Serving On Sand

To capitalize on a new trend spurred by the growing popularity of beach volleyball and other net- and paddle-based games now played on sand, Boca Grove has created beach tennis courts on its property.

To capitalize on a new trend spurred by the growing popularity of beach volleyball and other net- and paddle-based games now played on sand, Boca Grove, a 450-member boutique golf and tennis club in Boca Raton, Fla., has created beach tennis courts on its property.

“Beach tennis merges the worlds of tennis and beach volleyball into one exciting sport,” says Richard Centerbar, the club’s Director of Tennis. “It can be played both competitively and recreationally, and because it’s so simple to play, it appeals to athletes and non-athletes of all ages,”

Beach tennis is played just like regular tennis, but on a regulation beach volleyball court. Using special beach tennis paddles, two players on each team volley back and forth, hitting a slightly depressurized tennis ball directly over the net without letting it bounce (if the ball does hit the sand, it won’t bounce very far, if at all). One hit per team is all that’s allowed.

Boca Grove, the first club in its area to create the beach tennis courts for its membership, reports that players there have become “instantly hooked” on the new option, not only because of the new fun and variety it brings to tennis, but also from the fitness benefits that come from playing on the more joint-friendly sand surface.

Tags: Beach Tennis Boca Grove issue