Saddlebrook Resort has a well-deserved reputation for staging one of the most—if not, the most—demanding tennis programs on the planet. The underlying philosophy owes much to the training techniques of the legendary Australian Davis Cup coach and notorious taskmaster Harry Hopman. His was a taxing regimen designed at once to improve technique and push the envelope of his charge’s stamina and endurance. That reputation for toughness draws aspiring juniors to its academy and committed adults, the latter attracted to the blend of rigorous workouts and Saddlebrook’s full resort amenities.
Saddlebrook Resort garnered awards for its design when it opened in 1981. The 480-acre layout, 25 miles north of Tampa, places the lodging, restaurants, shops, a lakesize swimming pool, tennis courts, spa, golf clubhouse, and meeting rooms at the center of a halo of golf fairways, condos, and residential neighborhoods. Centralizing all of the major amenities creates what they call a “Walking Village.” Foliage is lush, ponds and lakes dot the property, and birds are abundant, including several endangered species for which this is a refuge and a rookery.
This is hardly the setting you’d expect for the mother of all hard-core tennis camps, but having all those amenities provides relief from the rigors of the daily regimen while its guard gate provides privacy and security—one reason touring pros visit between tournaments to work on their games. Its juniors, both live-in and short term, hope the program will set them on the road to greatness (or at least a college scholarship), while adults come looking to get in shape, test their physical mettle, or perhaps search for a magic elixir to cure, once and for all, the flaws in their game. It is also often true that the adults frequently underestimate the physical demands a program like this makes, and that even though none has ever in his or her life played five hours of tennis a day, they somehow think they are ready for five hours a day of drills.
Although the historical philosophy of the program has to push you to the point that your game breaks down, find what is salvageable in the rubble, and rebuild from there. That said, after my last visit I came away thinking that this approach has mellowed somewhat in recent years. In my early participation in the Hopman program, as it was known then, I remember being chastised for ignoring a feed too wide for me to reach, only to have the next fed wider until I learned that it was crucial to make an attempt even when you thought you had no chance of reaching the balls. I remember, too, the so-called “bucket of ball” drills and “kamikaze” drills that had you scampering right and left and back again until you pleaded exhaustion or the pro was convinced you’d had enough.
My sense is that while the regimen remains demanding, the boot-camp approach has been abandoned. None of the pros on my latest visit adopted an in-your-face drill sergeant’s demeanor (though I was told that if that’s what you want, it is available). Instead, they established key concepts essential to hitting well—early preparation, eyes on the ball, full follow-through—and then ran drills and competitive exercises to put those concepts into practice. Still, there were times when we were grateful for the break afforded by the need to pick up balls.
Although there are exceptions, you typically stay with the same pro throughout your stay (barring his or her days off), so they oversee your progress first-hand. They tailor the work to the abilities of the campers they oversee. Rather than stand in one place and hit picture-perfect strokes, you pretty much have to run for every ball. Like the pros, you’ll do a lot of two-on-one drills, and if your skills permit it live-ball drills and competitive games with the other campers on your court. The process can be exhilarating, demoralizing, or both, but you will come away from this program knowing where you stand with respect to your aerobic conditioning and what you really need to do to take your game to the next level.
If courts alone were the measure of a great tennis resort, then Saddlebrook would rank near the top. It has 45 courts altogether, including hard, clay, red clay, Rebound Ace (the surface formerly used at the Australian Open) and grass, all of which—the grass included—are available to guests. The major complex is near the center of the resort. There is a secondary complex a mile away in Lakeside Village, which is also the site of the 3,000-square-foot fitness center and high-performance complex and where the juniors enrolled in the academy work out. All of the courts are laid out in clusters of two to five separated by an awning-covered patio furnished with chairs and a refrigerated water fountain.
Tennis Staff: Although Harry Hopman, the legendary Australian Davis Cup coach, died in 1985, the organization he built survives. The core group of staff, many longtime Saddlebrook pros, expands and contracts based on how many adults are enrolled in the programs—as many as are needed to keep the student:pro ratio at 4:1 of less.
Tennis Programs: Although the resort itself offers some perfunctory stroke-of-the-day clinics (run by tennis-academy staff), the real reason a tennis player would come here is the Hopman-inspired camps.
Unlike some other dedicated facilities and college-campus programs, Hopman’s does not include any meals in the package, so for other dining you’re left to fend for yourself at the quite good but pricey restaurants at the resort itself or pile into cars for trips beyond the resort. Caveat: The Saddlebrook program can be among the most physically demanding of all the camps, so start a workout regimen weeks before you come down. Bring two pairs of tennis shoes, several changes of clothes (washers and dryers are available in each lodging cluster), a hat, sunblock, two racquets if you have them (broken strings are commonplace), and overgrip.
Off Court
Golf Courses: Saddlebrook has two 18-hole courses, both designed by Arnold Palmer, and an Arnold Palmer Golf Academy. Tee times for any of the following courses can be reserved.
Palmer Course: This course is characterized by open, undulating fairways, and an abundance of lakes, streams and ponds. Par: 71. Length: 5,212-6,469 yards.
Saddlebrook Course: Though flatter than the Palmer course, this one is also tighter, with tree-lined fairways and water on most of its holes. Par: 70. Length: 5,183-6,603 yards.
Spa & Fitness Center: The 7,000-square-foot Spa in the walking village has 12 treatment rooms offering massages, hydrotherapy treatments, and some beauty services; however, it is currently closed. Campers who can still walk at the end of the day are welcome to use the 3,300-square-foot, state-of-the-art fitness center in Lakeside Village, a 10-minute walk from the Superpool, but it’s rate that anyone does so. It has a full line of Cybex equipment plus treadmills, stair steppers, recumbent bicycles, elliptical trainers, and rubber-encased freeweights all in rooms with views of a swimming pool or volley ball pit. Personal trainers are on hand to help you craft a workout regimen. There is also an adjacent high-performance sports center, which offers specialized training programs often to professional athletes.
The centerpiece of the resort is its half-million-gallon, amoeba-shaped Superpool, said to be the largest in Florida. At 270 feet long, it is vast enough to contain a 25-meter lap pool, water volleyball and water basketball courts, and a diving area. Around it are children’s wading pools and two heated whirlpools. There is another swimming pool near the Sports Village & Fitness Center. Otherwise, recreation run to bike trails around the property and bass fishing in the privately stocked lakes.
Children's programs: The S’Kids Club operates year round providing supervised activities for kids ages 4-12.
Dining: The TD’s Sports Bar has light fare and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Dempsey’s Steakhouse is currently closed; however it’s menu prime beef and seafood is available at TD’s Sports Bar. There’s also a pool bar for lunch and poolside cocktails.
Accommodations
There are a total of 790 rooms and suites at Saddlebrook, most of them in 50-unit clusters variously arrayed near the main clubhouse and pool, or out along the golf fairways. Each cluster has an ice machine and washer/dryer. The most basic accommodation is a hotel room with two double beds and a private balcony or patio. The alternatives are one- and two-bedroom suites (which anywhere else would be called condos). These have full kitchens (with coffee makers and dishwashers; most have microwaves, if not you can request one), separate living and dining areas, and one or two bedrooms, each with a full bath. The living room opens onto a patio or balcony. High-speed Internet access is available throughout the resort.
Anyone who enrolls in the Saddlebrook International Tennis program is eligible for discounted room rates. By booking tennis and lodging together, you get a deluxe guest room, 5 hours/day of intensive tennis, complimentary court time, daily lunch, and access to the fitness center and spa. One- and two-bedroom suites with full kitchens are also available.
Getting there
Seasons: The resort and its Hopman tennis programs operate year-round; however, given the grueling nature of these clinics, you should think twice about coming in summer—unless, of course, you want to work out in hot, humid conditions. Principally for that reason, the camps are generally two to three times larger during the fall, winter, and spring than in summer.
The tennis camps are taught by very knowledgeable pros who provide exceptional instruction in a relaxed and fun environment. The Hopman staff is friendly and accommodating and the facilities are very well kept. I’d highly recommend the experience to anyone from a beginner to an advanced player. If you are also looking for a tennis academy for your child, the Academy at Saddlebrook is an outstanding choice.
