guedoguedo
Semi-Pro
What are the best areas in terms of access to courts, ability to play year round, quality and quantity of players etc?
What are the best areas in terms of access to courts, ability to play year round, quality and quantity of players etc?
Correct - and to put it into perspective: Atlanta is the biggest USTA local league in the country - about three times the size of the next biggest. ALTA is more than twice the size of USTA Atlanta.ALTA (Atlanta Lawn & Tennis Association) is the name of the game here, probably bigger than USTA in the area ... at least from what I understand.
Mostly, but not exclusively. A lot of tennis is played in subdivisions and these will be hard courts as the HOA wouldn't want to take on the burden of maintaining clay. Private clubs often have both hard and Har-tru. Public courts are usually hard, although Bitsy Grant has quite a few Har-tru.Is atlanta all hard court?
Pretty hard to beat Tyler, TX.. Lots of great courts, climate is good, very hot in July, but nothing that chases you off the courts. Plenty of good to excellent players.
I lived in san diego for 2 years and it was a very good scene! The best part for me was there were some tennis social clubs with doubles events every week where they pair you up with people for a fee. There were lots of good players, and they did all the organizing. Pacific beach had friday night tennis and barb-que which was i miss a lot. World team tennis was big there and that was great.... But Playing on the hard courts so often did take a toll on my knee but after I left I started to strengthen my quad/hammie and that has made a huge improvement...
I am in DC now and it is very good here as well, but you gotta pay $$$ to play inside. All of the public courts are hard court and the most popular ones are in very poor condition.
Is atlanta all hard court?
Mikeler, is $300 just for one club in orlando, or is it a city fee? Are there any organized events outside of USTA?
Mikeler, thanks for the info! I am actually visiting family in Tampa for a couple of days, which makes me curious about different areas. Do you know anything about tennis in tampa?
My wife and I are thinking of moving from New England to Austin, TX. One of the reasons is for the tennis. Can you imagine not having to pay for indoor court fees in November or April! Any confirmation on Austin's Tennis scene being a good one?
Austin does, in fact, have a fantastic tennis scene! Lots of different leagues. A huge variety of clubs from extremely high end to not so high end. Lots of public courts, many are free to play on. Usually two to three tournaments a month. Year round play. Newk's Ranch not too far away.
http://www.austintennis.org/index.cfm
Above is a link to a site that has a lot of information about tennis in Austin.
I played a guy once in a local league who had moved down from Atlanta to Orlando. He joked that in Atlanta the winner of the league we were playing in would only get you to a quarterfinal playoff up there.
Thanks AbbeyTXS! How much can I expect to play at various clubs in Austin? What is the range, if you know, thanks!
Did you mean "pay" or "play"?
If you meant play - you can play all you want, just volunteer to captain a team!
If you meant pay, I'm afraid I really don't know. I am a public court girl. Austin has tons of public courts and they all have numerous teams.
On the website I sent you, there is a map of all the tennis court locations and it labels them whether they are public, country club, or neighborhood courts. I'm sure you can Google the different clubs and get an idea of what their fees are.
http://www.cytc.com/ The link is for Courtyard Tennis and Swim Club. They are not a high end club, but 90% of all the tournaments in Austin are held there.
Rumor has it that Andy Roddick plays at either Westwood Country Club or Austin Country Club when he is in town.
I don't mind the heat one bit here in Sarasota Florida. So what it gets hot and you sweat............if feels great on my arm and old joints........I love the humidity. I would much rather deal with that than having to play indoors or not at all in the winter months.
As far as California goes, I can join a private tennis club for the money I save not having to pay the ridiculous taxes everyone has to pay in that miserable state.
I don't mind the heat one bit here in Sarasota Florida. So what it gets hot and you sweat............if feels great on my arm and old joints........I love the humidity. I would much rather deal with that than having to play indoors or not at all in the winter months.
I agree 100%. We moved to Sarasota 3 months ago and just love it. The Har Tru that is everywhere is way better on the knees and back. I can't even imagine playing everyday on hard courts now.
What part of florida would you say is the best between it being young, good tennis, and having business jobs? Miami?
What part of florida would you say is the best between it being young, good tennis, and having business jobs? Miami?
Not quite true as Atlanta Athletic Club, former host site of an ATP event for several years, still exists. But your general point is correct - Atlantans are too busy playing tennis to go watch it.Which curiously does not have an ATP stop and is about to demolish the only facility that could host one.
Interesting. When Atlanta Athletic Club hosted the AT&T Challenge it was on clay (Har-tru) in April. In July they will need to play on hard courts, I would have thought, yet their stadium court is clayI read an article yesterday that Indy will lose their ATP stop and it will move to Atlanta. Host will be Atl. Athletic Club. July in Atlanta can be brutal.
that Houston Galleria club looks sweet! I might have to check it out.
In Houston, where the heat and weather is not predictable and extreme - the indoor courts would be the best way to play.