Stratton has a long if episodic association with tennis. The John Newcombe organization ran tennis camps there in the 1970s and ’80s and during that period it was the site of a Grand Masters tournament. Later, Andre Agassi first burst into national consciousness in 1986 when as a qualifier he reached the semifinals of the former Volvo International Tennis Championships, which was held at Stratton from 1985-89 (the event moved to New Haven when local property owners refused to allow the construction of a permanent tennis stadium), and Stratton briefly hosted the Acura U.S. Women’s Hardcourts Championships. In the 1984, it further enhanced its tennis credentials by building an impressive sports center with indoor courts, two racquetball courts, a complete fitness area, massage rooms, an indoor lap pool, and a fully equipped tennis and fitness shop. And the resort subsequently brought in the Cliff Drysdale Tennis (CDT) organization to manage the racquet-sports programming.
Tennis Staff: CDT’s Robert Menzies has run the racquet sports program since 2013. took over as tennis director late in 2013 after spending part of the summer there familiarizing himself with the program. A native New Zealander, he grew up playing tournaments, even qualifying for a national ranking, before committing to academics. He studied Sport and Recreation at the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, with a particular emphasis on coaching, nutrition, and sports psychology, and then joined CDT becoming head pro at the Omni Amelia Island Resort in Florida before taking over at Stratton.
The roster of summer tennis option is diverse. There are daily clinics, open play session, and group and private lessons. Those looking for a more structured program can opt for the midweek or weekend tennis camps, which variously devote from 2½ to 5 hours a day of group instruction, live-ball drills, and match play. Groups and teams can tailor their own program.
Junior Tennis Camps and Academy: During the summer months, the facility hosts a large junior rackets camp that features tennis, pickleball, swimming, group games, and other activities. Targeted to 5- to 14-year-olds, the program runs midweek and weekends and is open to players of all levels (the on-court sessions are divided by age group and ability). Juniors who take there tennis more seriously can opt for the Stratton Mountain Academy. Geared to players 11 to 18, it takes a more focused approach, with lower student:pro ratios, private lessons, and instructive match-play sessions. Finally, Menzies has addressed underserved population of players: the 14 to 18-year-olds, especially those hoping to make their high school tennis team. Rather that funnel them into an adult camp, he created a Mountain Strong program specifically for them. It follows the same format and low student:pro ratios as the adult program, while giving teens an opportunity to get together with other teens, with tennis as the common language. “It proved very popular,” Menzies told me.
Court Complex: The sports complex consists of six red-clay courts, four outdoor with blended lines for pickleball, and two indoor tennis courts.
201 Reviews on “Stratton Mountain Resort”
My girlfriends and I have been here for two years in a row. We go in August and the weather has been spectacular-perfect for playing tennis. The instructors and knowledgable and cordial. The accomodations are great and breakfast is delicious. No complaints only raves!
absolutely fabulous interaction and connection with the children Max Magones was all over the facility making sure not only were the children getting the best instruction in tennis possible, but they were getting a love of the game. Both the girls(ages 8 and 11) had a wonderful time and I am looking forward to sending them both back next year. Max is an asset to tour camp!!!
I loved my experience at Stratton with Cliff Drysdale. The staff made sure we all had a great time and played a lot of tennis despite the rain we received that weekend. We were impressed with how well run the camp was and how energetic all the pros were. We can’t wait to come back!!!
I can whole heartedly recommend the Drysdale Tennis Camp at Stratton, VT. My 12 and 11 year old children attended a week of camp this year and we were very happy with every aspect of their experience. The camp is very well run and the counselors are top notch. Not only did my kids come home as better tennis players, they also came home with a love of the game itself. What could be better than that? Kudos to all that run the camp… well done!
The facility, weather and warmness of the staff are superb. The tennis insruction is also great, although the overall experience is limited by the level of the participants who enroll on any given weekend. This program is best suited for 2.5 to 3.0 players. (I was asked by other players in my group not to hit the ball so hard to accomodate their level, which was frustrating.)
Overall, a lovely weekend in the mountains but not a challenging tennis weekend for more advanced players.
Loved it – I plan on coming back soon.
Had a great time at the Drysdale Tennis School at Stratton Mountain in July 2012. There was a wonderful mix of people and the pros were exceptional. Cliff Drysdale was wonderful and gracious. Great tennis and great fun! Already planning my next trip.
Excellent Camp, great instructor, fun drills with very worthwhile comments to improve your game. Almost every drill is conducted my a different instructor with Cliff Drysdale and Max the tennis director roaming to comment on how to improve your stokes.
