The legendary tennis instructor and coach Dennis Van der Meer passed away Saturday, July 27, 2019. I first met him in the 1980s at a camp at the Van Der Meer Tennis Center and came away amazed by his upbeat teaching—sometimes punctuated by silly jokes—and his phenomenal ability at the end of a camp with 60 participants to conclude by calling each by name and recalling specifically the flaws in their game he was working on to help them improve. A kind, wonderful man who cared deeply about tennis and tennis players. He is missed. For more about him and his contribution to tennis, see the obituary in The Island Packet.
Of all the resorts on Hilton Head Island, Shipyard Plantation has always impressed me for its serenity. Drive through either entrance gate and you find yourself on a winding two-lane road bordered by woods or golf fairways and unobtrusive complexes of low-rise condos. The road eventually ends at the 20-court Van Der Meer Shipyard Tennis Resort and a beachfront hotel called the Sonesta Resort Hilton Head Island. Its location puts most of Hilton Head Island’s shops, restaurants, and attractions within easy reach while ensuring a measure of tranquility once you return to the plantation.
The plantation itself covers a 800 acres. Unlike Sea Pines and Palmetto Dunes, which border long stretches of beach, most of Shipyard lies inland. At its northeastern corner, however, a rectangular parcel of land connects the rest of the plantation to the beach. It’s there, just behind the dunes, that you’ll find both the Sonesta hotel and the resort’s beach club.
The ownership of Shipyard’s recreational amenities and its lodging is fragmented, which makes it modestly more complicated to sort through the options if you’re planning to stay there. The condos are handled by many different island real estate agencies, each of which may have struck a different deal with the golf club and tennis club to ensure their guests special privileges.
Tennis players have it somewhat easier since they can call the Van Der Meer organization and take advantage of special package prices the racquet club has cut with island hotels and villas, inside and outside the plantation.
Billie Jean King was the touring pro for Shipyard Plantation in 1974 when the racquet club was built. Almost two decades later her onetime coach and former business partner Dennis Van der Meer bought the racquet club and made major enhancements, including the addition of three indoor courts, the general upgrading of the others, and enhancement of the stadium.
Tennis Staff: Most of the clinics are run by Dr. Louis Cap and other members of the Van Der Meer professional staff. A Master Professional and PTR National Tester and Clinician, Cap played the European Circuit in the 60’s, and in addition to his lengthy teaching and playing career, Louie has a Ph.D. in Nuclear Physics and when I last visited in 2017 was preparing to run his 43rd consecutive Boston Marathon.
Tennis Programs: The Van Der Meer organization has moved all of its multi-day adult programming to this Shipyard venue. Throughout virtually the entire year now, there are midweek and weekend clinics ranging from 10 to 20 hours in length. Different sessions are designed to appeal to different players, from basic clinics for a wide range to abilities to drill-and-play, advanced, or world-class drill sessions for NTRP 3.5 and above. Certain other periods are devoted to singles, doubles, or senior play. Adults who want daily (as opposed to multi-day) programs can still get those at Shipyard, which offers Cardio tennis and from May to October a weekly pro exhibition or a broad range of clinics Van Der Meer Tennis Center, which is also where the junior programs take place.
Court Complex: A handsome weathered wood-and-stucco pro shop beneath a towering live oak tree anchors this 20-court complex. Walkways impregnated with shells provide access to the courts, most of which have been laid out in pairs with refrigerated water fountains and shaded pavilions in between. One of these courts is a bleachered stadium. Altogether there are 14 clay courts and 6 hard, three of the latter in an indoor building whose blue roof and facade of stucco and columns hints at the other architecture within Shipyard.
Court fees: $15-$18/hour except for those on Van Der Meer clinic packages
Off Court
Beach: Only one tiny strip of the Shipyard property borders the beach, and that occurs in the extreme northeast corner just behind the Sonesta Resort. Low dunes tufted with grass separate the beach proper, which is enormously wide, from a line of palm trees and the hotel and beach club. Blue umbrellas stud the sand, which is otherwise cluttered with beach tricycles and chairs.
Golf Courses: Shipyard has 27 holes of golf.
Spa and Fitness Center: The Arum Spa at the Sonesta offers a variety of massages, body treatments, and facials. The Sonesta also has a fitness center open 24 hours a day to guests. It has cardio equipment, LifeFitness training stations, and dumbbells.
