rulebook, Rule 3.B net specifications
Replacing or Adding Net Posts?
Tell us about your court. We'll check the footings and slab, lay out tennis and pickleball post locations, and send an itemized quote for sleeves, footings and the posts you choose.
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