Better tennis city: Seattle or Houston?

[Nadalgaenger]

I am living in Seattle now and feel it is actually a pretty good place for tennis players (despite the infamous rain). There are many high-quality public courts and a top-notch indoor facility just opened up here.

However, I got a job in Houston and am moving there. Does anyone who knows Houston have any recommendations about the tennis culture there?

Thanks for your insights!

 

[Lips]

When are you moving? I'm in Seattle and looking for a hit and maybe a few pointers on getting involved with the Seattle tennis community...i'm a very rusty 5.0 player..haven't hit in almost a year

 

[atatu]

Houston is a great tennis city, it's just freaking huge, but if you don't mind that, you should be good to go. Some highlights are the Houston Open (formerly known as the Coke open, a huge tournament for all levels), the US Clay Court Championships, Rice University tennis matches at the new facility and lots of league play.

 

[SJSA]

Summer in Houston is too hot to play tennis.
I live in Portland (OR) and play indoor in winter and outdoor in summer.
So, Seattle is better for playing tennis IMO.

 

[RUC]

Summer in Houston is too hot to play tennis.
I live in Portland (OR) and play indoor in winter and outdoor in summer.
So, Seattle is better for playing tennis IMO.

Ummmmm no it's not.......summer is more humid than hot (and for many folks that's worse). Mornings and afternoons / evenings fine. Actually the worst part of the year is September into early October yuck! Tons and tons of players and clubs all over the region.

3 good large public facilities (almost 60 courts) - country clubs and tennis clubs relatively cheap and all over the place. Yeah the scenery in Houston kinda sucks - flat but very very green - and very very very spread out. The cost of living and food here makes up for a lot........easily just as diverse if not even more so than NYC - but man it's cheap to live here.

What part of town are you looking to settle in? Suburbs? Closer inside one of the loops? Or now you can even live downtown - years ago that option didn't exist but not with all the condos and lofts being built folks can actually live in the city.

 

[Nadalgaenger]

When are you moving? I'm in Seattle and looking for a hit and maybe a few pointers on getting involved with the Seattle tennis community...i'm a very rusty 5.0 player..haven't hit in almost a year

Sure, I am around until July and play at Greenlake a lot.

 

[Nadalgaenger]

Ummmmm no it's not.......summer is more humid than hot (and for many folks that's worse). Mornings and afternoons / evenings fine. Actually the worst part of the year is September into early October yuck! Tons and tons of players and clubs all over the region.

3 good large public facilities (almost 60 courts) - country clubs and tennis clubs relatively cheap and all over the place. Yeah the scenery in Houston kinda sucks - flat but very very green - and very very very spread out. The cost of living and food here makes up for a lot........easily just as diverse if not even more so than NYC - but man it's cheap to live here.

What part of town are you looking to settle in? Suburbs? Closer inside one of the loops? Or now you can even live downtown - years ago that option didn't exist but not with all the condos and lofts being built folks can actually live in the city.

Thanks for the info! I am looking forward to getting involved in the tennis scene for sure. I will probably live in West or Southwest Houston.

 

[RUC]

Thanks for the info! I am looking forward to getting involved in the tennis scene for sure. I will probably live in West or Southwest Houston.

You will have TONS of choices - if you are in SW area like Bellaire (maybe parts of West U) you are just minutes away from the public facilities at Memorial Park and Lee LeClair tennis centers. Or the MET indoor facility downtown and Galleria Indoor adjacent to the Galleria Center (Galleria Indoor owned by Peter Lundgren and Nick Kroon - lots of current and ex pros pass thru)

If further out south towards Sugarland it's all private clubs - lots of choices

If on the west side - Memorial , Spring Branch area you are close to Galleria Indoor but have major places like Houston Racquet Club or Westside Tennis again further out to Katy it's the land of country clubs -

 

[r2473]

If on the west side - Memorial , Spring Branch area you are close to Galleria Indoor but have major places like Houston Racquet Club or Westside Tennis again further out to Katy it's the land of country clubs -

I lived in Houston in '96-'97 near Westside. I was fresh off the farm in Iowa and my high school buddy had a place down there. We had never played tennis before but thought it might be fun. So we went to Wal-Mart and grabbed a couple $15 racquets, a can of balls, and most importantly a 12 pack of Old Mill. We had no idea where to play, but my buddy heard there were some courts a little north of us. So we drove into this place with lots of courts. Even had clay courts. Cool. So we park by the court toss the 12 pack at the net and proceed to bash balls and swear like sailors as we got progressively more drunk. Heck, I even went to the bathroom in this nice looking building and they handed me a towel and a cold drink. Nice people!!

