How to Run Tennis Clinics That Grow Your Club

Why Clinics Drive Club Growth

Clinics serve as both a player development tool and a membership funnel. Beginners who attend a structured clinic series are far more likely to join as full members than those who try to learn on their own. The social aspect of group instruction creates bonds that keep people engaged with the club long after the clinic ends.

From a financial perspective, clinics generate predictable revenue that supplements court fees and membership dues. Many clubs report that their clinic programs account for 20 to 30 percent of non-dues revenue. A well-run clinic series also boosts court utilization during off-peak hours, turning underused morning or midday slots into productive programming.

Types of Tennis Clinics

Cardio tennis blends high-energy fitness drills with tennis fundamentals. Participants rotate through stations that combine rallying, footwork ladders, and interval training. These sessions typically last 60 minutes and attract fitness-minded adults who may not consider themselves competitive players.

Junior development clinics are essential for building your club pipeline. Programs segmented by age and skill level, such as red ball for ages 5 to 8, orange ball for ages 9 to 10, and green dot for ages 11 and up, follow the USTA Net Generation progression pathway. These sessions run 45 to 60 minutes and emphasize fun alongside skill building.

Adult beginner clinics focus on grip, stance, basic groundstrokes, and serve mechanics. Groups of 4 to 8 players work best, allowing the pro to provide individual correction without long waits between turns. Doubles strategy clinics, meanwhile, target intermediate and advanced players who want to sharpen net play, poaching, and court positioning.

• Cardio tennis: 60-minute fitness-focused sessions with music and high energy
• Junior development: age-segmented programs following USTA Net Generation guidelines
• Adult beginner: fundamentals of grip, stroke production, and serve technique
• Doubles strategy: net play, poaching, formations, and communication drills

Hiring Certified Pros

The quality of your clinics depends on your teaching professionals. Look for coaches certified through the United States Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) or the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR). Both organizations require candidates to pass playing and teaching evaluations, ensuring a baseline of competence and professionalism.

When evaluating candidates, prioritize communication skills and energy level alongside technical knowledge. A pro who can break down the continental grip in three different ways until it clicks is more valuable than a former touring player who struggles to connect with recreational adults. Compensation typically falls between a flat rate of $40 to $75 per hour or 40 to 60 percent of clinic registration fees.

Pricing Structures

Group clinic pricing typically ranges from $15 to $30 per person for a 60 to 90 minute session, depending on your market, group size, and instructor credentials. Smaller groups with a 4:1 student-to-pro ratio command higher per-person rates because participants receive more individualized attention.

Multi-session packages encourage commitment and improve attendance consistency. A six-week clinic series priced at a 10 to 15 percent discount compared to drop-in rates gives players an incentive to commit while providing your club with predictable income. Always offer a member discount to reinforce the value of club membership; a 15 to 20 percent reduction for members is standard across most clubs.

Equipment and Ball Machines

Every clinic program needs a solid inventory of practice balls, a ball hopper, cones for drill stations, and targets for placement exercises. Budget roughly $200 to $400 for consumable supplies if you are starting from scratch. Keep a stock of loaner racquets in varying grip sizes for beginners who have not yet purchased their own equipment.

Ball machines are a significant upgrade for any clinic program. They allow pros to feed consistent shots while observing and correcting technique from the side of the court. Entry-level machines start around $1,000, while programmable models with oscillation and spin control range from $2,000 to $5,000. The investment pays for itself quickly when you factor in the improved quality of instruction and the ability to run efficient drills with larger groups.

Progressive Curriculum Design

The best clinic programs follow a progressive structure where each session builds on the previous one. For an eight-week adult beginner series, you might start with forehand fundamentals in weeks one and two, introduce the backhand in weeks three and four, cover the serve in weeks five and six, and bring everything together with point play in weeks seven and eight.

Document your curriculum so that any qualified pro can step in and maintain continuity if your primary instructor is unavailable. Include specific drills, rally patterns, and success benchmarks for each session. This consistency ensures that players who miss a week can catch up without feeling lost, and it gives your program a professional, repeatable structure that scales across multiple clinic offerings.

Scheduling and Promotion

Survey your members before setting clinic times. Retirees and stay-at-home parents often prefer weekday mornings, while working professionals gravitate toward evenings and weekends. Offering clinics across two to three time slots per week captures both demographics without overloading your court schedule.

Promote clinics through email newsletters, social media posts, and signage at the courts. Short video clips from past sessions showing players in action are especially effective on Instagram and Facebook. Consider offering a free introductory clinic once per quarter as a lead generation tool. Many clubs find that 30 to 40 percent of free clinic attendees convert to paying participants or new members within 60 days.

• Email your member list with clinic dates, registration links, and pro bios
• Post short video highlights from past clinics on social media channels
• Display printed schedules and sign-up sheets at the courts and pro shop
• Run a quarterly free intro clinic to attract new players and prospective members