There are bike trails through the property but not much else in the way of other recreation.
Children's programs: The Sonesta has a children’s playground, and it also runs something called “Just Us Kids,”, a supervised, full- or half-day program available from Memorial Day to Labor Day for 6 to 12 year olds. Potty-trained 3- to 5-year-old can attend with the morning or afternoon half day session.
Accommodations
Getting there
Seasons: Tennis can be played year-round at Shipyard; however the beach loses its appeal from late November into early March, since the weather during that period can be chilly. On the other hand, some of the best bargains in lodging rates (and discounted clinics) also occur in winter.
Travel Instructions: By Air: Shipyard is 45 miles from Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport (SAV) in Georgia and 95 miles from Charleston International Airport (CHS). Major airlines serve both of those gateways. It is also possible to fly directly to Hilton Head Island Airport (HHH), on commuter service from US Airways Express, via Charlotte, NC. Rental cars and shuttles are available at all three airports.
I’ve been vacationing on HHI for years and taken private lessons very early in the AM every year. I was very happy to find out that Dhiren Patel was back on staff this summer. He is an excellent coach and even though I’ve been taking lessons for years he always adds something to my game. This year we had Dhiren give a lesson to our 5 and 6 year old boys. He managed to keep them happy and active for an hour. They had so much fun that they can’t wait to take another lesson. If you are on the island in the summer be sure to check out Van Der Meer Shipyard and ask for Dhiren.
HS
Good camp. Needed a social activity, i. e. lunch to build participant camaraderie. Drills could have varied more. Lots of just count your shots. Good exercise routine before playing each day. On the cusp of COVID so did well considering the circumstances.
TO
VDM Shipyard is the best tennis instruction facility I have attended and I have attended multiple tennis camps. The factility, environment, instructors are the BEST.
MC
Fantastic time at Van de Mer tennis camp!
DW
Excellent clinics. The instructors were young and we were old, but they related well. They started where we were, and didn’t try to change everything. Instead, they tweaked our games up a bit, which is all we hoped for. (I’m 80)
SH
Just OK. Not a lot of individual help. Group presentations were good but the pros offered very little help. Always felt rushed and never had even an extra minute of court time. Would not return. There are other camps that provide better value for your money. Some inappropriate comments made toward the female participants in the group. An old boys club in my opinion.
PS
This is my go to tennis resort in Hilton Head.The pros are seriously great teachers and the players there want to learn. I love that they offer level- specific daily classes to hone your skills against like players. And the setting is so peaceful.
JK
My wife and I attended a weekend clinic May 2016. We arrived a day early so we started with a daily program. There were only 3 of us on court so we got great instruction, hit a ton of balls and got quite the work out. The weekend clinic was full but was well organized and had plenty of instructors. We were matched up well with players of similar ability. Dr. Louie is very entertaining and has a phenomenal memory. He can walk by your court and remind you of a mistake your making that he taught you on a previous day. We covered a lot in a short time and the video analysis was helpful. No gimmicks here, just solid instruction. We will definitely return for a future visit.
TB
My wife and I attended the Advanced Adult Weekend Clinic at Van Der Meer Tennis Center in Shipyard Plantation on HHI, SC for the 3rd time at the end of October 2016. There were 3 other couples we knew who also attended. The pros did a great job of working with us on all aspects of our tennis games. And many of the pointers we received are ones we’ve been able to incorporate into our matches back here in the Atlanta area. The only downside was that it didn’t last longer. However, for the time we spent on the courts, it was an intense workout. We look forward to coming back again.
RB
I have visited the Van Der Meer Tennis Center on Hilton Head Island for quite a few years and highly recommend the facility. I particularly like the knowledgeable staff and friendly atmosphere. My family enjoyed the the location near the beach and the chance to experience the Hilton Head Island experience. I have always benefited from the coaching I have received from Van Der Meer as have my players because I am a High School Coach. My young players enjoyed the rigorous tennis workouts and skill building sessions at their Junior clinic. I would like to see Van Der Meer improve there indoor facility but that is a minor complaint of mine. I look forward to returning to Van Der Meer and Hilton Head Island soon.
