Total Tennis: Mom Gets Back in the Game

by Deb Keiser

“You are going to sleep-away camp?” my son, 16, asked me incredulously, as I drove him to his own summer camp destination for hockey. “Yes, I am. Total Tennis in Saugerties, N.Y., and I can’t wait,” I replied with a sly smile.

For me, it had been about 30 years since I was at sleep-away camp, as he called it, so I was overdue for some “me” time. This trip would take be back to my younger days, when there was plenty of time for carefree fun and games like playing tennis.

Total Tennis, a year-round tennis retreat set in the scenic Hudson Valley, was just the spot. Yes, it is all about tennis, but it is also the perfect place to retreat and relax.

With the Catskill Mts. as a backdrop, the facilities at this “camp” are comfortable – not new, but hardly what you would call rustic.

In many ways, the style is a throwback to simpler days, reflecting the property’s origins as a 1920’s Catskill lodge. But everything is quite updated, and with accommodations, meals and tennis all included in the package price, the experience cannot be beat.

Besides that, you can do it any time of year, and if you don’t have a car - no worries, take a bus or train and the friendly staff will pick you up at the station.

With up to five hours of tennis instruction a day, Total Tennis makes sure you get what you come for. This is the place to learn fundamentals of tennis or improve your game. The pros work with you to improve your skills, rather than trying to completely change your game.

Since my stay was short – I was there for the two-day package – I wanted to get as much out of it as I could. And I gave it my all. I wasn’t a beginner, but I hadn’t played in a long time, and was what you could call, “fragile,” not in body, but spirit. My instructor, a 20-something pro from Colombia who had gone to college in Florida on a tennis scholarship, offered just the right touch. She was firm but encouraging. She concentrated on my weak points, complimented my good shots. She helped me get some confidence back. I never felt embarrassed or “on the spot.”

The grouping also helped. Guests are grouped according to level of ability (beginner to advanced), and there are never more than four players with one instructor. My intermediate group was a mix of levels, all within 3.0, which encompasses a wide range of ability. We were assessed quickly and accurately the first morning. 

Actually, everything at Total Tennis happens that way. It is a very smooth operation with a long history. The business began in the late 1970s, under the watchful eye of founder and director Ed Fondiller. Total Tennis moved from Massachusetts to Saugerties about 10 years ago, and Fondiller is going strong. He does demonstrations nearly every day before lessons begin.

The days are full, and you will likely be happy to turn in early – I swear I was asleep by 9:30 each night. Maybe it helped that there are no TVs in the rooms. The day begins with breakfast at 7:45, followed by the morning instruction session from 8:45-11:45. Then it’s lunch and the afternoon session from 1:30 to 3:30. Your  ½ hour private lesson (included in the package) takes place after 3:30 or during the lunch break.

The 25 courts are well-maintained, and with indoor and outdoor courts, you play rain or shine. Before you leave, you will be videotaped playing, and your instructor will review the tape with you. Watching that videotape, I could see my bad form as I had never seen it before. It was tremendously illuminating. My game needed work, and I needed to lose 10 pounds.

By the end of Day 2, I was tired, my feet hurt, and the food was so good that I had eaten just a bit too much. But I could sense my game had improved, and I hoped the only thing I gained was confidence.

(insert total tennis image E)

Other guests concurred on the food and the tennis. Barbara Blum of N.Y.C. has been there 4 times, and plans to be back. “The food is superb, plentiful. You feel like you are at a bounty,” she said. “You are never wanting for comforts. The pros are competent, and for what you pay, you get very high quality instruction. I usually stay in a cabin, and from the rocking chair on the porch, you feel like you are in Maine.”

But the truth is, no matter where you stay, you are just a short walk from the Main Lodge, one of six buildings on the 73-acre property. That’s where I stayed: the rooms are cozy and charmingly decorated with private bath and AC. My third-floor room had a porch and view of the mountains and outdoor pool. You get plenty of towels, more than you’ll need, even if you do take four showers a day.

The Lodge houses a living room where the wine and cheese parties are held before dinner, TV room and the dining room, where you have access to 24-hour coffee and tea in the kitchen.

As I drove home, I felt I had accomplished something, and I had. I had gotten back on the tennis court. That was a big step. Now I was ready to put my feet up and bask in the glory that I could do it again.

DETAILS: The two-day package with 10 hours of tennis instruction (Sunday 6 p.m. – Tuesday 4 p.m.) is $385 in spring/fall; $405 in summer. There are also mini-week rates (17 hours of instruction); weekend and maxi-weekend. For more info go to www.totaltennis.com.