Port Royal can trace its tennis history to the mid 1980s, when the original Port Royal Racquet Club opened to become one of the rare venues with 16 hard, clay, and grass courts. Late in 2018 however, the tennis operation was moved, taking up residence on eight brand-new Har-Tru courts and two permanent pickleball courts adjacent to the golf fairways at what is now the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club, about a quarter-mile away.
(The site formerly occupied by the old racquet club is slated to be redeveloped as timeshare condominiums.) Dale Brown has been hired as head tennis professional. Originally from Georgia, Brown trained at the Smith Stearns Tennis Academy on Hilton Head Island as a junior and went on to play for LaGrange College, where he earned a B.S. in Business Management and an M.S. in Strength and Conditioning. He bring a variety of teaching and coaching experience to this new position, having taught at the nearby Sea Pines Racquet Club and coached at both the high school and college levels. Still feeling his way into the new facility, he has begun by offering stroke-of-the-day and fast-action clinics every weekday as well as private lessons. He expects to add additional programs and services, including options for juniors, as he gets into high season.
Coming here is a homecoming of sorts. “As a child, my family vacationed to Port Royal and I took lessons during the summer at the old Racquet Club,” he told me. “I also spent countless hours training as a junior tennis player on Hilton Head at Smith Stearns. The chance to come back to the island and build onto the tennis program here at Port Royal is quite a blessing to me.”
Eight Har-Tru courts and two permanent pickleball courts adjacent to the golf fairways at what is now the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club
Off Court
Beach: A broad beach runs the length of Hilton Head Island.
Golf Courses: Port Royal has two 18-hole designer golf courses
Barony: This 18-hole course, designed by George W. Cobb, was one of the first to be built on Hilton Head Island. Deceptively open in appearance, it becomes challenging near the greens, which are protected by think rough and unforgiving bunkers.
Robber’s Row: Willard C. Byrd designed these 18 holes to have narrow, tree-lined fairways, small, undulating greens, and the challenge of water along 10 of the holes.
Dining: The clubhouse at Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club has the Robber’s Row Grille, open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There are more dining options at the Westin. In addition to a poolside grill for lunch, it has two other restaurants: View 32 and the farm- and sea-to-table Carolina Room.
Accommodations
The five-story, 412-room Westin fronts the beach roughly half a mile from the racquet club. It has a spa and fitness center, three swimming pools, and a kids’ club.
Getting there
Seasons: Year-round.
Travel Instructions: By Air: Port Royal is 45 miles from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) in Georgia and 95 miles from Charleston International Airport (CHS). Major airlines serve both of those gateways. It is also possible to fly directly to Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH), on commuter service from US Airways Express, via Charlotte, NC. Rental cars and shuttles are available at all three airports.
191 Reviews on “Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club - Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa”
Excellent
4.7
191 reviews
JS
AH
EA
HY
The tennis center is the best on the island. Friendly staff and offer many clinics to help with your game. They also have round robins that are super fun and a great way to meet new people. I would highly recommend taking private lessons with their tennis pro, Dale Brown. I have taken many lessons from different coaches over the years and none compare to Dale. He has helped my game tremendously. He has a great attitude, very attentive, uplifting and personalizes the lesson accordingly.
WS
Tennis instruction is superb. The Pros are highly skilled and able to communicate tennis knowledge to the player, based on the player’s goals. Also, the courts are always in extremely good shape, easily the best on HHI.
JA
Had two beginner lessons with coach Dale Brown for three kids and an adult. All had a great time and learned a lot. Highly recommend Dale for lessons.
KN
Dale Brown is an outstanding coach. He explains everything very clearly and is particularly good at keeping it simple so it is easily understood and more likely to be retained. I learned so much from him this past week and really enjoyed myself at the same time. The resort is beautiful and the courts are superb. I plan to go back next year and I met several people who like it so much they return repeatedly.