JL
Good facilities Friendly instructors Would like to see more video analysis
TW
Good for 3.5 and below at the BOOMER program for 5 days. Definitely can improve your overall skills if you apply yourself..Lots of repetitive workouts using different shot distances.. Older players have a more difficult time adjusting to new habits.. Only real negative was lack of shot types, such as drop or backhand slice .. Overall a satisfying experience with a congenial staff.
MS
I really enjoyed the instruction and the opportunity to play games with the March 2016 tennis camp at Van Der Meer Tennis. Dr. Louis Cap and Ramon were excellent instructors; a very nice touch was to review our shots with video. An excellent quality was the fact that we were a very small group – just eight with two instructors. Extremely useful were the warm-up sessions. I would strongly recommend Van Der Meer tennis. I enjoyed my week there tremendously and look forward to returning.
CB
Van Der Meer Clinics are the best. We have been going for the last 25 years and have missed very few years. We try to go the the Advanced Clinic at the end of Oct or early Nov for 4.0 and above. We always have great competition and a great time.
JS
I attended a Boomer Tennis Camp, thinking I’d be able to manage morning and afternoon sessions with seniors. But there were no ladies who lunch here–four full courts of competitive fun. The group of 16 was sorted at first and instruction began in groups of similar level. After starting every day with a set of injury preventing dynamic stretches it was onto the focus of the day with instruction tailored to develop each participant’s strengths. Instructors were experienced and made it fun, and it was a great value on top of that. I just loved it and plan to go back again this year.
MS
I had a wonderful time and learned many tactical skills that I incorporated into my tennis game. The instructors were professional, knowledgeable, and flexible about what parts of the game I was interested in learning and incorporating that into the schedule. The three hour a day clinics were perfect for learning and then we were able to use the courts to play after clinic to practice. Can’t wait to go back!
KH
It was a great weekend. They definitely worked us hard. Great staff, fun, friendly environment.
CA
Van Der Meer at Shipyard was really good at getting individual or coupled vacationers together for some larger group instruction or match play. Instructors very, very good at positivity and humor while still keeping it competitive. We vacationers enjoyed the tennis so much that most of us came back every day we were there making a nice group and getting to know each other a bit. Morning and afternoon sessions available for flexibility. Morning sessions were more popular than afternoon because of the heat. It would be nice to have the morning clinics and match play offered every day during those cooler hours of the day. Tennis clinics were offered every afternoon, but the afternoons were hot.
JK
The VDM Tennis Center is just that, a place to play, improve your game with high quality teaching (including video feedback), and get an excellent workout. There is no housing but they arrange discounts at local hotels. For other recreational experiences you have all of Hilton Head to explore and take advantage of – if you are not too tired. The instruction was intensive with the primary focus being building on your tennis skills, not tearing them down to start over. I learned a great deal that I was able to apply right away when I returned to Sarasota and my very active tennis community where I play every day. I play on both a 60’s and a 70’s team and have gone from being a mediocre player who frequently sat out matches to one who plays almost every league match. I had hoped there would be a lot of focus specifically on doubles; there wasn’t but my doubles game still went to the next level.
DH
Outstanding coaching and the facility is clean and professional. I have been coming back for 15 years and love it. I recommend it to all my friends.
JO
The staff is very professional in the way they provide positive feedback during drills and match play. They manage to take away frustrations while challenging participants to make improvements.
TP
Love the program there. Coaches are a great mix of different personalities and skill teachers. Had a blast and my game improved, will definitely be coming back again!!!
RB
I go back every year. Beautiful courts, great instruction and Hilton Head Island has a lot to offer. Great beaches, golf, lots of biking paths and tons of restaurants.
DF
I experienced the week-long “Boomer Tennis” clinic and very much enjoyed it. The other players were friendly and enthusiastic and the instruction was good. Got a good workout as a result of the many drills (16 hrs.), spread over 5 days. Picturesque setting, too. The accommodations next door, arranged through Van der Meer, were very good.
JD
My wife and I have visited many tennis resorts through on our country and Shipyard is one of the best. We try to visit it annually. Lou Cap is the head pro and is helpful with improving your game without trying to change everything in your present form. He makes tennis fun and entertaining. There is a great hotel adjacent to the tennis called the Sonesta Resort that is a nice place to stay. Condos nearby are also available for rent. This resort has 3 indoor courts and 4 covered courts. Therefore, if it rains, you have the opportunity to play inside. Lastly, Hilton Head has a lot of other activities to do with historic areas nearby.
