Sandestin begins along the sugar-sand beaches of the Gulf of Mexico and extends north across a peninsula to Choctawhatchee Bay. It has devoted attention to tennis ever since it opened in 1975, when it became the first modern resort to give its guests the opportunity to play on grass courts. Although the grass has been replaced by clay, it still has a handsome 15-court tennis complex a short stroll from the Village of Baytowne Wharf, which is a focal point of the resort even though it borders the bay and not the beach.
The resort and its residential developments now cover some 2,400 acres. It begins as a series of 20-story buildings erected just behind the high sugar-white sand dunes that line this part of the Gulf Coast. From there, the resort extends northward completely across the peninsula to Choctawhatchee Bay. Highway 98 slices through the middle, separating the smaller Beachside development from Linkside and Dockside. Among them these three developments encompass four golf courses, a fitness center with massage rooms, a marina, two complexes of shops and restaurants—the newest of them the Village of Baytowne Wharf—and more. Lodging ranges from rooms at a modest hotel to four-bedroom condos. Also within the complex is a beachfront Hilton hotel.
The opening of the Village of Baytowne Wharf in the summer of 2002 added a new dimension to this already feature-rich resort. Designed for pedestrians, this complex of shops, restaurants, night clubs, condominiums, and a convention center takes its architectural clues from all over the South. Narrow streets, their concrete embedded with sea shells, lace a village tricked out in white-washed brick, cedar, and wood painted in an array of moss green, canary yellow, blood orange, slate blue, gray, and white. There are hints of New Orleans’ French Quarter in the grillwork of balconies and of Charleston in brick-lined courtyards. Arcades with ceiling fans shade cedar benches, porches have rocking chairs. Entertainers perform in the streets, clowns paint children’s faces, and even many of the shopkeepers seem to have come straight from central casting right down to their appropriate costumes.
By concentrating so many diversions in one place, the village provides an alternative to the beach, including one of the best spots to watch sunsets. It has more nightlife, too, with live music at the Famous Door, a branch of the Bourbon Street landmark, dueling pianos in Rum Runners, and more than half a dozen restaurants and food outlets, including a branch of Starbucks for the latte-addicted. A free on-property shuttles make it easy to commute from the village to anywhere else within the resort, including the nearby tennis complex (though it’s a mere five-minute walk away anyway).
The tennis complex has also infused new life into the programs, in large measure because there are now some 200 active local members—many of whom live there year round—to provide continuity. It has also given the staff people to draw on when resort guests need games.
Tennis Staff: Todd Hanson, who joined Sandestin in 2003, directs the tennis operations. He’s a local, having grown up in nearby Niceville and played his junior tennis in Florida and then went on to play for part of his tenure at the University of Florida. He’d spent summers teaching tennis, so it is not surprising that he’s implemented a strong junior program at the resort, including hiring a pro to be in charge.
Tennis Programs: During the busier March-to-November season, the tennis center offers one or more clinics a day. The staff also runs more than half a dozen men’s or women’s days or mixers each week, the liveliest of them a Saturday mixer, which often attracts 35 to 40 players. There is also some kind of event each month—a tournament, round robin, exhibition, or club challenge—often geared to members but frequently open to guests. Sandestin also specializes in special packages for teams. Court Complex. A shingled clubhouse, newly painted yellow, has covered decks on both ends and a new, larger one on one the east, overlooking the courts. There are 12 clay and 3 hard courts altogether laid out in 2s and 3s with a pond on the far side. Wooden fence posts, netting rather than chain-link fence, and newly planted palm trees, oleander, and shrubs make it a very appealing place to play.
Between each pair of courts are green benches and water jugs in the shade of an overhead awning. The pro shop itself is one of the largest specialty shops in Northwest Florida and carries a full line of racquets, clothing, and accessories. Court fees: $12/person/hour (guests who rent through Sandestin get one free hour/day; however, from Mar. 1-July 31, that free hour is only available after 11 a.m.).