BJ
Dale, our tennis instructor/pro, was excellent. Very knowledgeable, entertaining and tailored his program to our abilities and specific requests. He was responsive when we communicated ahead of time and everything he promised, he delivered (plus great restaurant recommendations! ). We definitely will go back. Port Royal as a tennis court is a lovely facility. Beautifully maintained courts in a gorgeous, Hilton Head setting.
SW
We were a group of four 3.5/4.0 level players in Hilton Head for a week in Nov 2022. We signed up for daily back to back clinics (stroke of the day followed by fast strokes) with Dale. Dale is fabulous! He provided great insights into each of our individual games. We all improved during our time with him while having lots of laughs along the way. Some of Dale’s pro tips were new to us and made us think of elements of our games in new ways. Since I have returned home, my serve consistency has vastly improved which is down to Dale’s teaching. If one gets a chance to play at Port Royal, you will not go wrong with Dale!
JB
Dale is top drawer….high energy and effectiveness on the first stroke to the very last Virtuoso
JP
Dale and his staff do an excellent job running the Port Royal Tennis facility. I have worked with several USTA certified tennis instructors, and Dale is up there at the top as one of the best I have had the pleasure to learn from on court. He had good input into my swing path, foot work and swing preparation that helped me improve my swing. I highly recommend anyone thinking of getting lessons from Dale to give him a shot. He is a great coach. He has excellent communication skills to explain what he is thinking with respect to your swing in a way that is easy to understand and implement quickly for improvement. Two thumbs up! Thanks Dale!
KD
Awesome week of tennis clinics. Can’t wait to come again.
KP
Loved my private tennis lesson and stroke of the day clinics I took with Dale the past few days. They were fun, I learned a lot and it was a great work out. I wish I was here longer and had something like this in NY! Looking forward to being back next year.
DA
Dale our pickleball instructor was very friendly and knowledgeable. We played a fun round robin and met great people. Only 2 pickleball courts but lovely facility.
EG
I participated in four tennis stroke clinics and one organized round robin. Tennis instruction was provided by Dale Brown who creates a fun environment but also provides meaningful instruction specific to each person’s skill level. A great experience. One suggestion is for the club to manage a system to connect players who are looking to play with others during their stay.
CG
Very friendly and inviting Great social atmosphere. Relaxing , great pools and sports !
KM
Tennis instructor Dale Brown was welcoming and friendly. His easy going manner is deceptive as he pays attention to each player/participant and gives very insightful and helpful individual instruction in a 6 person clinic setting. Never playing on clay before, he also made the transition very easy. Totally enjoyable. Compliments to Dale and staff, as we were alerted to a delay in play one day, kept up to date, and even brought in new instructors to make sure we got our hour of play in Highly recommend if you’re in Port Royal and play tennis.
HL
my son and I vacationed at the port royal westin. We played tennis and pickleball and did clinics/lessons daily. The staff at Port royal was exceptional. It was by far our favorite. The tennis director (Dale) at Port royal is excellent. He can teach you, encourage you and keep you smiling with his personality. I will definitely return.
CC
Great daily tennis clinics at a reasonable cost! Dale Brown and his staff were excellent instructors. The courts and facilities were very well maintained! We will definitely be returning!
LS
Tennis clinics were excellent. Dale Brown did a great job of instructing and executing drills. There was a good balance between doing the drills and stopping to make suggestions regarding strokes and positioning. He also did a very good job of explaining “why” we should do certain things. Another positive aspect was the way that he involved us in the process of trying to figure things out. Finally, Dale made the process fun – even when I was gasping for breath.
KS
My wife and I keep coming back to Port Royal (three times in one year) because of Dale Brown, its Director of Tennis. Dale is an excellent teaching pro and he has helped both of us improve our games significantly. Dale has an incredible ability to quickly identify a player’s strengths and weaknesses and then come up with easy to understand methods to enhance a player’s strengths and improve his/her weaknesses. Dale also has a great sense of humor and makes the lessons very enjoyable. My wife and I can’t wait to go back to Port Royal in a few months!
