10 Easy Ways to Play Tennis Locally
Practice Walls
Pick-up Matches
Facebook Online Groups
With your first introduction post, include your skill level (3.0, 3.5, etc), years of experience, how often you play a week, and your preferences (singles, doubles, rallies, practicing drills).
Meetup.com Tennis Groups
Joining a free group event is a great way to get your bearings and find a regular group of casual playing partners. The skill level is usually across the board, but with multiple courts, usually, you can usually rotate around until you find the right pairing.Note: Bring a can of new balls and be open to making new friends. I would avoid any that require upfront money or push you towards coaching lessons.
Recreational Leagues
- One active tennis network is called GlobalTennisNetwork (GTN)
- World Team Tennis (WTT) Rec for more "co-ed social tennis"
Tennis Classes or Weekly Drills
Organized Events - Memberships, Event Entry Fees
- USTA - $44 per year (but comes with a Wilson and Head rebate)
- Leagues - $30+ per season; By NTRP, 18+, 40+, 55+, etc
- Tournaments - $60+ per event; Singles and Doubles
- Flex-leagues - play 3 to 4 arranged matches in a month or two.
- Universal Tennis Rating (UTR) - $90/year plus event entry fees;
- UTR targets the more competitive "semi-pro" levels or former college players.
- Some regional tennis leagues will report match scores that count toward your UTR rating.
- Knowing your UTR # helps you match up with someone at the same level as you.
- Private Tennis Clubs - $$$ per month;
- Featuring better courts, club pros for lessons, locker rooms, and pro shops.
- Health Clubs, Golf and/or Swim clubs may have a tennis program.
- Exclusive access with potential guest passes.
Cliff Drysdale Tennis Resorts are formal tennis environments catered to those experiences. You can attend for a weekend or for a getaway tennis vacation.