ES
Doubles clinic is a lot of fun, a great workout, and also a chance to work on skills. The instructors do a great job of giving individual coaching in a group setting. Also a chance to play with and against players of various skill levels and playing styles.
LB
I had a great time and really improved my game during a 3.5 weekend tennis clinic at Van Der Meer. This was a small group clinic, 3 hours each day Fri- Sun and lots of individual attention was given to each player between the two pros that worked with us all weekend. They focused on pointers to improve each persons weaknesses and plenty of praise for solid shots and points played. Several strategies to get to tough shots were taught. I really enjoyed the weekend and hope to attend another clinic in 2017.
RR
My wife and I had a wonderful experience at this camp. We celebrated our wedding anniversary by taking a doubles weekend clinic here and it was extremely fun and we got to meet great people. The instructors were great. They made sure they made it fair to divide everyone up in proper levels. And they were very hands on helping your weaknesses. I highly recommend this resort because it has very nice facilities and a friendly staff. I would definitely do this again without hesitation. There was nothing I didn’t like about this camp. Thumbs up!
RW
Van Der Meer tennis was highly recommended to me by a tennis friend who has sampled other tennis camps. I have gone to the adult tennis camp at VDM for the last two years, and plan to make it an annual event. The staff and instruction are excellent, the courts and facilities in great shape, and it is located in a beautiful setting on the ocean. Exceptional value for your tennis dollar.
SC
WOW….it was wonderful. I first attended a one week “boot camp” for adults who’ve played before. There were 8 total with 2 instructors who were excellent. The camp was well structured and kept all levels of players actively involved working their individual skill levels while mixing it up so all were improving. Highly recommend their adult one week session (5 days with 3, 2 a days). I then joined one of the other players and did semi private lessons with Jim Stubbs who was great. As I had guests visiting, they too joined the lessons. Jim was flexible, determined to improve all our games and made it fun, but a great workout. I left HHI a much better tennis player.
SS
Strengths- Great coaching staff; right amount of tennis time; great weather Weaknesses – None
SK
Great accomodations near the beach and first class individualized instruction.
GM
The instructor was great. I believe his name was Jim Stubbs (sorry, it was last summer – memory issues). Afternoon events were fun. I hope I can do it again.
MS
I have gone to this tennis camp every year for the past 15 or 16 years! The staff and drills are wonderful! I love that the pros know your name almost immediately and place you in groups of comparable ability. I have also done drills and clinics at shipyard, sc. Again wonderful instruction and pros remember me from clinics in VA on previous years. It is an awesome program. I would recommend VanDerMeer to anyone who would like a great learning environment.
MH
Individualized instruction Good ratio of instructors to participants Unlimited use of courts Clay and hard courts Beautiful setting, beaches next door
LB
Fantastic experience! The instruction was excellent and very specific to our level of play. Our class was small so we had amazing individual instruction by two pros. The sessions moved quickly so we covered a lot of strokes and strategy while hitting a LOT of balls! The videoing of our serves was particularly helpful to me and I’ve been able to incorporate what I learned into my game since returning home. I absolutely would recommend this tennis camp to anyone interested in honing their game!
MY
If you are serious about tennis and want to have fun while sharpening your game, this place is for you. Superb instruction and friendly staff makes for the experience to be worthwhile and satisfying. I truly felt that I walked away from my weekend there with more confidence in my volleys and learned various strategies. Their drills truly help your game. The facility is also beautiful and relaxing. You certainly feel like you are on a vacation while improving your tennis game. This is a place I highly recommend. Louie is also the best pro. He analayzes everyone’s game and works on your issues with him. The only weakness is personal. After the clinic, I couldn’t move for days! LOL
LW
I have attended many of their Week long clinics. They are great and always friendly staff. Highly recommend them and nice facility. I’m now age 75 and still playing 4.0 USTA teams. Had two heart attacks and quadruple bypass. Played sixty days after my heart operation. Playing 4-5 times weekly. We had discussed getting together to play in NY many years ago but that never worked out.
CL
My husband and I along with another couple have attended the Van Der Meer Tennis Center for the Adult Clinic the past two years. The four of us are regular club players and highly recommend their programs!! The staff is awesome and you hit a ton of balls!!!!!