MG
Dale is an excellent teacher. Lots of energy and made the clinics fun as well as educational. I will definitely be back in the future as my schedule allows.
LH
I had a tennis private with Dale at the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club. I’m returning to tennis after years long hiatus. Dale was fantastic- he was holistically insightful and gave me valuable advice to improve on my game in every aspect. Dale made my lesson feel lighthearted and he took the time to get to know me, which made me feel comfortable on a new court. His teaching style allowed me to build confidence both on the court and in my strokes. Dale even emailed me a summary of things we discussed during our lesson afterwards- extremely helpful as I was only in town for a vacation and would have definitely forgotten each detail. Overall, Dale was great. I definitely hope to work with him in the future when I am back in the area.
MJ
We went to the Westin for our vacation and the Port Royal Racquet Club program was definitely one of the best parts of our trip. They have a great pro, great programming and you get to meet new people.
SJ
Port Royal is a great club for both golf and tennis. My wife and I stayed at the Westin and did the Daily Double tennis clinic every morning with Dale Brown from 9-11. While we really enjoyed the club and facilities, it was Director of Tennis Dale Brown who really made it a truly exceptional experience. Fun, high energy, and excellent instruction from someone who is truly passionate about tennis. We’ll definitely be repeat customers and highly recommend Dale and Port Royal for tennis on Hilton Head Island.
CP
The “daily double” tennis drills with Dale are a must! We loved the structure of having a stroke of the day to focus on for the first hour and then more of a cardio workout while playing tennis for the second hour. Dale was an excellent coach and taught us so much in the short time that we were on vacation. Dale also went above and beyond by helping put us in touch with a tennis pro in our hometown area. We will definitely be back soon!
SK
Dale at the port royal tennis club was amazing.
KS
Getting our little ones in Port Royals Tennis clinic is one of the highlights for our summer visits to Hilton Head every year. The pro shop staff is professional, the grounds are stunning and most importantly our kids always have a blast. You can tell the tennis pros love what they do and they’re just outstanding with the kids. You can tell the tennis community at Port Royal is a close group and knows how to have a good time; they’ve always been incredibly friendly, welcoming and kind on our brief visits.
JL
Rented tennis courts for just family hit around. Conditions and experience were great. In addition, we setup private Family “Pickleball” lessons with Dale Brown to get acquainted to the game and learn the rules. Dale was superb including a lot of patience and great personality. Highly recommend giving Dale and Pickleball a try.
JF
I was very fortunate to have lessons and clinics with Dale Brown this January 2021. Dale Brown was the best private lesson, group lesson and clinic coach that I’ve ever had! I should have done this many years ago! The Port Royal tennis staff were also excellent, very professional and friendly. I look forward to returning next year! Jack Foster
LD
Myself and my children have done a series of tennis clinics and private lessons with Dale Brown who is really an outstanding instructor. We were impressed with his ability to coach towards change in our games, excite my children with his enthusiasm, and his patience with players who took longer to gain the skills. We have all taken lessons and clinics at various clubs, resorts and camps, but to date we have found Dale to be the best instructor we have met. Again, his kindness, patience and true ability to really COACH to a desired outcome are all qualities appreciated by students.
KP
The Director of Tennis and Head Pro is exceptional! Very professional, excellent teacher, and because of his personality, creates a fun, happy atmosphere!! The staff is knowledgeable and friendly! The tennis courts are perfectly maintained! The grounds are beautifully landscaped! No weaknesses at Port Royal Golf and Racquet Club!
PM
All around excellent experience. Dale arranged for me to play with a group that was fantastic. He is a terrific instructor and will focus on whatever you choose to work on.
