In addition to its arrangement with the Braselton, Ga. property, Cliff Drysdale has also partnered with the United States Tennis Association to continue growing the sport, especially among younger players.
Château Élan Winery and Resort recently selected Cliff Drysdale Tennis to manage their tennis operations.
Located in Braselton, Ga. 40 minutes north of Atlanta,, Château Élan has a full-service winery and tasting bar, a AAA Four Diamond Inn and conference center, a 35,000-square foot European spa mansion, 45 holes of golf managed by Troon, a variety of seven dining options and much more. The Château Élan Racquet Club facilities include three championship hard courts, two Har-Tru clay courts and four Pickleball courts. The winery and resort is owned by an affiliate of Wheelock Street Capital and managed by HEI Hotels & Resorts.
“We’re honored to welcome the Cliff Drysdale Tennis team to the Chateau Elan family,” said Ed Walls, general manager, Château Élan Winery & Resort. “With their level of expertise in tennis management, coupled with our recent enhancements, we know this will deliver a superior sport experience to our guests and neighborhood visitors.”
The tennis program at Château Élan will feature a schedule of daily programming, tournaments, special events, luxury tennis camps and more. The Racquet Club is open to members, non-members and resort guests. Matt Kirkham has been named Director of Tennis, effective immediately. Kirkham, originally from Nottingham, United Kingdom, has more than a decade of coaching experience, including his most recent position as Junior Program Director at Bluewater Bay Tennis Center, managed by Cliff Drysdale Tennis.
“We are thrilled to work with the great team and stunning property at Château Élan,” said Scott McCulloch, Vice President of Operations for Cliff Drysdale Tennis. “The brand new tennis facility has immense potential and we look forward to providing the Ultimate Tennis Experience for players of all ages and abilities. This is truly a must-visit destination.”
While tennis remains popular in private clubs and resorts, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) will partner with Cliff Drysdale Management to continue growing the sport, especially among younger players.
Supplementing its current youth programs, all Cliff Drysdale-managed facilities and their tennis professionals will receive resources, support and coaching tools from the USTA, including access to the USTA’s Net Generation youth tennis offerings and its adult suite of programs and apps.
Net Generation is the USTA’s youth tennis brand designed to get more kids ages 5-to-18 playing the sport. Through a smartphone app, coaches and players can connect on practice activities, and receive feedback and skill assessments at the click of a button.
“We are excited to expand our relationship with Cliff Drysdale Management to provide exceptional customer experiences and access for new, current and former tennis players across some of the most recognized public tennis centers, tennis clubs and destination resorts in the country,” said Gordon Smith, USTA Chief Executive Officer & Executive Director.
“Our mission has always been to improve the tennis delivery system in an effort to grow the game,” said Don Henderson, Chief Executive Officer and President of Cliff Drysdale Management. “We’re thrilled to officially partner with the USTA, utilize their resources to support our coaches, help introduce more players into tennis, and retain those players for years to come.”
As part of this new partnership with the USTA, Cliff Drysdale-managed facilities and teaching professionals will engage in and support the USTA’s Net Generation youth brand by registering and completing a mandatory Safe Play background check.
“We are proud that Cliff Drysdale Management has adopted Net Generation for their youth programming,” said Craig Morris, USTA Chief Executive Community Tennis. “Curriculum linked to the Net Generation app will support their coaches in delivering a fantastic on-court experience for kids across the country.”
The USTA and Cliff Drysdale Management will also collaborate on ways to attract adult players into the sport through a range of new USTA competitive and social leagues, tournaments and team events.
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