Caveat: Check the Sandestin calendar. Some of their big weekend team tennis events tie up every court from early in the morning until 4 or 5 p.m. from Friday through Sunday noon. If an event is scheduled for the weekend you’re planning to visit, phone the pro shop before making reservations to find out what impact the event may have on your ability to book court time, clinics, or lessons.
Off Court
Many activities within the resort are free to guests who book through the resort. That includes complimentary use of on-property transportation, bicycles, boogie boards, kayaks, and special children’s, family, and teen programs. It provides one hour of free court time daily, allows adults unlimited access to the health club, and secures discounted resort rates on a variety of activities, including greens fees and additional court time.
Beach:Â Towering dunes, some almost 30 feet high, border a broad white-sand beach along this stretch of the Florida Panhandle. On calm days when the Gulf of Mexico is aquamarine in color the beach is even more beautiful. All of the construction within Sandestin has taken place behind the primary dune line; unfortunately, that includes nine 8-to-21-story structures that loom above the dunes and leave no illusions about the proximity of civilization. Chairs, umbrellas, cabanas, watersports equipment (including kayaks and boogie boards) are available from a shack on the beach. Note, however, that there are no lifeguards, either here or at any of the other resorts along this coast.
Golf Courses: There are four golf courses within the resort as well as a golf learning and performance center and an 18-hole family oriented putting course designed to reflect Florida’s various natural environments.
Links Golf Club: Located along Choctawhatchee Bay, this oldest and most scenic of the Sandestin courses has five holes that border the bay—wind can thus be an issue—and water on 13 of 18. Still it is manageable if you play smart golf, and it has great sunset views and opportunities to spot dolphins.
Baytowne Golf Club:Â These 18 holes wind through a variety of terrain, from elevated views of the Gulf of Mexico to fairways carved from pine forests. This is the most forgiving of the four, making it the best choice for high handicap golfers.
Burnt Pine Golf Club: A Rees Jones-designed private course (available to guests only on a limited basis), these 18 holes are challenging but fair. Its rolling fairways and strategically placed bunkers invite golfers to craft an approach for every hole. Golf Digest named it one of the Top 30 courses in Florida.
Raven Golf Club:Â Robert Trent Jones, Jr. designed this newest of the Sandestin courses, riddling it with bunkers and fast greens.
The Dunes at Sandestin:Â An 18-hole, Astroturf putting course located just north of the beachside towers and intended for family fun.
Spa & Fitness Center:Â The Sandestin Fitness Center has three rooms: one outfitted with a selection of some two dozen pieces of cardiovascular equipment, including Nordic Tracks, treadmills, Stairmasters, and Precor Elliptical trainers. Another room holds an extensive exercise circuit of some 15 Nautilus stations as well as dumbbells and limited freeweights; and the third, an aerobics studio, is used for yoga, stretch, and exercise classes. One-on-one training is available and so are massages.
Two complimentary bicycles rentals are available each day of your stay for four hours and there is an extensive network of bike paths connecting both sides of the resort (including a bicycle/golf cart tunnel under Hwy. 98). Kids can look forward to an ocean sailing school, a nature park, a treehouse, and nature walk. Add catch-and-release fishing, kayaking, waverunners, parasailing, snorkeling, scuba diving, sailing charters, shopping in the Village, and sunset and lobster cruises and there’s little reason to leave the resort—unless it’s to visit the 100+-store Silver Sands Premium Outlets, 2 miles to the west.
Children's programs: Club KZ takes children ages 4-12 for a 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. program focused on letting kids explore the natural environment around them. Activities include arts & crafts, beach and pool games, bingo, biking, fishing, scavenger hunts, and more. There is also a teen program during the summer months with volleyball on the beach, evening socials, movies, and other activities. In addition,there is a Children’s Evening Out that entertains those 4-12 with games, stargazing, pizza, a movie, and more.
