The Falkland Palace Royal Tennis Club (formerly known as the Falkland Palace Real Tennis Club) manages play at the historic real tennis court located in the gardens of Falkland Palace, Fife, Scotland.
Commissioned by James V of Scotland, construction of the court began in April 1539 and was completed in late 1541. It is the oldest real tennis court still in use today, though it has not been in continuous operation since its completion. This court stands out from others in two key ways: it is the only active real tennis court without a roof (while another, on Lambay Island, remains in need of restoration), and it is the only surviving example of the jeu quarré design, whereas all other existing courts follow the jeu à dedans layout. The Falkland Palace court is larger than a standard lawn tennis court and features four walls, two of which have penthouses. Unlike jeu à dedans courts, it lacks a tambour and a dedans, but it does include five additional scoring elements: four openings (lunes) in one wall and a vertical board (ais). The playing surface measures 97 feet 4 inches (29.67 m) in length and 33 feet 5 inches (10.19 m) in width.
The modern club was established in 1975. In 1989, it celebrated the court’s 450th anniversary with a tournament, during which a temporary roof was installed—though, in the end, there was no rain that week. The club also published a book titled The Royal Game to mark the occasion. Today, it remains Scotland’s only real tennis club, although a court in Troon may eventually reopen.