CP
This was my first time at a week long tennis clinic. It exceeded my expectations. They kept us going from the minute we arrived each day. Lots and lots of drills. The coaches were great and offered very specific feedback to work on, then followed up with more drills to work on that area. We were videotaped several times and given specific feedback, then back out to the courts to work on the details. The clinic was geared to doubles play – lots of time spent on volleys and net play, service line play, etc. We had the opportunity 2 of the days to join the resort’s general “round robin” doubles socials after the clinic and that was really a great added bonus. It gave us lower level players a chance to up our game by playing with high level players, and really drove home all the skills we were working on in the clinic. Two of the people in my group had attended Van Der Meer in past years and returned due to the great experience. I would highly recommend this clinic.
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140 Reviews on “Van Der Meer Tennis”
I’ve been vacationing on HHI for years and taken private lessons very early in the AM every year. I was very happy to find out that Dhiren Patel was back on staff this summer. He is an excellent coach and even though I’ve been taking lessons for years he always adds something to my game. This year we had Dhiren give a lesson to our 5 and 6 year old boys. He managed to keep them happy and active for an hour. They had so much fun that they can’t wait to take another lesson. If you are on the island in the summer be sure to check out Van Der Meer Shipyard and ask for Dhiren.
Good camp. Needed a social activity, i. e. lunch to build participant camaraderie. Drills could have varied more. Lots of just count your shots. Good exercise routine before playing each day. On the cusp of COVID so did well considering the circumstances.
VDM Shipyard is the best tennis instruction facility I have attended and I have attended multiple tennis camps. The factility, environment, instructors are the BEST.
Fantastic time at Van de Mer tennis camp!
Excellent clinics. The instructors were young and we were old, but they related well. They started where we were, and didn’t try to change everything. Instead, they tweaked our games up a bit, which is all we hoped for. (I’m 80)
Just OK. Not a lot of individual help. Group presentations were good but the pros offered very little help. Always felt rushed and never had even an extra minute of court time. Would not return. There are other camps that provide better value for your money. Some inappropriate comments made toward the female participants in the group. An old boys club in my opinion.
This is my go to tennis resort in Hilton Head.The pros are seriously great teachers and the players there want to learn. I love that they offer level- specific daily classes to hone your skills against like players. And the setting is so peaceful.
My wife and I attended a weekend clinic May 2016. We arrived a day early so we started with a daily program. There were only 3 of us on court so we got great instruction, hit a ton of balls and got quite the work out. The weekend clinic was full but was well organized and had plenty of instructors. We were matched up well with players of similar ability. Dr. Louie is very entertaining and has a phenomenal memory. He can walk by your court and remind you of a mistake your making that he taught you on a previous day. We covered a lot in a short time and the video analysis was helpful. No gimmicks here, just solid instruction. We will definitely return for a future visit.
My wife and I attended the Advanced Adult Weekend Clinic at Van Der Meer Tennis Center in Shipyard Plantation on HHI, SC for the 3rd time at the end of October 2016. There were 3 other couples we knew who also attended. The pros did a great job of working with us on all aspects of our tennis games. And many of the pointers we received are ones we’ve been able to incorporate into our matches back here in the Atlanta area. The only downside was that it didn’t last longer. However, for the time we spent on the courts, it was an intense workout. We look forward to coming back again.
I have visited the Van Der Meer Tennis Center on Hilton Head Island for quite a few years and highly recommend the facility. I particularly like the knowledgeable staff and friendly atmosphere. My family enjoyed the the location near the beach and the chance to experience the Hilton Head Island experience. I have always benefited from the coaching I have received from Van Der Meer as have my players because I am a High School Coach. My young players enjoyed the rigorous tennis workouts and skill building sessions at their Junior clinic. I would like to see Van Der Meer improve there indoor facility but that is a minor complaint of mine. I look forward to returning to Van Der Meer and Hilton Head Island soon.
Good facilities Friendly instructors Would like to see more video analysis
Good for 3.5 and below at the BOOMER program for 5 days. Definitely can improve your overall skills if you apply yourself..Lots of repetitive workouts using different shot distances.. Older players have a more difficult time adjusting to new habits.. Only real negative was lack of shot types, such as drop or backhand slice .. Overall a satisfying experience with a congenial staff.