HD
My group of 4.0 ladies attend Saddlebrook every year for the past 9 years. We learn something new every year, and are primed and ready for our USTA season to begin! Not only are the pros fast, knowledgable, challenging, and fun, but the actual resort is beautiful. It is the best of both worlds. World Class tennis and top notch surroundings. We never leave the property for 5 days! It is a tough workout for every level of player. You will NOT be disappointed.
RL
As an adult who played junior tennis (terribly I might add), I’ve been growing into a better player over the years. I’m always looking for a great resort with top notch coaching to take my tennis to the next level. I’ve participated in the Hopman program a number of times and am never disappointed. Howard does a great job of matching players abilities and moving players to other courts when necessary. There are never more than 4 to a court, and I’ve had days where I had a private lesson for 1/2 the day. I look forward to going back every year. Plus, always check for deals on lodging!
LA
The tennis is fantastic. The courts are in great shape. The tennis folks are warm and welcoming. The student pro ratio of 4:1 ensures that you hit a lot of balls. The instruction is very personalized and you feel like you have improved by the end of the week. Howard Moore runs a first class operation!!! The resort itself can use a bit of updating and polish. Very expensive to eat and drink on property. I wouldn’t go without my own car.
NM
One of the best vacation experiences ever. The tennis instruction is excellent, the programs well organized. And the instructors tailor the training to suit you. Challenging each person just enough. A great balance of activities across the resort. The food is excellent, the service was above average in every sense, and the staff were friendly, helpful and very accommodating. If you want to play better tennis and have a great time doing it, highly recommended!
VB
Ive been coming to Saddlebrook and the hopman tennis program for 10 years. Howard/Larry and the staff are simply excellent and the assortment of teaching pros are really into it, passionate and take their tennis very seriously. Lauren whom I had on this most recent trip for 5 days was excellent. She worked us hard, focused on a few key things to improve (not to many not too little) with everyone and she is also a delightful young lady. Ive looked at tennis programs all over the county and each time I come back to Saddlebrook for the simple reason that the program is consistent, excellent tennis, your grouped with players of your own skill level, its fun and engaging but the tennis is serious and I always improve. Kusdos to the staff there, super !!!!!
NW
The Saddlebrook Adult Tennis Program, headed by program director Howard Moore, is a first-class operation. I recently returned from week stretch in March for the fourth consecutive year. I’m a 4.0 player and have been going there primarily to improve my game. Training is conducted on the Har-Tru, or green clay, courts. The day is broken down into a 3-hour morning segment from 8 AM to 11 AM and a 2-hour afternoon session from 1 PM to 3 PM. Each is preceded by a 10 minute stretch. The morning stretch is followed by a “shot of the day” demonstration by one of the pros with commentary by Howard. He exudes enthusiasm and does his absolute best to make sure everyone is having a great experience. Before going to Saddlebrook, I had never had video analysis done. It is absolutely critical to improving and they e-mail it to you for future reference. The days can be physically taxing and I recommend doing physical conditioning before arriving. My instructors this year were Zora Vlckova, a former All-American, for the first two days and Mike Harley for the last 5 days. Both were top notch and very personable. They honed in on a number of my technical deficiencies immediately. Groups are comprised of 3-4 people, but they found ample time to inquire what each individual wanted to work on and constructed drills to focus on those areas. Zora’s approach shot and swinging volley demonstrations were the best I’ve seen and completely changed my perception on how they should be executed. Mike’s discussions on doubles net strategy and his service return instruction were particularly outstanding. One difficult individual assigned to our group would interrupt the entire group to quibble about the score of training games and also made occasional agitating remarks. Mike was a consummate professional and made the best of the situation for all of us. I can’t thank him enough. Every instructor, like any tennis player, has their particular strengths and weaknesses. If you want to work on a particular aspect of your game that you don’t feel like you are getting, Howard will fix it. In fact, if there is anything about the tennis that you are not getting, Howard will make it happen. The resort itself is excellent. The rooms are exceptionally comfortable and a nice contrast to the cold décor of many modern urban hotels. The Super Pool is great place to cool down after a long day of tennis. There are a nice range of restaurants, although I’ve usually eaten dinner off-resort. Tropics is a great place for lunch in between tennis sessions with prompt service and friendly staff. All-in-all, Saddlebrook is the best thing I’ve done for my tennis since picking up a racquet. In the four years that I’ve been going, my strokes and understanding of the game have continually improved. Last night, I played a friend who I lost to 0-6, 3-6 just two months ago. Using the returns and angled volleys I worked on with Mike, I was able to turn the match around from being down 0-5 in the first set to winning 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. That was pretty cool. I’m looking forward to returning next year, hopefully playing at the 4.5 level.
LD
Something for everyone. My children golfed and worked with personal trainers in their athletic facility while I played tennis. I learned so much and loved the video analysis.
GO
We had a really good pro his name was Tony, it was a educational experience, facility were great and you beat the weather. Tony was very patient and pushed but not too hard
SR
The intensive tennis instruction at Saddlebrook is one of a kind. I first attended as a beginner and this year as an intermediate with five years playing experience. All of the professionals I have worked with there have been tremendous, helping me make significant improvements in my level of play. My wife (a strong 4.0 player) and daughter (a beginner) also attended and found the pros to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Their demeanor is upbeat and friendly and the workout is intensive. At the end of the day we were all quite exhausted but we agreed it was a “good” exhausted. By the way, the resort is beautiful. My ten year old grandson enjoyed playing some tennis, swimming in the 500,000 gallon pool and attending some Yankee spring training games at the nearby George Steinbrenner Field. I would highly recommend the Saddlebrook tennis program.
RW
Just got back from 5 days at Saddlebrook and I loved the place. It was my first time there and my first tennis resort experience. I can’t imagine any resort nicer! The tennis director Howard was excellent, very enthusiastic, very nice. can’t wait to go back!
JD
The resort is beautiful, and very well maintained. The tennis facilities are outstanding. The clinics are well organized with respect to skills taught and matching clinic participants in groups of comparable skill level. There are many pros there, and when my husband and I stayed there for 4 and a half days (9 sessions each) we both had the benefit of receiving instruction from several different people, all very skilled. We worked hard on court to grasp and practice the suggestions from the instructors, and there was a lot of good, fun tennis! When you go there, you need to be healthy. You’ll be exhausted at the end of a full day. Off court, the challenge was to write down those suggestions and get recovered and rested and ready for the next session. If staying for several days, you may want to schedule an afternoon off for a break. Most of the sessions focused on strokes and general movement on the court. There was not much instruction on point construction and strategy for doubles or singles. When we booked our reservation, and at least once each session, I mentioned that I wanted to have doubles instruction with my husband. I was disappointed that we were never assigned to the same court so that we could receive doubles coaching. There are a few restaurants on the property, but not a lot of variety. The breakfast restaurant, Tropics, had excellent quality. Salads were wonderful at all the restaurants, but it seemed like the same menu was offered whether poolside or at the sports bar. The steakhouse had some excellent features and Tropics also had some excellent, interesting menu items. Off property, not too far away are several chain restaurants that can provide some different fare. We would definitely return. The staff and the facilities were great, we had fun while learning and improving our tennis skills, and we really enjoyed meeting the other clinic participants.
DM
Just returned from our fifth or sixth visit to Saddlebrook. The tennis program was excellent – possibly the best experience yet. There is good variety, so I played in the clinics in the morning, and had a private lesson in the afternoon. They work to keep the clinic fairly well matched in ability of the players, and if you are unhappy, they will move you to another group. The hotel room are good sized, but a little dated. Many of them have balconies with lovely views over the golf course. We love to walk over the bridge and watch the birds, turtles and crocodiles after tennis. The restaurants are pricey, but definitely the best food in the area. There are also a couple of large pools and a spa on the beautiful campus.
DD
I would tell my friends to go to Saddlebrook’s Hopman Tennis Program to get some serious tennis training in. Our family just finished our second visit there this week (previously attended in February 2013) and really enjoyed the challenge of playing 5 hours per day. My wife and I played 3 days with 3 different sets of players but always felt “well-matched”. We appreciated the variety of very good to great instructors. Our two tennis playing teenagers were fit onto courts with other good juniors. The Tennis Director, Howard Moore, visited all the courts, giving great advice. When he stays on your court for an extended amount of time (as he did with us one day), look out! He will make you try harder than you thought possible; he is a great motivator as well as technical advisor!! We do recommend Saddlebrook to our friends, how could we not?!