The Cliff Drysdale Tennis School at Stratton has become my favorite destination for tennis instruction. The director, Scott Colebourne, is probably the best instructor I have had and I have played at most of the top academies on the east coast. After consulting my doubles partner and I as to what we needed to work on, he individualized lessons to help us improve in these areas. He took video of our shots and offered terrific advise. My serves and volleying have improved significantly.
If there is a weakness to the school it would be accommodations. After having some minor issues in the past, we chose to stay off-site, which was somewhat better, but also further away. Its essentially cheap and inexpensive, or luxurious and pricey.
Personally, I don’t go to tennis camp for the accommodations, I go for the tennis, and this is where Stratton shines.
The pros are tops, very personable and fun to be with. More importantly, they’re excellent analysts of your(mine) specific strengths and weaknesses and coming up with an individually tailored program that gets results. I’ve been going to their group clinics for the past two years and my game has improved considerably as a result.
A top rate tennis program that I recommend highly . The only weakness that I can see is that there are only two indoor courts so that if it rains in the summer there is not a lot of options with so many people.
This summer I visited Cliff Drysdale tennis for the first time and had such a good time, I went back a few more times over the summer. The program and coaching staff are fantastic. I usually did the weekend getaway which included very fun mixer on Friday evening and 3-2.5 hr clinics on Sat & Sun. The mixers are a great way to meet the coaches and the “Vermont locals.” I also did some of the morning cardio classes and they have good energy and get you going for the day.
Scott and his staff are great at understanding what each person needs to work on, but are able to keep it fun and moving for the group. I will definitely be going back next summer!
Absolutely one of my favorite places to play tennis! Made my first trip up this summer and enjoyed it so much I went back a few more times (5x). I noticed a substantial change in my game, especially strategy, by the end of summer. The Director and all the pros were very knowledgeable and super fun while pushing you to be your best. Can’t wait for next summer – I’m booking multi weekends now!
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The Cliff Drysdale Tennis School at Stratton exceeded our expectations. The clay courts are very well maintained, the setting is beautiful, and most importantly, the level of instruction was superb. We will definitely go back again.
Awesome setting in Vermont mountains! Great tennis instruction with a lot of tennis packed into a 3 day weekend combining social and challenging skill development. Drills typically in groups of 4 and fast paced with time for 1:1 instruction. Good pairing of skill…more 1:1 time would have made made experience even better.
The tennis camp for adults supposedly runs from 9:30 a.m. until noon. Actually it’s longer than that — more like 9:10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m., with those first 20 minutes or so spent in warm-up rallying, sometimes with instructors, sometimes with other attendees. Play is on excellently maintained clay courts. Something close to 100% of the time between 9:30 and noon is spent on drills, with one instructor for about 4 attendees. Instructors switch from group, so that in the course of the morning each attendee will be exposed to three or four different instructors. Standing around time: just enough for me to catch my breath. All of the instructors are expert teachers and, in addition, make learning fun.
The camp is set up to handle people who can get there for only one day and for those who have more time available to them. I went for five days (Monday through Friday). This was my second five-day stint at the camp — I went there in 2010 too. Those five days in 2010 significantly improved my tennis for the rest of the year. And I’m confident that this year’s camp will have the same effect.
The instruction we received was incredibly helpful; technique, drills and strategy. JoBob,Scott,,Dan and Sam were all amazing and all had their own style that contributed to the camp. Without a doubt, we would come back and highly recommend this camp.
Terrific three-day camp. Strengths: great attentive instructors who paid serious attention to your habits by *demonstrating* instead of talking. Lots of game-action. Lots of drills and cardio and strategy for the player at any level. Weaknesses: none of any significance. Perhaps we could have had more singles match strategy, playing a few points against other campers to strategize points better. Really, really glad we did this.
Enjoyable camp with patient and fun instructors suituated in the beautiful mountains of Vermont. My friends and I have been there twice and both times the camp was enjoyable and paced well! The cardio tennis was an added bonus too! Would have been nice if the food was included other than breakfast..
Great clinics with Scott – Head Pro. Very knowledgeable and patient. I hope to be back soon.
Strengths: The tennis camp is extraordinary. The drills are intense and targeted; the match play is instructive. The Legends weekend is terrific.
Weaknesses: The level of instruction is a little uneven. While most of the pros are delightful and insightful at the same time, two local pros were less so, therefore making the experience not quite 100%. But overall, a wonderful time. I’ll be back.