Dining: There are numerous restaurants operated by the resort and two more in the Hilton, chief among them Seagar’s, a pricey but locally well regarded place for fine dining. The resort’s own dining options include the upscale cuisine of Elephant Walk overlooking the beach, the sumptuous and unpretentious Marlin Grill in the Village of Baytowne Wharf, and Ovide in the Hotel Effie overseen by award-winning Georgia chef Hugh Acheson. Between the Market Shops and Village there are more than a dozen other options, from casual snacks, ice cream, and pizza to Italian cuisine, seafood, and New Orleans specialties.
Accommodations
There are some 1,200 units for rent in Sandestin, including condos, villas, and homes ranging in size up to four bedrooms. There are also 175 hotel rooms available at the Bayside Inn, another 250 at the Hotel Effie, and 600 rooms and suites at the Hilton on the beach.
Getting there
Seasons: Year-round but busiest from March through October. Keep in mind that even those this is Florida, this is northern Florida and winters can be chilly—too chilly for the beach but often fine for golf and tennis.
Rates: There are two options: renting a room, condo, or home through the resort itself; or renting a room at the convention-oriented Hilton.
Travel Instructions: By Air: Although there are regional airports in Destin-Fort Walton Beach Airport(VPS), 30 minutes west, Pensacola Regional (PNS), 90 minutes west, and Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (ECP), roughly an hour’s drive to the east in Panama City. Rental cars are available at all three.
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20 Reviews on “Sandestin Tennis”
Excellent
4.7
20 reviews
LT
CM
Very impressed with the experience and quality of the instruction. Social match play was best we’ve experienced. A good mix of locals and vacationers.
KH
SanDestin tennis and rental homes are wonderful. My group has been attending tennis camp each spring for more than 20 years!!
MW
The tennis center was great. The pros were great! The staff in the pro-shop were great! I participated in clinic on Thursday morning, round robin doubles on Friday & mixed doubles on Saturday morning. Great fun, good instruction and very good tennis. I also took lessons (2) from Jim Gray & Kevin Tucker. I’ve played tennis for many years but I gained knowledge from both the pros and they helped me focus on specific aspects of my game that I should already know. I’ve played 3 doubles matches since my vacation to Sandestin and I am 3-0!
CS
The tennis staff is top notch.
BY
Incredible junior tennis pro named Jim Gray. He has a high performance tennis camp that is very impressive. Both my girls attended the week long camp in June and we plan to attend next summer.
PS
Fantastic tennis experience! A very committed staff and well maintained facility. Instruction and organization of clinics and round robins was great. Also lots of other recreational activities besides tennis so a great resort if you like to be active.
SM
I love to visit Sandestin resort for many reason, but the tennis is, hands down, my favorite part! The staff, both in the shop and on the court are friendly and knowledgeable. Me and my friends took several group lessons and learned a TON (we’re all 4.0s) while having a blast! The pro shop is the best I’ve ever been too – so many darling choices! They have everything you need to look great on the court – clothing, shoes, bags, gifts, etc. My team and I plan on coming back for a Dream Team weekend and for the 4.0 Team Challenge next year (it’s sold out this year!). Thanks Sandestin Tennis! Can’t wait to come back!
BA
SanDestin tennis is awesome!I’ve taken private lessons with Kevin and Jim, both were great. I also did the 9 am clinics with Todd and David as well, both kept us moving and i loved there were only 8 per court so they gave you alot of of feedback. The Saturday and Sunday Mixed round robin was also a lot of fun, they had 40+ people playing on Saturday. It tennis shop is also great, the selection of tennis clothes was great. I’m definitely going back before summer is over!
AB
This place is great! The mixed round robins on Saturday and Sunday were a blast … LOTS of people and so much energy and excitement. Staff was fun and helpful. We are 3.5 players and we got a great workout! Also attended a clinic and the pro teaching straightened out my volley! So much fun, fun. Nice facility and the tennis clothing selection was comparable to a big box store.