DG
Instructional quality is uniformly excellent. Hospitality of the instructors and their supervisor, Howard Moore is impeccable! A great resort which we have visited many times and will continue to.
RS
Great place and terrific staff!
MJ
Saddlebrook’s accommodations are superior. The rooms surpassed my exceedingly high expectations. The tennis courts are very well maintained, the instructors are wonderfully skilled, experienced and enthusiastic. The grass court was a bucket list experience to behold. Howard is magnificent on & off of the court. He is energetic so you better bring your “A” game. The head pro is very capable as well as a high level player. I look forward to returning right after tax season ends (I was there in mid-December.
MC
I went for three days in January 2015 and had a great experience. They did a fine job of putting together the groups even though there were not to many strong players around. We had a great coach who with care changed aspects of my game permanently. I would say that one weakness is that at 5 h a day it’s a challenge to be at your best.
ST
It was my first time at Saddlebrook 5 days tennis adult program. There was some difficulty with fixing the correct reservation with Alice. First, I didn’t get any reply to my emails and had to call (from Brazil) to get them. Since there was a mistake in the room reservation, charging a smaller value than advertised, she simply changed the tennis package (lunch was not included anymore) without letting me know. I traveled with my 18 years old son and wasn’t sure how to proceed with his booking and Alice also didn’t help. Fortunalety, the tennis team was great, I can point out Tai, who was always looking after my son, and led him to the juniors program where he enjoyed training and playing with others of his age. The first 3 days I had a great instructor, Hank, who dedicated the time correcting strokes and giving excellent hints, which I will remember always! The video recording and analysis was great, but it couldn’t be sent. That loses its effectiveness because being able to review it afterwards, could help a lot. Unfortunately, the last 2 days I was with Tom, who focused most of the time on playing anyway, not giving much attention to correction of strokes, and also gave almost total attention to the other player. On the last day, when a third player showed up, I had to say him that he had forgotten me! He seems to be there to have a good time…for him!
DB
Another outstanding vacation. Instruction is the best available anywhere. Staff is a pleasure to work with. Setting is very nice. Rooms are very nice. Multiple area restaurants available with great choices (Wiregrass Mall). Howard runs a top-notch camp. Had a new instructor this trip – David – and he was great.
PS
My second trip this January to train at Saddlebrook’s adult tennis program was as stellar as my first in 2014. The program’s dependability for being truly outstanding among tennis camps is due to the exceptional leadership of program director Howard Moore, whose genuine love of tennis and care for tennis players is an inspiration. And the entire staff shares Moore’s energy and commitment to making every participant feel valued and have an amazing experience. Can’t recommend it more highly!
AK
Excellent adult tennis camp! We returned in January for our 3rd visit as always a good workout and tune up. there are 2 clinics a day with 3 hours in the AM, a 2 hour lunch break, and and additional ( optional) 2 hours in the afternoon. The coaches are excellent, there is a 4 to 1 ratio,and there is success with making the drills interesting rather than HoHUM. The coaches are engaged and not bored. My wife and I are tennis nuts and there is sadly nothing other than Saddlebrook that combines resort with tennis. The resort is staid, boring yet adequate is tennis play is what you are after. The food is unimpresiive and there is not much else close by so not for those who are foodies or wanting luxury.
JM
The instructors are very knowledgeable, and quickly determine and let you know how you can improve your strokes. They are very accommodating and provide the type of play everyone on the court wants. They also provide game-winning strategy information.
MG
This is my second time at Saddlebrook and once again the tennis program was simply outstanding. The enthusiasm for both the sport and the student comes from the top down and is demonstrated each and every minute by the highly qualified staff led by its director Howard Moore. We were warmly greeted each morning by Howard which set the tone for a great day of fun and learning. This was followed by a rigorous warm up to prevent injury and a demonstration of technique which was helpful for those of us who are visual learners. The instruction was catered to each individual and the commitment to us leaving a little more competent than when we arrived was clearly evident. After I work on some of the golden nuggets that were imparted to me I look forward to coming back to further hone my skills. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to Howard and his staff for another great experience!
JO
This is an excellent tennis resort. I spent two days there and learned so much while getting a fantastic workout on the clay courts. The Program Director, Howard Moore, brought an invigorating enthusiasm to instructional demos that clearly and concisely went through key technical components of strokes. The staff that I worked with were wonderful (thanks to David, Tai, Sean, and Lauren). Some of the big things I took away from my weekend there will give me more confidence to go big on the shots I’ve been struggling with. I look forward to my next visit!
LS
I would definitely recommend Saddlebrook Tennis to others. I learned so much in the few days that I was there. I can’t wait to go back. The coaches and staff are really focused on preparing you for your game. Everyone is friendly, patient and helpful. I feel like my game has greatly improved.
RA
Just back from my first visit to the Hopman Program at Saddlebrook. Found the instruction to be first-rate, compared to the programs at other resorts that I have visited. The 4:1 student to instructor ratio was adhered to religiously, which meant hitting a lot of balls and getting what felt like one-on-one instruction each day. The program offers a great balance between basic stroke instruction, combined with advanced strokes and point play to reinforce the lessons. The enthusiasm of the instructors was a real plus and kept the group motivated as the week went on. I found the full-day program to be a great workout and just the right amount of tennis. The tennis facility was impressive, with 45 well-maintained courts scattered throughout the resort. The only downfall was a disconnect between the tennis program and the resort itself – didn’t get a lot of details on the program (ie. start times, locations, etc.) when checking in, but a quick stop by the tennis pro shop cleared that up. We were immediately welcomed by Howard Moore, Saddlebrook’s Tennis Program Director, who made my 16-year-old son feel right at home (getting him out on the court within 15 minutes of arriving). A great tennis experience!
ES
Saddlebrook Tennis Camp was great. I stayed there for 3 days, 5 hours camp each day. We were 4 people per group and the last day just my friend and I. Tom was our pro for the first 2 days, He focussed on strokes and on play. We got to play a lot, and it was a real work-out. Very engaging, and fast paced, with I really enjoyed. Day 3 was with Zora, who focussed on stroke accuracy. By that time, I was more aware of the strokes not working right, and with the help of a video we saw what my problems were. On day three 2 other coaches from the camp dropped by to help my friend and me to really understand the techniques. The subsequent drills were so helpful. I’d go back to Saddlebrook in a heart beat.
JL
Excellent tennis instruction for the most part. Good exercise, good grouping of players of similar abilities on the court together. Fun time. Somewhat inconsistent pro quality. Limited dinner retaurants on site (but great restos in Tampa!)
EM
This was my second time attending the camp – this time for 3 full days. I was extremely impressed with the level of care and attention they gave each participant. I worked with two different pros re: my own request. While some people enjoy staying with the same pro the entire time, I find it useful to get feedback from a variety of sources as something somebody says will just land differently. Both of the pros were excellent – extremely attentive, responding to every stroke and movement. As others have said, they deconstruct and rebuild, and the potential for change and improvement are enormous. In addition to the pros, both Howard and Tai roamed and responded to what they saw. Tai recorded all the strokes on an ipad and then went over in detail with each person what he saw and what to change. This was extremely valuable. I would highly recommend to ask for what you need. If you want to work with the same pro throughout – let them know – if you want to switch around – let them know. They definitely aim to please. The experience of this camp is absolutely amazing. I will return again and again.
CW
Saddlebrook was an amazing tennis experience. I traveled with my family and did 6 days of the 5-hour adult camp on my own. The instruction was top quality – they were able to pick apart my strokes instantly and give me concrete things to work on. Video analysis was also really helpful. We were treated like serious tennis players – drills were tough and tiring. A good fitness camp. I liked how they divided players into groups of similar skill. Even though it was a quiet time and there weren’t a lot of students, they had smaller groups rather than lumping everyone together. I’ve been to other resorts where level grouping is not done and it is no fun for anyone when there is a wide range of skill on one court. The resort itself has beautiful grounds and it was peaceful since it was a quiet time there. The rooms are a little dated but comfortable and clean. Food on-site was pretty good, not a lot of great restaurants around the resort but we did have a kitchen so cooked ourselves a bit too. To me, the resort was more than good enough and the tennis exceeded expectations so I would go back in a heartbeat. I’m hopeful that I’ll get down there again, thanks to all the instructors for a great week!