CH
The highlight of my lesson was the instructor, Dale. He made learning fun and kept it simple, with just a few tips that immediately improved my form. He is such a great instructor! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
MG
We came in from Washington DC and met Dale for the first time. He was truly amazing. We are extremely picky when it comes to tennis instruction and needed someone for kids, adults and grandparents. He rose to the occasion and provided thoughtful instruction in a really fun manner. We had a blast each day and it was refreshing to get his perspective on the game and its techniques. More importantly our kids had a great time and could not wait to go each and every day. Dale is really a great coach and teacher – he is patient and thoughtful. He handled all the personalities well and we hope to take more lessons from him in the future. We are used to top training and have one of the best in the country in the DC area – Dale is right there with them and we would highly rec’d.
WL
The Port Royal tennis facility has been upgraded and is tremendous. The Har-Tru courts are outstanding. Head pro Dale Brown is a great guy and a pleasure to be around.
EY
Dale Brown, Director of Tennis Is awesome. Great instructions, keeps you focused and fun sense of humor. Even a clinic in 100 degrees goes quickly w Dale.
RA
Tennis: add backboard and ball machines
CP
Hit 4-5 times with Dale who was the perfect pro for me to hit with. Dale provided the best mix of hard hitting, good feedback, and technical expertise. It was a very enjoyable experience.
HK
Club was great. Courts were beautiful and well maintained. Dale was hands down the best tennis instructor I’ve ever had. And I’ve had many!! Helped my backhand and overall cleaned up my game!
BW
Check out Port Royal Tennis club in Hiltonhead SC. Great facility with plenty of drills and match play offered plus top notch pros on staff.
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191 Reviews on “Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club - Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa”
The tennis center is the best on the island. Friendly staff and offer many clinics to help with your game. They also have round robins that are super fun and a great way to meet new people. I would highly recommend taking private lessons with their tennis pro, Dale Brown. I have taken many lessons from different coaches over the years and none compare to Dale. He has helped my game tremendously. He has a great attitude, very attentive, uplifting and personalizes the lesson accordingly.
Tennis instruction is superb. The Pros are highly skilled and able to communicate tennis knowledge to the player, based on the player’s goals. Also, the courts are always in extremely good shape, easily the best on HHI.
Had two beginner lessons with coach Dale Brown for three kids and an adult. All had a great time and learned a lot. Highly recommend Dale for lessons.
Dale Brown is an outstanding coach. He explains everything very clearly and is particularly good at keeping it simple so it is easily understood and more likely to be retained. I learned so much from him this past week and really enjoyed myself at the same time. The resort is beautiful and the courts are superb. I plan to go back next year and I met several people who like it so much they return repeatedly.
Dale, our tennis instructor/pro, was excellent. Very knowledgeable, entertaining and tailored his program to our abilities and specific requests. He was responsive when we communicated ahead of time and everything he promised, he delivered (plus great restaurant recommendations! ). We definitely will go back. Port Royal as a tennis court is a lovely facility. Beautifully maintained courts in a gorgeous, Hilton Head setting.
We were a group of four 3.5/4.0 level players in Hilton Head for a week in Nov 2022. We signed up for daily back to back clinics (stroke of the day followed by fast strokes) with Dale. Dale is fabulous! He provided great insights into each of our individual games. We all improved during our time with him while having lots of laughs along the way. Some of Dale’s pro tips were new to us and made us think of elements of our games in new ways. Since I have returned home, my serve consistency has vastly improved which is down to Dale’s teaching. If one gets a chance to play at Port Royal, you will not go wrong with Dale!
Dale is top drawer….high energy and effectiveness on the first stroke to the very last Virtuoso
Dale and his staff do an excellent job running the Port Royal Tennis facility. I have worked with several USTA certified tennis instructors, and Dale is up there at the top as one of the best I have had the pleasure to learn from on court. He had good input into my swing path, foot work and swing preparation that helped me improve my swing. I highly recommend anyone thinking of getting lessons from Dale to give him a shot. He is a great coach. He has excellent communication skills to explain what he is thinking with respect to your swing in a way that is easy to understand and implement quickly for improvement. Two thumbs up! Thanks Dale!