JS
Wow! Just went for the first time with a group of friends for a dream team getaway weekend. I couldn’t believe how many players were there (over 100!)but still received a lot of attention from all the pros. The drills were awesome and they kept us moving the entire time while teaching us very important doubles strategy. We stayed in the village where there are many shops and places to eat and walking distance to the courts. The tennis staff was extremely organized and very enthusiastic! I learned so much in 3 days!! I’m already planning a trip back next year!!
DM
Beautiful beaches and a well groomed resort. Unfortunately, the week my wife and I attended, it rained every day except the weekend which were the only days we might have been able to play, except they had all of the courts allotted to some ladies combo tourney and not a single court available for other resort guests. The staff lady at the pro shop was none too helpful with her surly attitude. Needless to say, next year we will return to Tops’l which is a better bargain and more accommodating to the non- team guests.
TH
I recently visited Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for a Dream Team Tennis weekend with four of my girlfriends. We enjoyed three days of outstanding tennis which included two hours of instruction followed by two hours of match play each day. The tennis professionals at Sandestin are experienced, energetic, and excellent teachers. We loved the drills and the lively tennis environment. We were also very pleased with our lovely accommodations which overlooked a golf course and were within walking distance to the tennis facility. We were also within walking distance to Baytowne which is part of the resort and has fantastic dining and shopping. The overall experience at Sandestin was exceptional and I am returning in May for a Ladies Team Challenge tournament.
AL
Sandestin Tennis at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is the ultimate stop for tennis instruction, competition and all- around enjoyment. I have been to the resort for the Dream Team Weekends, Team Challenges and family vacations. The Pro’s are absolutely the best in the business! They are always enthusiastic and have the greatest clinics, round-robins and lessons anywhere! All Get-a-Ways always include snacks, drinks, and friendly instruction from the staff. The Pro Shop always has the latest and greatest in tennis apparel and accessories! My children love the Junior Clinics and the High Performance Camps. I hope to return to Sandestin Tennis over and over again!!
BA
I’ve been to the result numerous times and have always been impressed by the professionalism, knowledge and courtesy shown by everyone there. The pros, David, Kevin, Jim, and Todd are exceptional. The staff in the Pro shop are great in assisting in setting times for the clinics and booking spots to play in the round robin’s, as a 3.5 player it is awesome how they work me in on round robins with my level of player and those better, definitely helps in improving my own skill set. I Totally love the selection of tennis outfits they have, they are stylish, chic, and most of all fun. Great place to be and a GREAT group of folks to be around.
DB
We love to go to Sandestin every year for the pristine beaches, fabulous golf courses, shopping for the wife & daughter, and exceptional tennis for the entire family. Sandestin offers so much to do for everybody–the staff is always warm & welcoming, and we’ve been going for years, but we all really love the wide array of tennis options. My kids have grown up doing both private lessons and their top rated junior program and high performance camps. My wife has taken her team there for ladies weekend getaway packages and played in their Ladies Team Challenge events. I like to participate in the Men’s doubles and join in on the Mixers and Adult Clinics. Whatever your tennis appetite craves Sandestin always comes through….Keep up the great work and memories and we’ll be back this Summer for more…
KM
Enjoyed my week at Sandestin!!! The tennis facility and staff were amazing! My family and I took several private lessons and our children also participated in the Junior program while there. We will definitely be back for our next vacation!!!
AF
We had a great week at Sandestin with the kids! They have a regular clinic 3 days a week, and the kids on vacation joined a robust group of local kids who were regulars. My husband played a clinic and found people to play with every day as well. Our kids were also able to take private lessons daily with Jim and his super team: Kevin, David, and Todd. All of the instructors were really helpful to the kids. And Jim put in some time really helping my son see what he could improve in his game. We went in April, but I hear the resort has a super tennis camp in the summer…. There is plenty to do at Sandestin – this is a pretty big property. The beaches are great, there are tons of restaurants, and we biked a few times with the kids. We did not get to all we meant to, so we will have to go back. We called Destin “Disney lite” because it’s a little resort-y and built up and kind of cheesy… but we had a great time. Best restaurant we ate at: Graffitis! Everyone seemed pretty happy here, and we kept running into people who said they’d been coming back for decades….