TW
Strengths of this program are:low ratio of students per instructors{<4,max },maintaining the same instructor throughout the 5day sessions and the extraordinary diligence of our instructors.Specifically rather than firing feed after feeds,they broke down the stroke at the time it appears in the training session.This included hoppig the net {Oleg} and manually moving your moving parts in correct form.This occurred with footwork especially{Justine} and with minute detail on the serve forehand and backhand.The theme of my instructor was taking time away from your opponent and "dancing"{feet always moving}. Attention was also paid to the physiology of tennis with re-hydrating water and fruit breaks.The program is fun w. drills which were much appreciated by us{66 and 73ys}. Because of our sense of improvement we signed on for an extra day{total 6days/two sessions per day sessions}despite aching bodies which were made limber by pre-practice stretching sessions lead by Larry .My wife had Justin who worked non-stop on her footwork and stroke detail finish-control.I was fortunate to have Verdene on my last day to fine tuning what had been learned on the previous 5 sessions plus reasoned insights on playing points-this was facilitated by having only one other player with Verdene on the last day.We feel we learned a lot,experienced a first rate program which developed our styles and had great fun in the process.
ST
Just spent 5 days at Saddlebrook. My daughter (10) and I (45) both had a great time. The staff were very accommodating. The tennis was brutal (we are very sore after 5 days, 5 hours per day). Kevin Raley and Harry Peterson were exceptional instructors. I’m bringing the rest of family next time.
RP
Best tennis instruction I’ve experienced. We keep coming back! Accommodations are great and the breakfast Buffet is wonderful! Can either choose to stay on the grounds for some nice down time after tennis, but also nice to have a car to get out in the area for additional choices at dinner time. Just wish we didn’t always have to valet the car. Highly recommend Saddlebrook for tennis. Your tennis will improve and you’ll get spoiled in this setting.
LW
This September was my forth visit to the Saddlebrook Tennis Program. I continue to enjoy and have a positive experience. The pro’s are knowledgable and within the first 2 hours they have a pretty good idea of what areas need work. Our pro stayed with us the entire 3 days which I felt was beneficial to my improvement. Howard did a terrific job of making sure our group was totally taken care of the entire visit. The accommodations are very nice. The food is great. We plan to be back again next year for a another great tennis vacation.
MB
I recently completed the intensive two day tennis program at Saddlebrook and had Kevin Raley as the coach. Kevin did a great job and created a fun learning environment for the entire group. Somehow he managed to fix my struggling backhand which had been an issue for 35 yrs. I met other advanced players from all over the world and had a blast. I hope to come back again soon!
RK
You are in for a grueling regimen with all the flaws in your game being pointed out and worked on… At time, a little bit over the top for someone of my level (intermediate). That being said, I was very impressed how much my game improved in a week. I went on a slow November week. The good thing was that I had almost 3 days of 1:1 coaching. The flip side is there were not that many people to hang out with (and I had to work much harder. The pros are all super nice and excellent. The resort is average, the room are little bit dated and the dining options fairly limited and pricy. The staff is super nice. Overall excellent tennis camp, average resort experience.
MF
I’ve been playing tennis for 20+ years and have taught tennis as well in my younger days. I’m usually unimpressed with the insights given to me by tennis pros. Saddlebrook, however, was definitely an exception. The instructor’s knowledge of the tennis swing (and how to improve it) went well beyond my expectations. They made little tweaks that I would have never even thought of, and the results were incredible…literally another 20 mph on my serve through making a few small changes! The video analysis was extremely useful as well. I’d say that if you want an intense experience centered around improving your tennis game, then Saddlebrook is the place for you.
BS
My husband and I chose Saddlebrook for our first tennis camp experience. We are both strong 4.0 players and in our mid-fifties. He plays 3x/week and I play 5-6x/week. We filled out the questionnaire and spent some time thinking about what we wanted to get out of our stay. Initially, we said we were okay being on separate courts but after I was mismatched on the first two mornings, we decided to play together. I think some people overestimate their level so I can’t blame Shawn for the mismatch. It was taken care of fairly quickly and after that, he said he had a good picture of where to place us. We had experience with 5 pros during our 3 day stay and all of them were very good. There was one who wasn’t my style and again, I was moved to another court. The tennis is intense. It is so important to be in decent shape before you get there to take advantage of the training. We thought we should have signed up for mornings only to realize that the afternoons were when things came together and somehow, our energy rallied. We liked have the video analysis and found it very humbling! We did splurge and have several sports massages there. The spa was really nice and had a wonderful sauna, steam and whirlpool to use before or after the massage. The massage therapists were wonderful and really worked out the knots and soreness. They were a splurge but very appreciated. We had one massage offsite but came back for the pampering. We left there with no pain and, after a days rest, we were playing again. We went in October when it was considered off-peak and but it is still expensive. We did feel that the staff made a huge effort to make us feel welcome and worked hard to make sure we were happy. We booked through Tennis Resorts Online and were upgraded to a two bedroom suite. We bought groceries and had breakfast in the room which worked well for us. We liked having a car as we left the resort for several dinners. We had one dinner at TD’s Sports Bar and it was very good. The constant tipping was a little annoying but if you just factor that in as part of the experience, it wasn’t that big of a deal. We would consider going back if we wanted another splurge.
RR
activity wise, better fr coupler family than single person or widower tennis instruction is superb, nicely structured, tennis staff are fun, personable. conscientious, all are excellent but Oleg is a gem, no more than four students to instructor, and often 2-3 and once just one to one, group lessons are chock full of material with a fair amount of time to integrate what one has learned A weakness if you are here alone and wish to stay mainly at the resort but go into town occasionally only so that one opts to not have a car is that you really feel like a prisoner of the resort , there is no van or public transportation, so that to travel a relatively short distance into town which is not very far away but longer than a walk just to go e.g. to a grocery or drug store or restaurant, i.e. a short duration trip, return fare would be $40 plus tip.
KL
Howard Moore runs an exceptional program at Saddlebrook. The constructive critiques were spot on; the overall milieu was very motivating. SB is a great place to improve your game.
CH
Tennis Instruction Having been to Saddlebrook several times this time I found the tennis instruction to be top notch (Oleg Mironchikov). It has been beneficial in the past but Oleg’s ability to work with 4 of us at once, each with differing skills and providing a plan over three days was impressive. Not just a great tennis player but one who also finds his calling in the business of instruction, he has well thought out drills, skills, keen ability to break down moves frame by frame and is encouraging at all times. Highly recommended! The Resort Personally it felt like it was from the mid 60’s and way overpriced. $20 with tip for tow large lattes? really? NOt vegan/vegetarian friendly or up to date and the rooms while nice are not worth the price. I would consider AIRBNB next time or staying off campus. It is just time for an overhaul although things were clean and well kept, just old feeling.
SB
Attributes of Saddlebrook Adult Camps are a lovely setting, contemporary suites, delicious breakfast buffet, friendly resort staff and a limit of 4 players per court. Some camps advertise a 4:1 student to instructor ratio, but that may be misleading since 8 students plus 2 instructors on 1 court fulfills this promise! My enthusiastic instructors were Tai Lam and Matt Broom. Tai provides clear instruction to improve all aspects of strokes and Matt is eager to ensure that players improve.
LP
Tennis program was great!!! Learned alot!!! We participated in the tennis camp for 3 days and everything was great!!! Great instruction/Instructor, Great people! Friendly, Organized, Great food. Very Accomodating. No issues or disappointments. No complaints at all except trying to make reservations was challenging. Would highly recommend and plan on returning.
