After more that 30 years of running tennis camps, New England Tennis Holidays (NETH) founder Kurt Grabher has passed the reins (and ball hoppers) on to Duncan Yarworth, who’s been part of the NETH staff since 2015. Duncan Yarworth, New England Tennis Holidays, Waterville Valley, NHA college player from Massachusetts, Yarworth has a breadth of tennis camp experience, having worked with adults and juniors at the Nike Amherst Tennis Camps in Massachusetts and later with the Cliff Drysdale Tennis programs at Stratton Mountain in Vermont before joining NETH. He has now taken charge of the popular New England Tennis Holiday adult programs at Waterville Valley Resort in New Hampshire. As in the past, his camps will run five hours a day on selected dates from late May into early October and will be staffed by many of the experienced pros who’ve themselves been fixtures of NETH’s summer gatherings.
There are few more beautiful places for tennis than Waterville in summer. 18 red-clay courts carpet the floor of a valley ringed by the peaks of the White Mountains. The full-service resort radiates out from a Town Square comprised of shops, restaurants, and a pond, whose waters spill over a rocky flume into a creek. Inns, lodges, and condo complexes fan out around it. Tennis aside, recreation at the resort includes a 9-hole golf course, fitness center (with two indoor courts and a spa), watersports on the pond, a chairlift to the top of the mountain (where there are hiking and mountain biking trails), and even ice skating. That makes it an ideal getaway for families, while the tennis adds an appeal to groups and singles.
LEARN MORE >> Related Stories
JOIN >> TRO Travel Club
SOCIALS >> LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook
SUBSCRIBE >> Tennis Resorts Online Newsletter
READ MORE >> Travel Inspiration
287 Reviews on “New England Tennis Holidays”
The best weekend with New England Tennis Holidays. Curt, JJ, and Oliver lead instructive drills working on stroke and strategy. The taping and critiquing of our strokes was very helpful. They kept it fun and engaging and you should walk away with some new skills to keep working on. A great group of people all working toward the goal of improving our game.
This was the second trip to NETH for my husband and I. We had a wonderful experience and enjoyed great tennis once again. Duncan and his team of pros know how to run a camp!
They cover all the technical basics first, taking video of ground strokes and volleys which are reviewed on an individual basis. Strategic instruction and point play are also in the mix. Most of all, the camp is a lot of fun! We always meet the most wonderful people when we are there and can’t wait to return next year!
I was a first timer at NETH in Aug 2024 taking two days of camp (via a gift certificate I had received as a birthday present). I have known my share of clinics and instruction over the many years I’ve engaged in club play and in USTA/local leagues. Duncan and his team are top notch crew! They were great at leading relevant and useful drills and pinpointing each individual player’s areas of improvement. The specific critiques and suggestions I received led to actionable adjustments. Duncan in particular is very deft at breaking down strokes and plays, using helpful examples and metaphors to help really drive home the rationale for targeting a certain play or technique. I really appreciated the entire teaching staff’s encouragement and humor – the combo was key to fostering positive internal attitude (which I always need) and an all-around great atmosphere for group tennis. The days were well-planned and time maximized while not feeling completely wiped out! Thanks for a great time; I hope to come back next year with some friends!
I have been going to NETH almost every year since 2009 and time and time again, it continues to be an event me and my friends look forward to every year. It never gets old. The pros are fantastic. Duncan is the owner and is always courteous and welcoming. JJ has been with NETH longer than he probably wants me to say and has the patience, enthusiasm, and clarity of your favorite high school coach.
I have been to NETH many times now and am probably about a 3.5 player and I always learn a ton during my time and my game has improved every year in a large part thanks to the things I’ve learned at NETH.
Above all of this, NETH is just fun. It’s a laid back environment, free of judgement and welcoming to beginners and more advanced players. They are able to accommodate everyone in fun drills and exercises where you get to meet new people and play with a variety of players.
I totally recommend checking it out!
Wife and I stopped in for half day. Awesome Pros. Great setting. Couldn’t ask for more!
Went for the first time this summer and had a blast! Top notch Pros. Beautiful setting. And even though it rained, there were beautiful indoor courts for our use. Definitely going back next summer!
Fifth year in a row! Awesome instructors! Awesome instruction. Video analysis!! Why don’t other camps/instructors do that?? Fantastic courts!! It’s the high point of the tennis season for my wife and I!!!