KS
Outstanding pros. Great tennis programs, drills and round robins.
DL
Team Sandestin is the Best Ever!!! Chris, Todd, Patrick, and David are exceptional. The Energy that each of the Pros bring to the court is top notch! After the week was over I couldn’t wait to get back to the court and show off my new moves that I learned from Team Sandestin! I recommend Sandestin to anyone who wishes to improve their game and have fun doing it. Worth every penny!!!
20 Reviews on “Sandestin Tennis”
Very impressed with the experience and quality of the instruction. Social match play was best we’ve experienced. A good mix of locals and vacationers.
SanDestin tennis and rental homes are wonderful. My group has been attending tennis camp each spring for more than 20 years!!
The tennis center was great. The pros were great! The staff in the pro-shop were great! I participated in clinic on Thursday morning, round robin doubles on Friday & mixed doubles on Saturday morning. Great fun, good instruction and very good tennis. I also took lessons (2) from Jim Gray & Kevin Tucker. I’ve played tennis for many years but I gained knowledge from both the pros and they helped me focus on specific aspects of my game that I should already know. I’ve played 3 doubles matches since my vacation to Sandestin and I am 3-0!
The tennis staff is top notch.
Incredible junior tennis pro named Jim Gray. He has a high performance tennis camp that is very impressive. Both my girls attended the week long camp in June and we plan to attend next summer.
Fantastic tennis experience! A very committed staff and well maintained facility. Instruction and organization of clinics and round robins was great. Also lots of other recreational activities besides tennis so a great resort if you like to be active.
I love to visit Sandestin resort for many reason, but the tennis is, hands down, my favorite part! The staff, both in the shop and on the court are friendly and knowledgeable. Me and my friends took several group lessons and learned a TON (we’re all 4.0s) while having a blast! The pro shop is the best I’ve ever been too – so many darling choices! They have everything you need to look great on the court – clothing, shoes, bags, gifts, etc. My team and I plan on coming back for a Dream Team weekend and for the 4.0 Team Challenge next year (it’s sold out this year!). Thanks Sandestin Tennis! Can’t wait to come back!
SanDestin tennis is awesome!I’ve taken private lessons with Kevin and Jim, both were great. I also did the 9 am clinics with Todd and David as well, both kept us moving and i loved there were only 8 per court so they gave you alot of of feedback. The Saturday and Sunday Mixed round robin was also a lot of fun, they had 40+ people playing on Saturday. It tennis shop is also great, the selection of tennis clothes was great. I’m definitely going back before summer is over!
This place is great! The mixed round robins on Saturday and Sunday were a blast … LOTS of people and so much energy and excitement. Staff was fun and helpful. We are 3.5 players and we got a great workout! Also attended a clinic and the pro teaching straightened out my volley! So much fun, fun. Nice facility and the tennis clothing selection was comparable to a big box store.
Wow! Just went for the first time with a group of friends for a dream team getaway weekend. I couldn’t believe how many players were there (over 100!)but still received a lot of attention from all the pros. The drills were awesome and they kept us moving the entire time while teaching us very important doubles strategy. We stayed in the village where there are many shops and places to eat and walking distance to the courts. The tennis staff was extremely organized and very enthusiastic! I learned so much in 3 days!! I’m already planning a trip back next year!!
Beautiful beaches and a well groomed resort. Unfortunately, the week my wife and I attended, it rained every day except the weekend which were the only days we might have been able to play, except they had all of the courts allotted to some ladies combo tourney and not a single court available for other resort guests. The staff lady at the pro shop was none too helpful with her surly attitude. Needless to say, next year we will return to Tops’l which is a better bargain and more accommodating to the non- team guests.