AN
My wife and I are 4.5 rated and came to Hopman for a weekend specifically to get exercise and some tennis instruction. We live near IMG Academy and usually go there, but wanted more of a resort setting. We didn’t know much about Hopman but found the instruction to be preferable to IMG, where the approach is more: hit a ball, get back in line, hit a ball, get back in line. Hopman was much more personalized and innovative, with drills that really improved our game and got us playing points. On the first day we were videotaped, and I figured there wouldn’t be much for me to learn on video, but the instructor pointed out one major improvement on each stroke, and then hit some balls with me to make the insight stick; he really took time to make sure that my wife and I absorbed what he was saying and we appreciate that; at other places we were videotaped in more of an assembly line fashion. On the courts, instruction is set up with hitting and drills so that we make improvements, with lots of variety throughout the sessions. They insist on having only 4 people per court at the same level. In fact, on one day we had 5 people on our court at the same level because an unexpected guest showed up, and I wondered what they were going to do about that. To handle that, they took one person off the court for a private lesson for about an hour, and then rotated them back in. It was fantastic! On one afternoon, we lost a half hour to rain, and they went an extra half hour during the morning session the next day. I can’t say enough about how pleasant and friendly the instructors were. Our instructor, Tai (I am sure I am spelling this wrong) used to play on the circuit, and had exactly the right balance of fun, sense of humor, pushing us, and giving just enough instruction to teach and not overwhelm us. Howard, Director of Tennis, was always there making sure we were having a good experience. He invited us to try out the grass courts, despite a bit of rain that made them sub-optimal. I had never played on grass and I really appreciated that he was willing to let my wife and I get a quick hit on grass. I had never played grass before, and had always wanted to try it, and appreciated the gesture. For meals, we ate at Dempsey’s Steakhouse in the evenings. Splitting a steak was more than enough. They have a good salad bar and fish and chicken, too. For lunch, there are a couple of options, although we can’t see eating more than a fruit salad next time for lunch. Staff was incredible friendly. We had a flat tire when we left and called AAA. The bell staff offered to change it and they did — faster than the tow truck could arrive. This is definitely a place my wife and I will go for weekend getaways in the future. Great experience!
CD
I really enjoyed my week at SB…! I like the atmostphere, the camaderie. As it was summer, very hot and humdid, a few people came. So we had a lot of attention, like having a Pro for yourself We took a lot of little breaks because of the Heat Factor. I like the way they teach you repetitions and you have to do it over and over until you get it right.!!!!! Now back at my Club, I try to work on the basics….and do it the right way! I took notes and it helps. I will definitely come back.
MT
Adult tennis camp – great! Tennis instructors are quite varied so it is important to find one that matches your needs and expectations. I was really looking to tweak a few strokes in my game and work on doubles strategies. At times I felt the focus was more on singles, but nevertheless I received a solid teaching experience on all aspects of the game. I really liked the videotaping and Howard Moore teaching piece. Clay courts are well maintained and the teacher to student ratio is awesome. I was by myself several times, what an exhausting but worthwile experience. Resort is a good value. I will definitely return next year!
LB
Just returned from a 5 day tennis camp at Saddlebrook. LOVED IT! Coaches quickly identified my weaknesses and were able to offer clear instruction on how to correct. They consistently worked with me over the 5 days to improve my mechanics along with suggestions on how to practice after leaving. Highly recommend this camp for anyone wanting to improve their game. They also pushed us to work on our court fitness. Special shout out to Steven Getchell! Great coach!! Only wish I had a video of Steve’s service motion!
RM
Follow Up review…..in all fairness to their tennis program, Howard Moore, the head of SB Tennis, after reading my review quickly reached out and apologized for my concerns. He also made a nice gesture to ensure I will return, which I will.
TF
This was my second time attending the week-long program. It’s a heck of a workout, but well worth it. The only problem I have with it is that the level of instruction varies so much from pro to pro. Last year I had Oleg and he is great. This year I had great instruction from Ty & Steve. Unfortunately, I spent several unproductive days with another guy who just had us doing doubles drills all the time but rarely gave us any instruction that would improve our game. When I came this year I requested Oleg, but never did end up on court with him. I will probably go back because the level of instruction is so good – if you’re lucky enough to get the right pro.
We want to see your racquet sports vacations! When you’re documenting your trip, tag @TennisResortsOnline on Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and use #TROAdventures for a chance to be featured on our page.
732 Reviews on “Saddlebrook Resort”
The tennis camps are taught by very knowledgeable pros who provide exceptional instruction in a relaxed and fun environment. The Hopman staff is friendly and accommodating and the facilities are very well kept. I’d highly recommend the experience to anyone from a beginner to an advanced player. If you are also looking for a tennis academy for your child, the Academy at Saddlebrook is an outstanding choice.
My group of 4.0 ladies attend Saddlebrook every year for the past 9 years. We learn something new every year, and are primed and ready for our USTA season to begin! Not only are the pros fast, knowledgable, challenging, and fun, but the actual resort is beautiful. It is the best of both worlds. World Class tennis and top notch surroundings. We never leave the property for 5 days! It is a tough workout for every level of player. You will NOT be disappointed.
As an adult who played junior tennis (terribly I might add), I’ve been growing into a better player over the years. I’m always looking for a great resort with top notch coaching to take my tennis to the next level. I’ve participated in the Hopman program a number of times and am never disappointed. Howard does a great job of matching players abilities and moving players to other courts when necessary. There are never more than 4 to a court, and I’ve had days where I had a private lesson for 1/2 the day. I look forward to going back every year. Plus, always check for deals on lodging!
The tennis is fantastic. The courts are in great shape. The tennis folks are warm and welcoming. The student pro ratio of 4:1 ensures that you hit a lot of balls. The instruction is very personalized and you feel like you have improved by the end of the week. Howard Moore runs a first class operation!!! The resort itself can use a bit of updating and polish. Very expensive to eat and drink on property. I wouldn’t go without my own car.
One of the best vacation experiences ever. The tennis instruction is excellent, the programs well organized. And the instructors tailor the training to suit you. Challenging each person just enough. A great balance of activities across the resort. The food is excellent, the service was above average in every sense, and the staff were friendly, helpful and very accommodating. If you want to play better tennis and have a great time doing it, highly recommended!
Ive been coming to Saddlebrook and the hopman tennis program for 10 years. Howard/Larry and the staff are simply excellent and the assortment of teaching pros are really into it, passionate and take their tennis very seriously. Lauren whom I had on this most recent trip for 5 days was excellent. She worked us hard, focused on a few key things to improve (not to many not too little) with everyone and she is also a delightful young lady. Ive looked at tennis programs all over the county and each time I come back to Saddlebrook for the simple reason that the program is consistent, excellent tennis, your grouped with players of your own skill level, its fun and engaging but the tennis is serious and I always improve. Kusdos to the staff there, super !!!!!
The Saddlebrook Adult Tennis Program, headed by program director Howard Moore, is a first-class operation. I recently returned from week stretch in March for the fourth consecutive year. I’m a 4.0 player and have been going there primarily to improve my game. Training is conducted on the Har-Tru, or green clay, courts. The day is broken down into a 3-hour morning segment from 8 AM to 11 AM and a 2-hour afternoon session from 1 PM to 3 PM. Each is preceded by a 10 minute stretch. The morning stretch is followed by a “shot of the day” demonstration by one of the pros with commentary by Howard. He exudes enthusiasm and does his absolute best to make sure everyone is having a great experience. Before going to Saddlebrook, I had never had video analysis done. It is absolutely critical to improving and they e-mail it to you for future reference. The days can be physically taxing and I recommend doing physical conditioning before arriving. My instructors this year were Zora Vlckova, a former All-American, for the first two days and Mike Harley for the last 5 days. Both were top notch and very personable. They honed in on a number of my technical deficiencies immediately. Groups are comprised of 3-4 people, but they found ample time to inquire what each individual wanted to work on and constructed drills to focus on those areas. Zora’s approach shot and swinging volley demonstrations were the best I’ve seen and completely changed my perception on how they should be executed. Mike’s discussions on doubles net strategy and his service return instruction were particularly outstanding. One difficult individual assigned to our group would interrupt the entire group to quibble about the score of training games and also made occasional agitating remarks. Mike was a consummate professional and made the best of the situation for all of us. I can’t thank him enough. Every instructor, like any tennis player, has their particular strengths and weaknesses. If you want to work on a particular aspect of your game that you don’t feel like you are getting, Howard will fix it. In fact, if there is anything about the tennis that you are not getting, Howard will make it happen. The resort itself is excellent. The rooms are exceptionally comfortable and a nice contrast to the cold décor of many modern urban hotels. The Super Pool is great place to cool down after a long day of tennis. There are a nice range of restaurants, although I’ve usually eaten dinner off-resort. Tropics is a great place for lunch in between tennis sessions with prompt service and friendly staff. All-in-all, Saddlebrook is the best thing I’ve done for my tennis since picking up a racquet. In the four years that I’ve been going, my strokes and understanding of the game have continually improved. Last night, I played a friend who I lost to 0-6, 3-6 just two months ago. Using the returns and angled volleys I worked on with Mike, I was able to turn the match around from being down 0-5 in the first set to winning 1-6, 6-3, 7-5. That was pretty cool. I’m looking forward to returning next year, hopefully playing at the 4.5 level.
