I've attended the Vic Braden Tennis College at Green Valley Resort & Spa several times over the last two decades. But the program had changed since my last visit, at least in format, and so I returned to see what director Dave Nostrant and his staff were doing now. Responding to guests' requests, the once five-hour-a-day program had been reduced to a series of morning half days, thus leaving afternoons free for guests to explore breathtaking landscapes around St. George, including Zion National Park. The hard-core could still sign on for an additional two-hour afternoon session if they liked (or, for that matter, the afternoon session alone).

The Braden method has always focused on technique based on scientific research. If your strokes defy the laws of physics but suit you just fine, you'll probably be happier at a camp where they feed lots of balls and run you around. That is not the Braden way. Instead Nostrant begins each day with a half-hour classroom session in which he clearly outlines the key technical elements in the strokes they'll be working on that morning. Along the way he justifies their approach with scientific research and videotape of current and former players.

From there you move to the courts, where you are very quickly videotaped—or more accurately filmed with a digital camera. Playback is not on a television but a laptop computer enhanced with a software called Dartfish. It allows the pro to create a split-screen image that perfectly synchronizes your stroke—a backhand on the first morning—with the pro's. As the pro goes through frame by frame, you get to see precisely which elements of your stroke differ from the ideal. And it's that knowledge of what you yourself need to work on that you and the pro take onto the court for the group sessions.

By spending, as we did, an hour and a half on backhands and a full two hours on serves, not only do you get an opportunity to lay the groundwork for improving while under a pro's watchful eye, but you also have reinforced three or four essential checkpoints you can use once you get home to keep yourself on track. It is one of the clearest and most carefully structured programs I've attended. The hours pass quickly despite the focus on only a few strokes—we also worked on volleys once we'd finished with backhands on day 1. It is not as physically demanding as many other camps—it's the instruction that's intensive rather than the drills, and the emphasis is on hitting properly rather than conditioning and movement. You can always add the afternoon program if you need more, though I was the only one in camp that week to take both sessions (many of the others opted to play matches, instead).

Overview

The College is headquartered at the Green Valley Resort & Spa in the red-rock country of southwestern Utah. You can book the Vic Braden program as part of a spa package or take tennis à la carte, staying either at the Coyote Inn or Las Palmas Family Condominiums at the resort or wherever you like in town. If you opt for a spa package, you'll supplement the Braden camp with fitness classes, guided hikes, pampering treatments and nutritionally-correct, minimal-calorie, and candidly very tasty cuisine. Several times a year, Vic Braden himself visits Green Valley to personally run the school. See the Calendar below for exact dates.

Green Valley has always struck me as a curious amalgam. It is essentially a residential community of houses and condominiums set amid subdivisions at the western edge of St. George. A large main building at its core contains the spa itself—that is, its treatment rooms, dining area, relaxation rooms, and fitness and workout areas—as well as the four indoor tennis courts, an indoor golf academy, and a small theater used for lectures and occasional evening entertainment. Spa guests stay in the Coyote Inn, a series of exceptionally well appointed rooms and suites in one-story adobe buildings arrayed around a pair of garden courtyards each containing a swimming pool. Residents and those staying in the condos have access to a large covered swimming pool and to a second smaller fitness center, the latter in the tennis clubhouse.

Tennis Features

Pro Shop: 435-628-8066

The College itself consists of 14 lighted hard courts—four of which are indoors.These are arrayed around two sides of the tennis clubhouse containing the pro shop, lockers, and a small fitness center (separate from the one in the spa).

Tennis Programs. The Braden program comes in three-day modules. Campers typically spend their mornings working on technique: a combination of group instruction and Dartfish video analysis (shown courtside). During the afternoon, the focus shifts of match-play situations, providing an opportunity to put new strokes into practice (or at least trying to) and working on such doubles tactics as poaching. At the end of those five hours, the courts are available for additional play and there are occasionally club events in the evening which campers can take part in. At orientation the night before it all began, tennis director Dave Nostrant promised "You'll find out how to get to the next level," Nostrant told the assembled campers. "Breaking old habits is hard, but you really are capable of making changes in your game. And with the Dartfish computer videoanalysis, you can optionally take home a personalized CD with the training on it."
But there is more to this program than the college tennis curriculum. Green Valley also has a local membership, many of them families, and the tennis staff runs weekly adult and junior clinics, drill sessions, and several drop-in social tennis events (the last on weeknights and weekends). Thus another way to integrate tennis into your spa regimen—without taking the Braden camp—is to take advantage of those member programs or have the staff arrange games.
Courts & Fees. There are 14 lighted hard courts—4 of them indoors. Court fees: $10/day for those not enrolled in the Braden camp.
Altitude Caveat: Although not so high as resorts in Colorado, Green Valley does sit at 3,000 feet, so you should expect the ball to come through more quickly and you should take extra precautions sunburn.

Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Green Valley Resort & Spa and Vic Braden Tennis College, Green Valley Spa.

