Where Tennis Gets Endless Love

An all-in approach to tennis at The Country Club at DC Ranch has doubled participation over the past two years.

by Joanna DeChellis (jdechellis@clubandresortbusiness.com)
January 2010
 

Recreation Profile Club Name & Location: The Country Club at DC Ranch Club Web Site: www.ccdcranch.com Founded: 1997 Total Membership: 520 % of Membership Actively Participating in Tennis: 35% Tennis Director: Craig Purcell Total Tennis Staff: 6 Tennis Facility: 6 Championship Hard Courts, including 4 Lighted Courts Tennis Programs & Offerings: Adult and Junior Tennis Academy—Player Development Programs; Ladies and Gentlemen’s Inter-Club and League Match Play; Game-Arranging Service for Singles and Doubles Match Play; Adult and Junior Singles and Doubles Challenge Ladders; Monthly Adult and Junior Tournaments and Social Events; Parent and Child Family Tennis Classes; Complimentary New Member Tennis Classes; Court Reservation System for Individual and Team Play; The Tennis Shop Online—Member Pricing on Clothing and Equipment; Customized Tennis Racquets—Stringing and Repair Services

 

With the recent spike in demand for tennis, The Country Club at DC Ranch is reviewing options to expand its facilities. A clubhouse membership, which includes full access to tennis courts, lessons, events and clinics, is currently offered at $5,000.

On the cover of the May 9, 1994 issue of Sports Illustrated, a question was posed against a backdrop of red clay: “Is Tennis Dying?” A lonely tennis ball punctuated the fluorescent yellow question mark.

Fifteen years after that sobering wakeup call, tennis has repositioned itself in America’s sportscape. In 2009, participation in the U.S. topped 30 million players for the first time in more than two decades.

Nowhere is there greater evidence of how tennis has been reborn than at The Country Club at DC Ranch in Scottsdale, Ariz. Already home to one of the most active tennis programs in the area, DC Ranch has seen participation double over the past two years, thanks to a new emphasis placed by Director of Tennis Craig Purcell on selling tennis to couples, busy professionals, and even kids as a great way to get in quick, socially oriented workouts that can fit in more easily with anyone’s demanding schedule.

“This is a really exciting time for tennis, and the increased demand we have seen just at our club alone has been substantial,” says Purcell. “We’ve welcomed several members who are exclusively interested in the tennis experience offered at the club —not only for the great tournament and match play and lessons, but also for the large social component within our tennis programs.”

The Main Attraction
DC Ranch is a private club with over 500 members. Its tennis facilities feature six championship hard courts, including four lighted courts, wrapped in panoramic views of the McDowell Mountains and Valley skyline.

With all that scenery—not to mention an 18-hole golf course designed by Tom Lehman and John Fought, a swimming pool, and three dining outlets—tennis remains an integral part of the amenity mix at DC Ranch.

“There are a lot of clubs that populate this area,” says Tim Walker, General Manager. “Tennis gives us a leg up. And in a competitive market, if your programs are healthy, your memberships are more saleable. Healthy programs also keep current members happy. It’s a win-win.”

Nothing But Love
With over 30 years of tennis experience, Purcell—a top-ranked junior and collegiate player who went on to coach on the ATP Tour and at Professional Tour Events—has been at DC Ranch since 1998. During that time, he has instructed over 20,000 program participants.  “Over the past eight or nine years, we’ve seen steady growth, averaging about a 20% annual increase in participation,” he says. “In the last two years, we’ve done a better job communicating with our members and offering a greater variety of tennis-related activities.

“We provide members and guests awith a daily ‘tennis experience’ that is distinctly fun, challenging, social, educational and personalized,” he adds. “We make sure all members, not just those who say they’re interested in tennis, know about all that we have going on.”

The tennis programs offered at DC Ranch cover a wide range of styles, levels and types.

Adult clinics focus on improving technique, and footwork while developing a better understanding of strategy, patterns and court tactics, with a simultaneous emphasis on improving cardio-fitness.

The most popular events, the club’s management staff reports, are those that tap into nontraditional pairings, such as the gentlemen’s single championship and parent/child tennis classes.

Tim Walker, General Manager (left), and Craig Purcell, Director of Tennis, agree that DC Ranch’s active tennis program has become a key point of distinction for the club.

“The first match in the gentlemen’s singles was between a 72-year-old member and a 14-year-old member,” says Purcell. “It was the perfect example of thinking outside the box within our tennis program.”

Weekly parent/child tennis classes, designed specifically for parents and juniors ages four to seven, allow families to exercise in tandem. “They play at the same time but train on separate courts,” explains Purcell, who encourages players of all ability levels to participate. “It’s a great way to have fun, work out and improve your tennis game with the kids.”

Junior tennis and fitness classes, offered five days a week for ages eight to 18, are geared to developing technique, strategy, footwork and fundamentals.

“We want the kids to start associating tennis with fitness and health,” says Purcell. “So we get them moving out on the courts. For many of the kids, it has become part of their weekly routine.”

A routine Purcell hopes leads to a lifetime of match play. “We’ve found a lot of success offering programs that involve the whole family,” he says. “When couples can train together, get in a good workout, and socialize, it’s a win. Same goes for parents and kids, friends, or fellow club members. If it’s social, fun and gets them moving, they participate.”

Making Tennis a Tradition
In September, nearly 100 members of DC Ranch turned out for the club’s annual U.S. Open family tennis event. From round-robin doubles, target shoot-outs and ball-machine challenges, to Nintendo Wii tennis stations and the U.S. Open streaming live over big-screen TVs, this annual event has become one of the club’s signature tennis offerings.

“The U.S. Open event is a great way to get the entire club—golfers included—interested in tennis,” says Purcell. “It also helps connect tennis back to club life, by creating an annual tradition that celebrates the sport.”