Something for everyone. My children golfed and worked with personal trainers in their athletic facility while I played tennis. I learned so much and loved the video analysis.
We had a really good pro his name was Tony, it was a educational experience, facility were great and you beat the weather. Tony was very patient and pushed but not too hard
The intensive tennis instruction at Saddlebrook is one of a kind. I first attended as a beginner and this year as an intermediate with five years playing experience. All of the professionals I have worked with there have been tremendous, helping me make significant improvements in my level of play. My wife (a strong 4.0 player) and daughter (a beginner) also attended and found the pros to be extremely knowledgeable and helpful. Their demeanor is upbeat and friendly and the workout is intensive. At the end of the day we were all quite exhausted but we agreed it was a “good” exhausted. By the way, the resort is beautiful. My ten year old grandson enjoyed playing some tennis, swimming in the 500,000 gallon pool and attending some Yankee spring training games at the nearby George Steinbrenner Field. I would highly recommend the Saddlebrook tennis program.
Just got back from 5 days at Saddlebrook and I loved the place. It was my first time there and my first tennis resort experience. I can’t imagine any resort nicer! The tennis director Howard was excellent, very enthusiastic, very nice. can’t wait to go back!
The resort is beautiful, and very well maintained. The tennis facilities are outstanding. The clinics are well organized with respect to skills taught and matching clinic participants in groups of comparable skill level. There are many pros there, and when my husband and I stayed there for 4 and a half days (9 sessions each) we both had the benefit of receiving instruction from several different people, all very skilled. We worked hard on court to grasp and practice the suggestions from the instructors, and there was a lot of good, fun tennis! When you go there, you need to be healthy. You’ll be exhausted at the end of a full day. Off court, the challenge was to write down those suggestions and get recovered and rested and ready for the next session. If staying for several days, you may want to schedule an afternoon off for a break. Most of the sessions focused on strokes and general movement on the court. There was not much instruction on point construction and strategy for doubles or singles. When we booked our reservation, and at least once each session, I mentioned that I wanted to have doubles instruction with my husband. I was disappointed that we were never assigned to the same court so that we could receive doubles coaching. There are a few restaurants on the property, but not a lot of variety. The breakfast restaurant, Tropics, had excellent quality. Salads were wonderful at all the restaurants, but it seemed like the same menu was offered whether poolside or at the sports bar. The steakhouse had some excellent features and Tropics also had some excellent, interesting menu items. Off property, not too far away are several chain restaurants that can provide some different fare. We would definitely return. The staff and the facilities were great, we had fun while learning and improving our tennis skills, and we really enjoyed meeting the other clinic participants.
Just returned from our fifth or sixth visit to Saddlebrook. The tennis program was excellent – possibly the best experience yet. There is good variety, so I played in the clinics in the morning, and had a private lesson in the afternoon. They work to keep the clinic fairly well matched in ability of the players, and if you are unhappy, they will move you to another group. The hotel room are good sized, but a little dated. Many of them have balconies with lovely views over the golf course. We love to walk over the bridge and watch the birds, turtles and crocodiles after tennis. The restaurants are pricey, but definitely the best food in the area. There are also a couple of large pools and a spa on the beautiful campus.
I would tell my friends to go to Saddlebrook’s Hopman Tennis Program to get some serious tennis training in. Our family just finished our second visit there this week (previously attended in February 2013) and really enjoyed the challenge of playing 5 hours per day. My wife and I played 3 days with 3 different sets of players but always felt “well-matched”. We appreciated the variety of very good to great instructors. Our two tennis playing teenagers were fit onto courts with other good juniors. The Tennis Director, Howard Moore, visited all the courts, giving great advice. When he stays on your court for an extended amount of time (as he did with us one day), look out! He will make you try harder than you thought possible; he is a great motivator as well as technical advisor!! We do recommend Saddlebrook to our friends, how could we not?!
Instructional quality is uniformly excellent. Hospitality of the instructors and their supervisor, Howard Moore is impeccable! A great resort which we have visited many times and will continue to.
Great place and terrific staff!
Saddlebrook’s accommodations are superior. The rooms surpassed my exceedingly high expectations. The tennis courts are very well maintained, the instructors are wonderfully skilled, experienced and enthusiastic. The grass court was a bucket list experience to behold. Howard is magnificent on & off of the court. He is energetic so you better bring your “A” game. The head pro is very capable as well as a high level player. I look forward to returning right after tax season ends (I was there in mid-December.
I went for three days in January 2015 and had a great experience. They did a fine job of putting together the groups even though there were not to many strong players around. We had a great coach who with care changed aspects of my game permanently. I would say that one weakness is that at 5 h a day it’s a challenge to be at your best.
It was my first time at Saddlebrook 5 days tennis adult program. There was some difficulty with fixing the correct reservation with Alice. First, I didn’t get any reply to my emails and had to call (from Brazil) to get them. Since there was a mistake in the room reservation, charging a smaller value than advertised, she simply changed the tennis package (lunch was not included anymore) without letting me know. I traveled with my 18 years old son and wasn’t sure how to proceed with his booking and Alice also didn’t help. Fortunalety, the tennis team was great, I can point out Tai, who was always looking after my son, and led him to the juniors program where he enjoyed training and playing with others of his age. The first 3 days I had a great instructor, Hank, who dedicated the time correcting strokes and giving excellent hints, which I will remember always! The video recording and analysis was great, but it couldn’t be sent. That loses its effectiveness because being able to review it afterwards, could help a lot. Unfortunately, the last 2 days I was with Tom, who focused most of the time on playing anyway, not giving much attention to correction of strokes, and also gave almost total attention to the other player. On the last day, when a third player showed up, I had to say him that he had forgotten me! He seems to be there to have a good time…for him!
Another outstanding vacation. Instruction is the best available anywhere. Staff is a pleasure to work with. Setting is very nice. Rooms are very nice. Multiple area restaurants available with great choices (Wiregrass Mall). Howard runs a top-notch camp. Had a new instructor this trip – David – and he was great.
My second trip this January to train at Saddlebrook’s adult tennis program was as stellar as my first in 2014. The program’s dependability for being truly outstanding among tennis camps is due to the exceptional leadership of program director Howard Moore, whose genuine love of tennis and care for tennis players is an inspiration. And the entire staff shares Moore’s energy and commitment to making every participant feel valued and have an amazing experience. Can’t recommend it more highly!
Excellent adult tennis camp! We returned in January for our 3rd visit as always a good workout and tune up. there are 2 clinics a day with 3 hours in the AM, a 2 hour lunch break, and and additional ( optional) 2 hours in the afternoon. The coaches are excellent, there is a 4 to 1 ratio,and there is success with making the drills interesting rather than HoHUM. The coaches are engaged and not bored. My wife and I are tennis nuts and there is sadly nothing other than Saddlebrook that combines resort with tennis. The resort is staid, boring yet adequate is tennis play is what you are after. The food is unimpresiive and there is not much else close by so not for those who are foodies or wanting luxury.
The instructors are very knowledgeable, and quickly determine and let you know how you can improve your strokes. They are very accommodating and provide the type of play everyone on the court wants. They also provide game-winning strategy information.