This was my first time going to tennis “camp” in all my years of playing tennis! I can honestly say that I loved every minute. The instructors were exceptional and witty, too. It was fun, inspiring, informative and pushed me to get out of my 3.2 comfort zone. We worked on technique and strategy with some very interesting drills. Duncan was very organized and had a plan for every day. The video evaluation was really valuable and what an eye-opener! Kudos to them for getting me to break the death grip on my racquet! Our weather wasn’t as nice as we had hoped but the coaches did a good job keeping us moving on the two indoor courts when the rain didn’t allow for outdoor play.
My group made our own arrangements for accommodations and we found plenty of aprés-tennis things to do in the surrounding area. Waterville Valley should be appreciated for the beauty and tranquility of the mountains. If you want night life, you’ll need to drive out to one of the surrounding areas. Overall, an amazing weekend!! Had a blast and will definitely be back!
12 players from my home club attended 3 days of camp and we absolutely LOVED it. The weather didn’t cooperate but the pros were able to adapt and create drills that maximized play for all with limited courts. They were fun and energetic and provided a lot of feedback. We all appreciated the video review-something we don’t normally do-and learned a lot about our game. The setting was beautiful and overall the camp was extremely well organized from registration to lunch to time on the court. We cannot wait to return!
We had an amazing weekend in Waterville Valley with the team at New England Tennis Holidays. The Tennis instruction was well balanced with drills that were impactful providing us with great learning opportunities that we were able to take home and implement. The pros were very talented teachers who shared thoughtful and effective insights to improve our game. I can’t say enough about Duncan and his team of Curtis and JJ. Duncan thought of everything from lodging to lunch and the pros were clearly committed to helping all of us improve and enjoy our time. All this in the most beautiful setting: the courts are nestled in a valley surrounded by mountains. We can’t wait to go back! Thank you for a fantastic tennis weekend!
The pros are incredibly talented and offered feedback that I hadn’t received from any other pros in my time playing tennis, which was incredibly helpful! The video analysis was very helpful. In addition, I found myself saying “I love this drill” to every single one we did. Duncan and his team are high energy, funny, and truly committed. The views are picturesque with the beautiful white mountains surrounding you. The only downside, honestly, to the outdoor courts was that the bathroom facilities is a porta potty. Highly recommended and I know I will plan to be back!
An excellent program. Great instructors. Fun and educational in a beautiful setting
We had such a great time! Thanks Duncan and staff!
The highly experienced staff provides topnotch, expert instruction with friendly, personalized attention tailored to each individual, all delivered in a relaxed, fun context. Your skills and game will definitely improve regardless of your existing level of expertise.
This is a fabulous camp to ramp up your tennis skills in a fun, professional manner. We are already planning to attend again!
I can’t praise Duncan and his team enough. My tennis weekend with NETH is the highlight of my year. Tennis + beautiful scenary + amazing people is my ideal vacation. Duncan and his team are wonderful tennis instructors. My husband and I are at very different levels and we both always come away learning so much. Last year, we also brought my 13 year old son and they were great with him! They have a well thought out agenda and I always feel like I’ve had enough 1-on-1 personal attention and play time each day. Highly recommend NETH with Duncan and team at Waterville Valley and looking forward to seeing them again this summer!
I’ve attended 2 summers and will be going this fall. I’m a senior woman who is not a great player, but I like to practice, review techniques, and learn new techniques. This camp satisfies those things for me. Always have a good time with my friends on the court and evening fun. The pros are patient and super helpful.
Great instructors. Left us with many helpful tips to work on.
Great instruction and lots of fun in a beautiful setting. Duncan is running a strong, well organized program!
I like the location- easy to get to from RI. I always pick up something that can be used to help my game each time I come and I’ve been coming I think over 10 years.
Love this tennis camp! Have participated for two years and plan on attending again this year
Camps, clinics, are fun and keep moving. Pros do a good job accommodating all levels and keeping it fun! Area is beautiful, facility has plenty to do, courts are well groomed with an indoor option.
Duncan and his staff are fantastic. Friendly, patient, helpful, knowledgeable and skilled. I really enjoy the New England holiday tennis camps and felt my overall game improved. The clay courts are well maintained and the backdrop of Waterville Valley is beautiful. I look forward to going back!