I really enjoyed the instruction and the opportunity to play games with the March 2016 tennis camp at Van Der Meer Tennis. Dr. Louis Cap and Ramon were excellent instructors; a very nice touch was to review our shots with video. An excellent quality was the fact that we were a very small group – just eight with two instructors. Extremely useful were the warm-up sessions. I would strongly recommend Van Der Meer tennis. I enjoyed my week there tremendously and look forward to returning.
Van Der Meer Clinics are the best. We have been going for the last 25 years and have missed very few years. We try to go the the Advanced Clinic at the end of Oct or early Nov for 4.0 and above. We always have great competition and a great time.
I attended a Boomer Tennis Camp, thinking I’d be able to manage morning and afternoon sessions with seniors. But there were no ladies who lunch here–four full courts of competitive fun. The group of 16 was sorted at first and instruction began in groups of similar level. After starting every day with a set of injury preventing dynamic stretches it was onto the focus of the day with instruction tailored to develop each participant’s strengths. Instructors were experienced and made it fun, and it was a great value on top of that. I just loved it and plan to go back again this year.
I had a wonderful time and learned many tactical skills that I incorporated into my tennis game. The instructors were professional, knowledgeable, and flexible about what parts of the game I was interested in learning and incorporating that into the schedule. The three hour a day clinics were perfect for learning and then we were able to use the courts to play after clinic to practice. Can’t wait to go back!
It was a great weekend. They definitely worked us hard. Great staff, fun, friendly environment.
Van Der Meer at Shipyard was really good at getting individual or coupled vacationers together for some larger group instruction or match play. Instructors very, very good at positivity and humor while still keeping it competitive. We vacationers enjoyed the tennis so much that most of us came back every day we were there making a nice group and getting to know each other a bit. Morning and afternoon sessions available for flexibility. Morning sessions were more popular than afternoon because of the heat. It would be nice to have the morning clinics and match play offered every day during those cooler hours of the day. Tennis clinics were offered every afternoon, but the afternoons were hot.
The VDM Tennis Center is just that, a place to play, improve your game with high quality teaching (including video feedback), and get an excellent workout. There is no housing but they arrange discounts at local hotels. For other recreational experiences you have all of Hilton Head to explore and take advantage of – if you are not too tired. The instruction was intensive with the primary focus being building on your tennis skills, not tearing them down to start over. I learned a great deal that I was able to apply right away when I returned to Sarasota and my very active tennis community where I play every day. I play on both a 60’s and a 70’s team and have gone from being a mediocre player who frequently sat out matches to one who plays almost every league match. I had hoped there would be a lot of focus specifically on doubles; there wasn’t but my doubles game still went to the next level.
Outstanding coaching and the facility is clean and professional. I have been coming back for 15 years and love it. I recommend it to all my friends.
The staff is very professional in the way they provide positive feedback during drills and match play. They manage to take away frustrations while challenging participants to make improvements.
Love the program there. Coaches are a great mix of different personalities and skill teachers. Had a blast and my game improved, will definitely be coming back again!!!
I go back every year. Beautiful courts, great instruction and Hilton Head Island has a lot to offer. Great beaches, golf, lots of biking paths and tons of restaurants.
I experienced the week-long “Boomer Tennis” clinic and very much enjoyed it. The other players were friendly and enthusiastic and the instruction was good. Got a good workout as a result of the many drills (16 hrs.), spread over 5 days. Picturesque setting, too. The accommodations next door, arranged through Van der Meer, were very good.
My wife and I have visited many tennis resorts through on our country and Shipyard is one of the best. We try to visit it annually. Lou Cap is the head pro and is helpful with improving your game without trying to change everything in your present form. He makes tennis fun and entertaining. There is a great hotel adjacent to the tennis called the Sonesta Resort that is a nice place to stay. Condos nearby are also available for rent. This resort has 3 indoor courts and 4 covered courts. Therefore, if it rains, you have the opportunity to play inside. Lastly, Hilton Head has a lot of other activities to do with historic areas nearby.
Doubles clinic is a lot of fun, a great workout, and also a chance to work on skills. The instructors do a great job of giving individual coaching in a group setting. Also a chance to play with and against players of various skill levels and playing styles.
I had a great time and really improved my game during a 3.5 weekend tennis clinic at Van Der Meer. This was a small group clinic, 3 hours each day Fri- Sun and lots of individual attention was given to each player between the two pros that worked with us all weekend. They focused on pointers to improve each persons weaknesses and plenty of praise for solid shots and points played. Several strategies to get to tough shots were taught. I really enjoyed the weekend and hope to attend another clinic in 2017.