This is my second time at Saddlebrook and once again the tennis program was simply outstanding. The enthusiasm for both the sport and the student comes from the top down and is demonstrated each and every minute by the highly qualified staff led by its director Howard Moore. We were warmly greeted each morning by Howard which set the tone for a great day of fun and learning. This was followed by a rigorous warm up to prevent injury and a demonstration of technique which was helpful for those of us who are visual learners. The instruction was catered to each individual and the commitment to us leaving a little more competent than when we arrived was clearly evident. After I work on some of the golden nuggets that were imparted to me I look forward to coming back to further hone my skills. A sincere and heartfelt thank you to Howard and his staff for another great experience!
This is an excellent tennis resort. I spent two days there and learned so much while getting a fantastic workout on the clay courts. The Program Director, Howard Moore, brought an invigorating enthusiasm to instructional demos that clearly and concisely went through key technical components of strokes. The staff that I worked with were wonderful (thanks to David, Tai, Sean, and Lauren). Some of the big things I took away from my weekend there will give me more confidence to go big on the shots I’ve been struggling with. I look forward to my next visit!
I would definitely recommend Saddlebrook Tennis to others. I learned so much in the few days that I was there. I can’t wait to go back. The coaches and staff are really focused on preparing you for your game. Everyone is friendly, patient and helpful. I feel like my game has greatly improved.
Just back from my first visit to the Hopman Program at Saddlebrook. Found the instruction to be first-rate, compared to the programs at other resorts that I have visited. The 4:1 student to instructor ratio was adhered to religiously, which meant hitting a lot of balls and getting what felt like one-on-one instruction each day. The program offers a great balance between basic stroke instruction, combined with advanced strokes and point play to reinforce the lessons. The enthusiasm of the instructors was a real plus and kept the group motivated as the week went on. I found the full-day program to be a great workout and just the right amount of tennis. The tennis facility was impressive, with 45 well-maintained courts scattered throughout the resort. The only downfall was a disconnect between the tennis program and the resort itself – didn’t get a lot of details on the program (ie. start times, locations, etc.) when checking in, but a quick stop by the tennis pro shop cleared that up. We were immediately welcomed by Howard Moore, Saddlebrook’s Tennis Program Director, who made my 16-year-old son feel right at home (getting him out on the court within 15 minutes of arriving). A great tennis experience!
Saddlebrook Tennis Camp was great. I stayed there for 3 days, 5 hours camp each day. We were 4 people per group and the last day just my friend and I. Tom was our pro for the first 2 days, He focussed on strokes and on play. We got to play a lot, and it was a real work-out. Very engaging, and fast paced, with I really enjoyed. Day 3 was with Zora, who focussed on stroke accuracy. By that time, I was more aware of the strokes not working right, and with the help of a video we saw what my problems were. On day three 2 other coaches from the camp dropped by to help my friend and me to really understand the techniques. The subsequent drills were so helpful. I’d go back to Saddlebrook in a heart beat.
Excellent tennis instruction for the most part. Good exercise, good grouping of players of similar abilities on the court together. Fun time. Somewhat inconsistent pro quality. Limited dinner retaurants on site (but great restos in Tampa!)
This was my second time attending the camp – this time for 3 full days. I was extremely impressed with the level of care and attention they gave each participant. I worked with two different pros re: my own request. While some people enjoy staying with the same pro the entire time, I find it useful to get feedback from a variety of sources as something somebody says will just land differently. Both of the pros were excellent – extremely attentive, responding to every stroke and movement. As others have said, they deconstruct and rebuild, and the potential for change and improvement are enormous. In addition to the pros, both Howard and Tai roamed and responded to what they saw. Tai recorded all the strokes on an ipad and then went over in detail with each person what he saw and what to change. This was extremely valuable. I would highly recommend to ask for what you need. If you want to work with the same pro throughout – let them know – if you want to switch around – let them know. They definitely aim to please. The experience of this camp is absolutely amazing. I will return again and again.
Saddlebrook was an amazing tennis experience. I traveled with my family and did 6 days of the 5-hour adult camp on my own. The instruction was top quality – they were able to pick apart my strokes instantly and give me concrete things to work on. Video analysis was also really helpful. We were treated like serious tennis players – drills were tough and tiring. A good fitness camp. I liked how they divided players into groups of similar skill. Even though it was a quiet time and there weren’t a lot of students, they had smaller groups rather than lumping everyone together. I’ve been to other resorts where level grouping is not done and it is no fun for anyone when there is a wide range of skill on one court. The resort itself has beautiful grounds and it was peaceful since it was a quiet time there. The rooms are a little dated but comfortable and clean. Food on-site was pretty good, not a lot of great restaurants around the resort but we did have a kitchen so cooked ourselves a bit too. To me, the resort was more than good enough and the tennis exceeded expectations so I would go back in a heartbeat. I’m hopeful that I’ll get down there again, thanks to all the instructors for a great week!
Strengths of this program are:low ratio of students per instructors{<4,max },maintaining the same instructor throughout the 5day sessions and the extraordinary diligence of our instructors.Specifically rather than firing feed after feeds,they broke down the stroke at the time it appears in the training session.This included hoppig the net {Oleg} and manually moving your moving parts in correct form.This occurred with footwork especially{Justine} and with minute detail on the serve forehand and backhand.The theme of my instructor was taking time away from your opponent and "dancing"{feet always moving}. Attention was also paid to the physiology of tennis with re-hydrating water and fruit breaks.The program is fun w. drills which were much appreciated by us{66 and 73ys}. Because of our sense of improvement we signed on for an extra day{total 6days/two sessions per day sessions}despite aching bodies which were made limber by pre-practice stretching sessions lead by Larry .My wife had Justin who worked non-stop on her footwork and stroke detail finish-control.I was fortunate to have Verdene on my last day to fine tuning what had been learned on the previous 5 sessions plus reasoned insights on playing points-this was facilitated by having only one other player with Verdene on the last day.We feel we learned a lot,experienced a first rate program which developed our styles and had great fun in the process.
Just spent 5 days at Saddlebrook. My daughter (10) and I (45) both had a great time. The staff were very accommodating. The tennis was brutal (we are very sore after 5 days, 5 hours per day). Kevin Raley and Harry Peterson were exceptional instructors. I’m bringing the rest of family next time.
Best tennis instruction I’ve experienced. We keep coming back! Accommodations are great and the breakfast Buffet is wonderful! Can either choose to stay on the grounds for some nice down time after tennis, but also nice to have a car to get out in the area for additional choices at dinner time. Just wish we didn’t always have to valet the car. Highly recommend Saddlebrook for tennis. Your tennis will improve and you’ll get spoiled in this setting.
This September was my forth visit to the Saddlebrook Tennis Program. I continue to enjoy and have a positive experience. The pro’s are knowledgable and within the first 2 hours they have a pretty good idea of what areas need work. Our pro stayed with us the entire 3 days which I felt was beneficial to my improvement. Howard did a terrific job of making sure our group was totally taken care of the entire visit. The accommodations are very nice. The food is great. We plan to be back again next year for a another great tennis vacation.
I recently completed the intensive two day tennis program at Saddlebrook and had Kevin Raley as the coach. Kevin did a great job and created a fun learning environment for the entire group. Somehow he managed to fix my struggling backhand which had been an issue for 35 yrs. I met other advanced players from all over the world and had a blast. I hope to come back again soon!
You are in for a grueling regimen with all the flaws in your game being pointed out and worked on… At time, a little bit over the top for someone of my level (intermediate). That being said, I was very impressed how much my game improved in a week. I went on a slow November week. The good thing was that I had almost 3 days of 1:1 coaching. The flip side is there were not that many people to hang out with (and I had to work much harder. The pros are all super nice and excellent. The resort is average, the room are little bit dated and the dining options fairly limited and pricy. The staff is super nice. Overall excellent tennis camp, average resort experience.
I’ve been playing tennis for 20+ years and have taught tennis as well in my younger days. I’m usually unimpressed with the insights given to me by tennis pros. Saddlebrook, however, was definitely an exception. The instructor’s knowledge of the tennis swing (and how to improve it) went well beyond my expectations. They made little tweaks that I would have never even thought of, and the results were incredible…literally another 20 mph on my serve through making a few small changes! The video analysis was extremely useful as well. I’d say that if you want an intense experience centered around improving your tennis game, then Saddlebrook is the place for you.