I have attended various clinics and lessons at the Cliff Drysdale Tennis School. Scott Colebourne is a welcomed addition to the Stratton Tennis School and the Stratton Mountain Resort. The lessons and clinics with Scott have been very helpful for my game.
Amazing energy,knowledge and commitment from Scott and his staff. His style of teaching is thoughtful, smart and works to improve what is a challenging and fun sport.
The Cliff Drysdale tennis school at Stratton Mountain VT is an awesome experience. I felt each and every staff member had something to offer that was beneficial to my game. Scott, the head pro is professional, intuitive and offered both strategy and technique tips in a clear concise manner. The energy was contagious. I’ve been playing tennis for 37 years and taken lessons from some of the best pros, Scott and his team didn’t let me down!!!
Pro Scott Colebourne excellent instructor and coach.
Incredibvly fun and great instruction across the board. Don’t miss it!
Love the on court instructors and the front desk staff. All make you feel at home and well cared for.
Simply put, Scott Colebourne is one of the *most* talented tennis instructors I’ve come across in twenty years. He is thoughtful, clear and fun – and I especially appreciate his focus on the strategic and technical aspects of my game. I drive over an hour to take Scott’s clinics and private lessons!
Scott assessed my game and gave me specific things to work on, both strategically and mechanically, that improved my game tremendously. In addition, he makes the clinics a lot of fun.
Strengths: 1) Loved that Cliff Drysdale personally instructed a session and also kept eyes on all the courts for the entire Legends weekend. 2) Loved the opening “pep” talks by Cliff and Scott. Good information and created a nice unity among all the players. 3) Loved the efficiency of the pros moving from court to court instead of a jumble of players trying to find their next court. 4) Loved learning 1 solid skill to work on per each pro. 5) Loved that you watched how players were doing and constantly tweeked courts so that everyone could be in the best place. 6) Loved finishing with matchplay at the end of ea. day to put the day’s instruction to practise – even if by then I no longer knew my *ss from by elbow. 7) Loved the overall energy of the experience. The sincerity and passion of the program is clear – from a tennis legend genuinely relating to me to better my abilities, a director with great leadership skills, and a practiced team of enthusiastic pros who are happy to instruct no matter your level — it all adds up to an experience I’d gladly repeat. Weaknesses: 1) Some sessions provided less instruction than others – in some cases it’s the nature of the particular drill, in others, perhaps it’s the pro. I would opt for more instruction and more comments when possible. 2) Where in the world is my smiley award???
Date of Visit: Thurs. July 21- Sun. July 24 First, the weaknesses of the School so we can end this review with the positives. First impression of the School was not positive.There is no landscaping, no amenities, ex. tables with chairs, or umbrellas around outdoor facility. One old wooden round table with benches-not very inviting. If you are single, no area to encourage meeting others. Lots of hard tru courts, four hard clay. Upon entering facility, attendees at desk were unfriendly, ignorant of our arrival despite filling out comprehensive pre-register forms. One of the club assistants, Gigi, was terrific though. She was the exception and not only explained the school’s procedures and programs, but went out of her way to point out best restaurants in Stratton. Kudos to Gigi! Major Weakness is the head pro and manager, Scott Colebourne, both in management style and as a tennis teacher. Although he keeps the program well organized, he lacks a competent teaching style for below 3.5 players, simply stating: “This is how it’s done,” rather than adjusting instruction to individual player. In addition, he is not lively, often curt with guests as well as his pro staff creating a displeasing environment. Another of the pros, Sam, seems to be bored with the whole scene. During the clinics, hitting without any comments or instruction was the norm.
However, the clinics and lessons were worthwhile and at times very enjoyable. The pros change courts every 35 min or so. the people you hit with do not change! Therefore, if you are stuck with players way below you or opposite,it is challenging. The pros that made the school worthwile were JOE BRENNAN and DAN DAVIES. The clinic sessions they conducted had pizzazz and though tennis exercises can get boring, they certainly helped to keep the momentum and practices totally upbeat. Joe always seem to have “tricks to use” to improve our footwork and tactics. Dan, a young New Zealander, was the best tennis instructor I have had in my five years of learning tennis-that includes Colts Neck and Ponte Vedre Resort, Florida. In my one hour private lesson with him, he upped my serving skills and taught me top spin in a few minutes. My only mistake was not booking an additional tennis lesson with Dan.
Hoping this school works on their weaknesses so that my husband and I can return to the beautiful Stratton Mts.
Would highly recommend to my friends! Fantastic experience, great tennis instructors, in both adult and kids programs. Amazing facilities!