I recently visited Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort for a Dream Team Tennis weekend with four of my girlfriends. We enjoyed three days of outstanding tennis which included two hours of instruction followed by two hours of match play each day. The tennis professionals at Sandestin are experienced, energetic, and excellent teachers. We loved the drills and the lively tennis environment. We were also very pleased with our lovely accommodations which overlooked a golf course and were within walking distance to the tennis facility. We were also within walking distance to Baytowne which is part of the resort and has fantastic dining and shopping. The overall experience at Sandestin was exceptional and I am returning in May for a Ladies Team Challenge tournament.
Sandestin Tennis at Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort is the ultimate stop for tennis instruction, competition and all- around enjoyment. I have been to the resort for the Dream Team Weekends, Team Challenges and family vacations. The Pro’s are absolutely the best in the business! They are always enthusiastic and have the greatest clinics, round-robins and lessons anywhere! All Get-a-Ways always include snacks, drinks, and friendly instruction from the staff. The Pro Shop always has the latest and greatest in tennis apparel and accessories! My children love the Junior Clinics and the High Performance Camps. I hope to return to Sandestin Tennis over and over again!!
I’ve been to the result numerous times and have always been impressed by the professionalism, knowledge and courtesy shown by everyone there. The pros, David, Kevin, Jim, and Todd are exceptional. The staff in the Pro shop are great in assisting in setting times for the clinics and booking spots to play in the round robin’s, as a 3.5 player it is awesome how they work me in on round robins with my level of player and those better, definitely helps in improving my own skill set. I Totally love the selection of tennis outfits they have, they are stylish, chic, and most of all fun. Great place to be and a GREAT group of folks to be around.
We love to go to Sandestin every year for the pristine beaches, fabulous golf courses, shopping for the wife & daughter, and exceptional tennis for the entire family. Sandestin offers so much to do for everybody–the staff is always warm & welcoming, and we’ve been going for years, but we all really love the wide array of tennis options.
My kids have grown up doing both private lessons and their top rated junior program and high performance camps. My wife has taken her team there for ladies weekend getaway packages and played in their Ladies Team Challenge events.
I like to participate in the Men’s doubles and join in on the Mixers and Adult Clinics. Whatever your tennis appetite craves Sandestin always comes through….Keep up the great work and memories and we’ll be back this Summer for more…
Enjoyed my week at Sandestin!!! The tennis facility and staff were amazing! My family and I took several private lessons and our children also participated in the Junior program while there. We will definitely be back for our next vacation!!!
We had a great week at Sandestin with the kids! They have a regular clinic 3 days a week, and the kids on vacation joined a robust group of local kids who were regulars. My husband played a clinic and found people to play with every day as well. Our kids were also able to take private lessons daily with Jim and his super team: Kevin, David, and Todd. All of the instructors were really helpful to the kids. And Jim put in some time really helping my son see what he could improve in his game.
We went in April, but I hear the resort has a super tennis camp in the summer…. There is plenty to do at Sandestin – this is a pretty big property. The beaches are great, there are tons of restaurants, and we biked a few times with the kids. We did not get to all we meant to, so we will have to go back. We called Destin “Disney lite” because it’s a little resort-y and built up and kind of cheesy… but we had a great time. Best restaurant we ate at: Graffitis! Everyone seemed pretty happy here, and we kept running into people who said they’d been coming back for decades….
Outstanding pros. Great tennis programs, drills and round robins.
Team Sandestin is the Best Ever!!! Chris, Todd, Patrick, and David are exceptional. The Energy that each of the Pros bring to the court is top notch! After the week was over I couldn’t wait to get back to the court and show off my new moves that I learned from Team Sandestin! I recommend Sandestin to anyone who wishes to improve their game and have fun doing it. Worth every penny!!!