My husband and I chose Saddlebrook for our first tennis camp experience. We are both strong 4.0 players and in our mid-fifties. He plays 3x/week and I play 5-6x/week. We filled out the questionnaire and spent some time thinking about what we wanted to get out of our stay. Initially, we said we were okay being on separate courts but after I was mismatched on the first two mornings, we decided to play together. I think some people overestimate their level so I can’t blame Shawn for the mismatch. It was taken care of fairly quickly and after that, he said he had a good picture of where to place us. We had experience with 5 pros during our 3 day stay and all of them were very good. There was one who wasn’t my style and again, I was moved to another court. The tennis is intense. It is so important to be in decent shape before you get there to take advantage of the training. We thought we should have signed up for mornings only to realize that the afternoons were when things came together and somehow, our energy rallied. We liked have the video analysis and found it very humbling! We did splurge and have several sports massages there. The spa was really nice and had a wonderful sauna, steam and whirlpool to use before or after the massage. The massage therapists were wonderful and really worked out the knots and soreness. They were a splurge but very appreciated. We had one massage offsite but came back for the pampering. We left there with no pain and, after a days rest, we were playing again. We went in October when it was considered off-peak and but it is still expensive. We did feel that the staff made a huge effort to make us feel welcome and worked hard to make sure we were happy. We booked through Tennis Resorts Online and were upgraded to a two bedroom suite. We bought groceries and had breakfast in the room which worked well for us. We liked having a car as we left the resort for several dinners. We had one dinner at TD’s Sports Bar and it was very good. The constant tipping was a little annoying but if you just factor that in as part of the experience, it wasn’t that big of a deal. We would consider going back if we wanted another splurge.
activity wise, better fr coupler family than single person or widower tennis instruction is superb, nicely structured, tennis staff are fun, personable. conscientious, all are excellent but Oleg is a gem, no more than four students to instructor, and often 2-3 and once just one to one, group lessons are chock full of material with a fair amount of time to integrate what one has learned
A weakness if you are here alone and wish to stay mainly at the resort but go into town occasionally only so that one opts to not have a car is that you really feel like a prisoner of the resort , there is no van or public transportation, so that to travel a relatively short distance into town which is not very far away but longer than a walk just to go e.g. to a grocery or drug store or restaurant, i.e. a short duration trip, return fare would be $40 plus tip.
Howard Moore runs an exceptional program at Saddlebrook. The constructive critiques were spot on; the overall milieu was very motivating. SB is a great place to improve your game.
Tennis Instruction Having been to Saddlebrook several times this time I found the tennis instruction to be top notch (Oleg Mironchikov). It has been beneficial in the past but Oleg’s ability to work with 4 of us at once, each with differing skills and providing a plan over three days was impressive. Not just a great tennis player but one who also finds his calling in the business of instruction, he has well thought out drills, skills, keen ability to break down moves frame by frame and is encouraging at all times. Highly recommended!
The Resort Personally it felt like it was from the mid 60’s and way overpriced. $20 with tip for tow large lattes? really? NOt vegan/vegetarian friendly or up to date and the rooms while nice are not worth the price. I would consider AIRBNB next time or staying off campus. It is just time for an overhaul although things were clean and well kept, just old feeling.
Attributes of Saddlebrook Adult Camps are a lovely setting, contemporary suites, delicious breakfast buffet, friendly resort staff and a limit of 4 players per court. Some camps advertise a 4:1 student to instructor ratio, but that may be misleading since 8 students plus 2 instructors on 1 court fulfills this promise! My enthusiastic instructors were Tai Lam and Matt Broom. Tai provides clear instruction to improve all aspects of strokes and Matt is eager to ensure that players improve.
Tennis program was great!!! Learned alot!!! We participated in the tennis camp for 3 days and everything was great!!! Great instruction/Instructor, Great people! Friendly, Organized, Great food. Very Accomodating. No issues or disappointments. No complaints at all except trying to make reservations was challenging. Would highly recommend and plan on returning.
My wife and I are 4.5 rated and came to Hopman for a weekend specifically to get exercise and some tennis instruction. We live near IMG Academy and usually go there, but wanted more of a resort setting. We didn’t know much about Hopman but found the instruction to be preferable to IMG, where the approach is more: hit a ball, get back in line, hit a ball, get back in line. Hopman was much more personalized and innovative, with drills that really improved our game and got us playing points. On the first day we were videotaped, and I figured there wouldn’t be much for me to learn on video, but the instructor pointed out one major improvement on each stroke, and then hit some balls with me to make the insight stick; he really took time to make sure that my wife and I absorbed what he was saying and we appreciate that; at other places we were videotaped in more of an assembly line fashion.
On the courts, instruction is set up with hitting and drills so that we make improvements, with lots of variety throughout the sessions. They insist on having only 4 people per court at the same level. In fact, on one day we had 5 people on our court at the same level because an unexpected guest showed up, and I wondered what they were going to do about that. To handle that, they took one person off the court for a private lesson for about an hour, and then rotated them back in. It was fantastic!
On one afternoon, we lost a half hour to rain, and they went an extra half hour during the morning session the next day.
I can’t say enough about how pleasant and friendly the instructors were. Our instructor, Tai (I am sure I am spelling this wrong) used to play on the circuit, and had exactly the right balance of fun, sense of humor, pushing us, and giving just enough instruction to teach and not overwhelm us.
Howard, Director of Tennis, was always there making sure we were having a good experience. He invited us to try out the grass courts, despite a bit of rain that made them sub-optimal. I had never played on grass and I really appreciated that he was willing to let my wife and I get a quick hit on grass. I had never played grass before, and had always wanted to try it, and appreciated the gesture.
For meals, we ate at Dempsey’s Steakhouse in the evenings. Splitting a steak was more than enough. They have a good salad bar and fish and chicken, too. For lunch, there are a couple of options, although we can’t see eating more than a fruit salad next time for lunch.
Staff was incredible friendly. We had a flat tire when we left and called AAA. The bell staff offered to change it and they did — faster than the tow truck could arrive.
This is definitely a place my wife and I will go for weekend getaways in the future. Great experience!
I really enjoyed my week at SB…! I like the atmostphere, the camaderie. As it was summer, very hot and humdid, a few people came. So we had a lot of attention, like having a Pro for yourself We took a lot of little breaks because of the Heat Factor. I like the way they teach you repetitions and you have to do it over and over until you get it right.!!!!! Now back at my Club, I try to work on the basics….and do it the right way! I took notes and it helps. I will definitely come back.
Adult tennis camp – great! Tennis instructors are quite varied so it is important to find one that matches your needs and expectations. I was really looking to tweak a few strokes in my game and work on doubles strategies. At times I felt the focus was more on singles, but nevertheless I received a solid teaching experience on all aspects of the game. I really liked the videotaping and Howard Moore teaching piece. Clay courts are well maintained and the teacher to student ratio is awesome. I was by myself several times, what an exhausting but worthwile experience. Resort is a good value. I will definitely return next year!
Just returned from a 5 day tennis camp at Saddlebrook. LOVED IT! Coaches quickly identified my weaknesses and were able to offer clear instruction on how to correct. They consistently worked with me over the 5 days to improve my mechanics along with suggestions on how to practice after leaving. Highly recommend this camp for anyone wanting to improve their game. They also pushed us to work on our court fitness. Special shout out to Steven Getchell! Great coach!! Only wish I had a video of Steve’s service motion!
Follow Up review…..in all fairness to their tennis program, Howard Moore, the head of SB Tennis, after reading my review quickly reached out and apologized for my concerns. He also made a nice gesture to ensure I will return, which I will.
This was my second time attending the week-long program. It’s a heck of a workout, but well worth it. The only problem I have with it is that the level of instruction varies so much from pro to pro. Last year I had Oleg and he is great. This year I had great instruction from Ty & Steve. Unfortunately, I spent several unproductive days with another guy who just had us doing doubles drills all the time but rarely gave us any instruction that would improve our game. When I came this year I requested Oleg, but never did end up on court with him. I will probably go back because the level of instruction is so good – if you’re lucky enough to get the right pro.