• ""—S.G., Int., May 2008

• ""—S.S., Adv. Int., May 2008

• "All of the instructors were well-schooled in the kinesthetic theory that is the foundation of their teaching technique. They were able to identify and clearly explain the inefficiencies in my strokes and provided many useful ideas how to practice and play better. I was able to see results very quickly. I'm much better prepared to identify and fix a problem when it occurs. The video analysis is invaluable.
  There wasn't much discussion on the mental side of the game — how to deal with stresses of a match and how to recover your equilibrium when something goes wrong on the court."—J.N., Adv. Int., May 2008

• ""—P.M., Int., May 2008

• "Although I've been playing tennis for most of my life, this was the first tennis camp/true lessons I've ever had. I was very impressed with their Dartfish video technology. It opened my eyes to my strokes that would have otherwise been difficult to convey. The instructors were absolutely outstanding.
  Each instructor made me feel important, spending significant individual time, energy, and focus on me and improving my strokes. They are highly knowledgeable about the physics and strategy of the game and focused on making our strokes simpler and more efficient. These guys are witty, engaging, and made the experience so much fun. The hitting lanes were an excellent way for the instructors to really help you groove your strokes using proper form & technique.
  I definitely recommend this camp because of the instructors. The spa and on-site condos were ok, but not necessary to enjoy the tennis camp.
  The onsite food options were slim and tennis clubhouse/store was disappointing."—R.S., Adv. Int., May 2008

• "What a fantastic camp! The instructors were knowledgeable, friendly and easy to work with. The hotel was dreamy and full of the luxuries you'd hope for, the spa was very nice too. I'd definitely recommend this one to all of my tennis friends."—R.P., Low Int., May 2008

• ""—V.A., Adv. Int., May 2008

• "I really enjoyed the individual attention. I attended with four other friends and we were able to stay together as a group -- five to one with an instructor."—A.C., Int., May 2008

• "The Vic Braden Tennis camp was, by far, the best tennis learning experience I have ever had. Their professionals take a very structured and scientific approach to the game of tennis. They recorded my ground strokes and serve, analyzed them in detail using state-of-the-art software, then offered individualized instruction to help me see all of my faulty tennis mechanics. Furthermore, they didn't just assume that I comprehended their instructions, but rather they made me understand through repetition and personalized instruction. I spoke with fellow participants at the camp of every playing level, from beginner through advanced, and ask them if they learned from the camp experience. Everyone of them, even the advanced players, felt as I did, that the camp provided them with the optimum amount of classroom training and personal attention they needed. The only thing I wished was different was that I couldn't take the video recording of my strokes with me on CD unless I paid for it. They offered it for sale for a moderate price (e.g., about $50 per stroke, but they marketed it as having customized analysis, so it is probably quite valuable at that price). I think that if they were to streamline their process of transferring the information to disk, they could offer those videos, without the analysis, for less money (e.g., offer just the plain video recording of all the strokes on CD, synchronized with the model stroke, for $35-$50 alone). But, apart from that, thumbs way up for this tennis camp!"—D.S., Int., May 2008

• "Strengths - talented, professional and friendly staff. The camps was well organized into small groups with lots of personal attention. I loved the practice tennis "cages" with a continuous stream of balls from the ball machines(no pick up required).
  Vic's stories and history of the game were fabulous. I loved the combination of physics laws and psychology to build and strengthen my game. St George UT's climate was perfect for tennis (sunny, dry and no humidity)
  Weakness - there was little that did not meet my expectations. They could have been a little more organized in preparing us prior to arriving but once we got there, it was well organized and run."—A.C., Adv. Int., May 2008

• "Vic Braden's Unique teaching & tennis mechanics concepts really added to my game. I absolutely loved it and will return within then year"—B.K., Adv. Int., May 2008

• ""—A.M.,  May 2008

Other Recreation

Golf. Green Valley does not have its own golf course; however, it has added an indoor golf learning center with hitting stations, indoor chipping, putting green, and private video analysis room. Its classes are available to spa guests at no additional charge and include the option of playing a local courses.

Spa & Fitness Center. Green Valley's spa menu pushes the envelope of options through the predictable aromatherapies and mud and seaweed treatments into, for me, such uncharted territory as Chinese restructuring facials, flotation repatterning, and reconnection therapy. There is also a wide variety of classes—among them excellent stretching classes early each morning as well as spinning and cardio boxing—and a full-range to weight-training stations and cardiovascular machines.

Rock Climbing. Forget climbing walls in a gym. Green Valley offers the real thing: rock climbing the walls of a 40-foot ravine in courses designed for rank beginners.

And ... Hiking trails into the sandstone country of southwestern Utah begin just a short distance from the resort, and Zion National Park is close enough for easy day trips.

Lodging

Even the smallest room at the Coyote Inn (Check for Internet Rates) is a 600-square-foot junior suite with a gas-log fireplace, spacious two-sink bath with a Jacuzzi tub, an exceptionally comfortable four-poster bed, and a private patio. All have such welcome amenities as goose-down comforters, coffeemakers and whole-bean Starbucks coffee (and a grinder), CD players, and popcorn poppers.
The alternative the Coyote Inn is the one-to-three-bedroom suites, each with a kitchen, at Las Palmas Family Condominiums, a short stroll from the swimming pool and tennis courts (Check for Internet Rates).

Restaurants

What had been the spa dining room has been reconceived to serve other guests as well, offering breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus that focus on local produce, seasonal ingredients, and seafood flown in from as far away as Hawaii. Descriptions aside, the menus also aid the health-conscious by providing such nutrition information as calories, grams of fat, carbohydrates, and fiber for each dish. Wine and beer are also served.

Calendar

See Also

Spas rarely integrate their programs with full-scale tennis camps in the way Green Valley does. However, if you want spa services and a camp experience, look at the following:

• The Broadmoor, Colorado
• Inn at Manitou, Canada
• Rancho Valencia Resort, California
• Topnotch Resort & Spa, Vermont

Travel Essentials

Seasons. Year-round, though best during spring and fall.

Green Valley Resort & Spa
1871 West Canyon View Dr.
St. George, UT 84770
435-986-5092
Toll-free: 800-237-1068
Fax: 435-673-4084
Web Link: Green Valley Resort & Spa

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Travel Instructions. There is a regional airport in St. George; otherwise the nearest major airport is Las Vegas, 2 hours to the south.

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