Awesome week of tennis clinics. Can’t wait to come again.
Loved my private tennis lesson and stroke of the day clinics I took with Dale the past few days. They were fun, I learned a lot and it was a great work out. I wish I was here longer and had something like this in NY! Looking forward to being back next year.
Dale our pickleball instructor was very friendly and knowledgeable. We played a fun round robin and met great people. Only 2 pickleball courts but lovely facility.
I participated in four tennis stroke clinics and one organized round robin. Tennis instruction was provided by Dale Brown who creates a fun environment but also provides meaningful instruction specific to each person’s skill level. A great experience. One suggestion is for the club to manage a system to connect players who are looking to play with others during their stay.
Very friendly and inviting Great social atmosphere. Relaxing , great pools and sports !
Tennis instructor Dale Brown was welcoming and friendly. His easy going manner is deceptive as he pays attention to each player/participant and gives very insightful and helpful individual instruction in a 6 person clinic setting. Never playing on clay before, he also made the transition very easy. Totally enjoyable. Compliments to Dale and staff, as we were alerted to a delay in play one day, kept up to date, and even brought in new instructors to make sure we got our hour of play in Highly recommend if you’re in Port Royal and play tennis.
my son and I vacationed at the port royal westin. We played tennis and pickleball and did clinics/lessons daily. The staff at Port royal was exceptional. It was by far our favorite. The tennis director (Dale) at Port royal is excellent. He can teach you, encourage you and keep you smiling with his personality. I will definitely return.
Great daily tennis clinics at a reasonable cost! Dale Brown and his staff were excellent instructors. The courts and facilities were very well maintained! We will definitely be returning!
Tennis clinics were excellent. Dale Brown did a great job of instructing and executing drills. There was a good balance between doing the drills and stopping to make suggestions regarding strokes and positioning. He also did a very good job of explaining “why” we should do certain things. Another positive aspect was the way that he involved us in the process of trying to figure things out. Finally, Dale made the process fun – even when I was gasping for breath.
My wife and I keep coming back to Port Royal (three times in one year) because of Dale Brown, its Director of Tennis. Dale is an excellent teaching pro and he has helped both of us improve our games significantly. Dale has an incredible ability to quickly identify a player’s strengths and weaknesses and then come up with easy to understand methods to enhance a player’s strengths and improve his/her weaknesses. Dale also has a great sense of humor and makes the lessons very enjoyable. My wife and I can’t wait to go back to Port Royal in a few months!
Dale is an excellent teacher. Lots of energy and made the clinics fun as well as educational. I will definitely be back in the future as my schedule allows.
I had a tennis private with Dale at the Port Royal Golf & Racquet Club. I’m returning to tennis after years long hiatus. Dale was fantastic- he was holistically insightful and gave me valuable advice to improve on my game in every aspect. Dale made my lesson feel lighthearted and he took the time to get to know me, which made me feel comfortable on a new court. His teaching style allowed me to build confidence both on the court and in my strokes. Dale even emailed me a summary of things we discussed during our lesson afterwards- extremely helpful as I was only in town for a vacation and would have definitely forgotten each detail. Overall, Dale was great. I definitely hope to work with him in the future when I am back in the area.
We went to the Westin for our vacation and the Port Royal Racquet Club program was definitely one of the best parts of our trip. They have a great pro, great programming and you get to meet new people.
Port Royal is a great club for both golf and tennis. My wife and I stayed at the Westin and did the Daily Double tennis clinic every morning with Dale Brown from 9-11. While we really enjoyed the club and facilities, it was Director of Tennis Dale Brown who really made it a truly exceptional experience. Fun, high energy, and excellent instruction from someone who is truly passionate about tennis. We’ll definitely be repeat customers and highly recommend Dale and Port Royal for tennis on Hilton Head Island.