The quality of the teaching staff was disappointing. In some of the drills the pro insisted on inserting himself in the play which made it confusing and decreased the # of balls we hit. In another drill the pro played one-on-one on one side of the court with one student while the 3 others played with each other on the other side of the court. We found this to be counter-productive. Overall it was fun to be on the court for so many hours but we would not recommend this program to other.
This was the best experience I have ever had. The quality of coaching was brilliant. The clinics are very intense and the pro staff where awesome. I would highly recommend coming to the Drysdale Tennis School.
Very personable and great fun. Good instructors that kept the play moving and some great tips. Would like a little more match play but over all experience was a very nice one.
This is my second season attending. The pros are very informative, Cliff is very involved and there are a lot of drills and play time. It is a great mix of hard work and fun. The only negative is some of the players are not at the same level and the pros are forced to mix players that may not be of equal talent. They do not hesitate to fix the problem when recognized but half a day can go by before the adjustment is made.
The instruction was excellent. It focused on every aspect of the game in an organized and effective approach. The tennis professionals were knowledgeable, friendly and showed a great passion for teaching. I would strongly recommend this program.
I thought the staff was great with a lot of helpful hints to all types of players. I was there to get some helpful tips as a striving coach and with my wife who was beginning to play the game. The head of the staff, Mr. Colebourne spent a lot of great time with me teaching me and telling me what he knew about the game of tennis! The staff as a whole was great and very helpful through my visit!
Great program. Well run and informative as well as fun.
I attended the Drysdale Stratton School as a complete beginner. I very much enjoyed the week, and I felt that I received top-flight instruction that set up an excellent foundation on which I can build.
The instructors were excellent – very helpful, very patient, very good senses of humor, and very attentive to the individual students. Every day was well-planned, well-organized, and well-executed.
In addition to the tennis, there is also golf, biking, etc. at Stratton, as well as the very nice town of Manchester nearby for things to do while you are not on the tennis court.
I would highly recommend this School to anyone, beginner or veteran. (My wife is a very good player, and she enjoyed the School as much as I did.) Very nice facility, very nice people, and a great vacation!
Was a great active weekend! I highly recommend it to anyone holding a racket. Great instructors and well organized.
Great tennis getaway! I learned a bunch and had a great time! The instructors were all friendly, fun, and knowledgeable.
The tennis instruction was exceptional, during the three days we participated in lessons (private and clinic) Scott, Joe, Bill and Andrew (?) were great in helping to refine our strokes. Overall, my family and I walked away with a very positive experience. I would give it two thumbs up and recommend it for both beginners (my wife) and intermediate/advanced level players. The kids also had a positive experience as well. The staff were exceptionally friendly and welcoming. Thanks to Scott and the staff for a great time.
Two great teaching pros. The clinics and private lesson really improved my game The drills for my serve is making my serve much better. The instruction that I received is continuing to improve my ground game. I loved it!
I thought the coaching staff at my daily clinics were very very good. They really concentrated on the individual and made great attempts to help improve each one’s game. They gave me a lot to think about and work on until I return. I definitely want to come back and have those great teachers again,
It was fantastic. Instruction was very personal and thoughtful; really helped my game and my son’s. We a already looking forward to going back. Thanks to Scott, Billy, Joe-Bob and Joe!
Great tennis getaway! Intense, however not bootcamp style, clinics. My pro absolutely pushed me, but there was a thoughtful purpose to every drill. On the first day the levels of players were broad, the pros did a good job keeping things moving but I still wanted to be pushed a little more. Scott was amazing in accommodating me and I did not even have to ask. I ended up spending the rest of the weekend with one pro, Joe, with Scott checking in. I walked away with some good changes to my game, and had time to grove the changes while I was there. Entire staff was fun and helpful.
Stop by the mixer on Friday night, the locals are fun and some will drop into the clinics and cardio tennis. You can get as much, or as little tennis as you want. A beautiful drive from Manhattan. I’m already looking to book my next weekend!
Please be early, so you can enjoy Stratton, especially Cliff Drysdale’s Tennis School, in full and depart as late as possible to take it all in. Fantastic place to learn tennis!!!! Great trainers!!!!
The biggest strength was the pros’ knowledge of doubles strategy. Finally, I was instructed to play as a partner, and not as one of two singles players who happened to be playing on the court together. Their emphasis on communication, smart shot placement, and variety of shots, really captured what I have always considered to be the essence of doubles. Also, the pros took an interest in the individual players and gave insightful advice on many aspects of the game.