He went to work on Monday and was talking about this "pretty cool" place we'd played tennis at over the weekend. Turns out, we were at the Westside tennis club. We were such Iowa hayseeds, we seriously had no idea. Funny stuff.

 

[RUC]

I lived in Houston in '96-'97 near Westside. I was fresh off the farm in Iowa and my high school buddy had a place down there. We had never played tennis before but thought it might be fun. So we went to Wal-Mart and grabbed a couple $15 racquets, a can of balls, and most importantly a 12 pack of Old Mill. We had no idea where to play, but my buddy heard there were some courts a little north of us. So we drove into this place with lots of courts. Even had clay courts. Cool. So we park by the court toss the 12 pack at the net and proceed to bash balls and swear like sailors as we got progressively more drunk. Heck, I even went to the bathroom in this nice looking building and they handed me a towel and a cold drink. Nice people!!

He went to work on Monday and was talking about this "pretty cool" place we'd played tennis at over the weekend. Turns out, we were at the Westside tennis club. We were such Iowa hayseeds, we seriously had no idea. Funny stuff.

Back in the late 70s and early 80s in college we did the same.......also used to sneak around back at the Houston Racquet Club (very Tony private facility in the heart of Memorial with 20+ clay courts) to hit. Same with Westside - just drive in and jump on a court - NOT anymore!!!!!!
The guardshack and electronic fence in place now and EVERY person in a car entering better have a membership card. WestSide still VERY VERY reasonable - no court fees, 9 clay courts, 4 indoor, 20+ hard plus all the pools and fitness....etc and family dues around $200/mo I believe individual dues are less than $100.

Good news is the Mcingvales have purchased all the apartments and strip centers that popped up around the club in the 90s and really are crappy - plan is over the next few years to tear down all and expand with new pools a waterpark, new courts....etc

 

[radtennisfan]

GTAC has to be one of the best tennis clubs in the country. I'm talking as a true tennis lover, the place is just a great tennis environment. There are better "country club" type places in town.

 

[sureshs]

I lived in Houston in '96-'97 near Westside. I was fresh off the farm in Iowa and my high school buddy had a place down there. We had never played tennis before but thought it might be fun. So we went to Wal-Mart and grabbed a couple $15 racquets, a can of balls, and most importantly a 12 pack of Old Mill. We had no idea where to play, but my buddy heard there were some courts a little north of us. So we drove into this place with lots of courts. Even had clay courts. Cool. So we park by the court toss the 12 pack at the net and proceed to bash balls and swear like sailors as we got progressively more drunk. Heck, I even went to the bathroom in this nice looking building and they handed me a towel and a cold drink. Nice people!!

He went to work on Monday and was talking about this "pretty cool" place we'd played tennis at over the weekend. Turns out, we were at the Westside tennis club. We were such Iowa hayseeds, we seriously had no idea. Funny stuff.

I have reported you to the Westside Tennis Club. They will be contacting you to claim the court fees for that day, with compound interest for all these years.

 

[IceNineTX]

Houston has a lot of tennis. It's freaking hot during the summer, so don't play between Noon and 5pm from say July - September. But balance that with maybe 10 days a year that are too cold to play.

For watching tennis, Rice is great, as someone else mentioned. The clay courts are a blast. The main USTA facility is a dump, though, and many tournaments are held there (Lee LeClair). If you are lucky, you get an alternate site. The Coke typically is there for the top draws. It smells like garbage and you want to pack some heat in your bag.

The north side suburbs offers tons of tennis (Spring, Kingwood, The Woodlands). There are many country clubs and racquet clubs with varying prices and amenities. Giammalva is a popular one run by Sammy Giammalva who was top 25 back in the 80s. The Woodlands has well over 60 public courts. There are at least 10 within a few miles of our house.

But since you are looking west, you I'll defer to those on that side of town.

 

[Nadalgaenger]

Thanks for all the input!

I was thinking of joining the Westside Tennis Club in Houston. Can you recommend it?

 

[Nadalgaenger]

You will have TONS of choices - if you are in SW area like Bellaire (maybe parts of West U) you are just minutes away from the public facilities at Memorial Park and Lee LeClair tennis centers. Or the MET indoor facility downtown and Galleria Indoor adjacent to the Galleria Center (Galleria Indoor owned by Peter Lundgren and Nick Kroon - lots of current and ex pros pass thru)

If further out south towards Sugarland it's all private clubs - lots of choices

If on the west side - Memorial , Spring Branch area you are close to Galleria Indoor but have major places like Houston Racquet Club or Westside Tennis again further out to Katy it's the land of country clubs -

Which of the private clubs do you recommend most?