The “daily double” tennis drills with Dale are a must! We loved the structure of having a stroke of the day to focus on for the first hour and then more of a cardio workout while playing tennis for the second hour. Dale was an excellent coach and taught us so much in the short time that we were on vacation. Dale also went above and beyond by helping put us in touch with a tennis pro in our hometown area. We will definitely be back soon!
Dale at the port royal tennis club was amazing.
Getting our little ones in Port Royals Tennis clinic is one of the highlights for our summer visits to Hilton Head every year. The pro shop staff is professional, the grounds are stunning and most importantly our kids always have a blast. You can tell the tennis pros love what they do and they’re just outstanding with the kids. You can tell the tennis community at Port Royal is a close group and knows how to have a good time; they’ve always been incredibly friendly, welcoming and kind on our brief visits.
Rented tennis courts for just family hit around. Conditions and experience were great. In addition, we setup private Family “Pickleball” lessons with Dale Brown to get acquainted to the game and learn the rules. Dale was superb including a lot of patience and great personality. Highly recommend giving Dale and Pickleball a try.
I was very fortunate to have lessons and clinics with Dale Brown this January 2021. Dale Brown was the best private lesson, group lesson and clinic coach that I’ve ever had! I should have done this many years ago! The Port Royal tennis staff were also excellent, very professional and friendly. I look forward to returning next year! Jack Foster
Myself and my children have done a series of tennis clinics and private lessons with Dale Brown who is really an outstanding instructor. We were impressed with his ability to coach towards change in our games, excite my children with his enthusiasm, and his patience with players who took longer to gain the skills. We have all taken lessons and clinics at various clubs, resorts and camps, but to date we have found Dale to be the best instructor we have met. Again, his kindness, patience and true ability to really COACH to a desired outcome are all qualities appreciated by students.
The Director of Tennis and Head Pro is exceptional! Very professional, excellent teacher, and because of his personality, creates a fun, happy atmosphere!! The staff is knowledgeable and friendly! The tennis courts are perfectly maintained! The grounds are beautifully landscaped! No weaknesses at Port Royal Golf and Racquet Club!
All around excellent experience. Dale arranged for me to play with a group that was fantastic. He is a terrific instructor and will focus on whatever you choose to work on.
The highlight of my lesson was the instructor, Dale. He made learning fun and kept it simple, with just a few tips that immediately improved my form. He is such a great instructor! HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!
We came in from Washington DC and met Dale for the first time. He was truly amazing. We are extremely picky when it comes to tennis instruction and needed someone for kids, adults and grandparents. He rose to the occasion and provided thoughtful instruction in a really fun manner. We had a blast each day and it was refreshing to get his perspective on the game and its techniques. More importantly our kids had a great time and could not wait to go each and every day. Dale is really a great coach and teacher – he is patient and thoughtful. He handled all the personalities well and we hope to take more lessons from him in the future. We are used to top training and have one of the best in the country in the DC area – Dale is right there with them and we would highly rec’d.
The Port Royal tennis facility has been upgraded and is tremendous. The Har-Tru courts are outstanding. Head pro Dale Brown is a great guy and a pleasure to be around.
Dale Brown, Director of Tennis Is awesome. Great instructions, keeps you focused and fun sense of humor. Even a clinic in 100 degrees goes quickly w Dale.
Tennis: add backboard and ball machines
Hit 4-5 times with Dale who was the perfect pro for me to hit with. Dale provided the best mix of hard hitting, good feedback, and technical expertise. It was a very enjoyable experience.
Club was great. Courts were beautiful and well maintained. Dale was hands down the best tennis instructor I’ve ever had. And I’ve had many!! Helped my backhand and overall cleaned up my game!
Check out Port Royal Tennis club in Hiltonhead SC. Great facility with plenty of drills and match play offered plus top notch pros on staff.