I recently attended tennis camp for the first time ever and as a relatively new player, I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was so pleasantly surprised! Everything about the weekend was fantastic! Instructors were high energy and fun and knew how to differentiate to meet the variety of needs in our group. The food was top notch and it was nice dining with the others in the session. I was attending with a friend, but for others who were attending alone, it was really nice to spend time together and get to know each other. I made some fantastic new friends! The lodging was also fabulous! The condo we stayed in was immaculate. I also loved using the hot tub and pool after a long day of tennis. I can’t wait for my next camp session!
Lots of fun would like to go as a group of good tennis payes friends
Tennis instruction excellent; pros extremely helpful, pro to student ration – superb!
Had a great weekend at Sugarbush! Excellent tennis instruction. The coaches did a great job of mixing things up, variety of drills, etc. Great lunches ! Super fun. Will definitely return!
Would you believe I went from a 3.0 to a 4.5 player in one weekend??? Well, of course not. I did improve, however. Tennis instruction was informative and, therefore, helpful. Pros were easy to connect with and made time for people to ask some questions about the instruction. Getting video-taped was a first and a positive experience. Resort condo was another plus. Meals were offered at different places which enhanced the whole esperience. My first camp of this nature and I am thinking of making it an annual.
The location was beautiful and the pros were knowledgeable, personal and kept everyone in our group engaged and moving
NETH is located with picturesque Sugarbush Mountain (ski resort) as our backdrop. The accommodations are fantastic! NETH provides us with 3 teaching pros with 12 camp participants. The drills were varied, kept us moving and the instruction included 2 video sessions with analyses. Kurt, Paul and Connor were our pros and were professional, knowledgeable and encouraging and had fun with our lively group of 9 tennis players from our club. Lunches plus 1 dinner are included and we ordered off menu (a country club for lunch, which was varied, fresh and quite good, or at the Claybrook Resort, where we were staying.) We were indoors for our Day 1. 3 courts, hard surface. This space could have used better lighting and fresher balls, but overall, we were glad to have access to the courts! There were fitness facilities (locker room/showers/towels) available for our use. The weather was gorgeous for our Day 2 (outdoor Har-Tru courts, fantastic condition and wooded setting). Recommend driving from the Claybrook to the courts, with your gear. There is adequate parking. We all made use of the 2 outdoor hot tubs but there were no massages available, from what we could see. I gave it high marks for “spa” based on the Claybrook outdoor hot tubs which were hot and powerful on aching muscles. I especially enjoyed the music played for our warm ups! They mix everyone in and even though our group had 9 of the 12 slots for our weekend session, everyone was well taken care of. I would do this as a solo traveler, or as a couple. I have attended quite a few tennis camps and this has moved into my top position. Thanks to everyone at NETH!
Strengths: personalized coaching; super-nice instructors, meals included, beautiful weather, and players with similar levels; friendly staff; very laid-back atmosphere for weekend getaways Weaknesses: none
A few four-ballers only because Waterville Valley has a very small Town Square that does have a variety of things in it, but it’s all there is, really. The cuisine is good – basic. But good. The setting, however, is beautiful with lovely mountain views. The courts are clay and plentiful! They are well-kept. The instructors at NE Tennis Holidays are awesome… always… year after year. They are great players, have good pointers, and provide excellent instruction throughout the days. The video taping piece and critiques of particular strokes is especially helpful. I love it, and I’ll go back, as long as they are around!
Absolutely do this. Atmosphere, instruction and accommodations were great. Food was limited, repetitive and not very good
I had a great time at the tennis camp at Sugarbush. This pros (Curt, JJ, and Chris) were fantastic! There were players of all skill levels during the time I was there, and the staff was able to handle us all, with groups breaking off by skill levels at times, then coming all together for fun group games. The pros took videos of our strokes which I found extremely helpful, and then analyzed the videos with us to show our strengths and weaknesses. I would highly recommend this to any tennis aficionado, and special thanks to the pros for their great instruction!
Curt and JJ were our main pros and were absolutely top caliber and experienced. Can’t be much bette than them. Chris, as a young pro, was also great. Courts were in great shape in a very picturesque mountain setting. Our group had 12 players that added to the fun, but we only had 5 on the last day. One player was very weak and didn’t fit in well, but the pros did what they could to make it work for everyone.