My wife and I had a wonderful experience at this camp. We celebrated our wedding anniversary by taking a doubles weekend clinic here and it was extremely fun and we got to meet great people. The instructors were great. They made sure they made it fair to divide everyone up in proper levels. And they were very hands on helping your weaknesses. I highly recommend this resort because it has very nice facilities and a friendly staff. I would definitely do this again without hesitation. There was nothing I didn’t like about this camp. Thumbs up!
Van Der Meer tennis was highly recommended to me by a tennis friend who has sampled other tennis camps. I have gone to the adult tennis camp at VDM for the last two years, and plan to make it an annual event. The staff and instruction are excellent, the courts and facilities in great shape, and it is located in a beautiful setting on the ocean. Exceptional value for your tennis dollar.
WOW….it was wonderful. I first attended a one week “boot camp” for adults who’ve played before. There were 8 total with 2 instructors who were excellent. The camp was well structured and kept all levels of players actively involved working their individual skill levels while mixing it up so all were improving. Highly recommend their adult one week session (5 days with 3, 2 a days). I then joined one of the other players and did semi private lessons with Jim Stubbs who was great. As I had guests visiting, they too joined the lessons. Jim was flexible, determined to improve all our games and made it fun, but a great workout. I left HHI a much better tennis player.
Strengths- Great coaching staff; right amount of tennis time; great weather Weaknesses – None
Great accomodations near the beach and first class individualized instruction.
The instructor was great. I believe his name was Jim Stubbs (sorry, it was last summer – memory issues). Afternoon events were fun. I hope I can do it again.
I have gone to this tennis camp every year for the past 15 or 16 years! The staff and drills are wonderful! I love that the pros know your name almost immediately and place you in groups of comparable ability. I have also done drills and clinics at shipyard, sc. Again wonderful instruction and pros remember me from clinics in VA on previous years. It is an awesome program. I would recommend VanDerMeer to anyone who would like a great learning environment.
Individualized instruction Good ratio of instructors to participants Unlimited use of courts Clay and hard courts Beautiful setting, beaches next door
Fantastic experience! The instruction was excellent and very specific to our level of play. Our class was small so we had amazing individual instruction by two pros. The sessions moved quickly so we covered a lot of strokes and strategy while hitting a LOT of balls! The videoing of our serves was particularly helpful to me and I’ve been able to incorporate what I learned into my game since returning home. I absolutely would recommend this tennis camp to anyone interested in honing their game!
If you are serious about tennis and want to have fun while sharpening your game, this place is for you. Superb instruction and friendly staff makes for the experience to be worthwhile and satisfying. I truly felt that I walked away from my weekend there with more confidence in my volleys and learned various strategies. Their drills truly help your game. The facility is also beautiful and relaxing. You certainly feel like you are on a vacation while improving your tennis game. This is a place I highly recommend. Louie is also the best pro. He analayzes everyone’s game and works on your issues with him. The only weakness is personal. After the clinic, I couldn’t move for days! LOL
I have attended many of their Week long clinics. They are great and always friendly staff. Highly recommend them and nice facility. I’m now age 75 and still playing 4.0 USTA teams. Had two heart attacks and quadruple bypass. Played sixty days after my heart operation. Playing 4-5 times weekly. We had discussed getting together to play in NY many years ago but that never worked out.
My husband and I along with another couple have attended the Van Der Meer Tennis Center for the Adult Clinic the past two years. The four of us are regular club players and highly recommend their programs!! The staff is awesome and you hit a ton of balls!!!!!
This was my first time at a week long tennis clinic. It exceeded my expectations. They kept us going from the minute we arrived each day. Lots and lots of drills. The coaches were great and offered very specific feedback to work on, then followed up with more drills to work on that area. We were videotaped several times and given specific feedback, then back out to the courts to work on the details. The clinic was geared to doubles play – lots of time spent on volleys and net play, service line play, etc. We had the opportunity 2 of the days to join the resort’s general “round robin” doubles socials after the clinic and that was really a great added bonus. It gave us lower level players a chance to up our game by playing with high level players, and really drove home all the skills we were working on in the clinic. Two of the people in my group had attended Van Der Meer in past years and returned due to the great experience. I would highly recommend this clinic.