Tennis buffs hunting for things to do in New Hampshire may want to take advantage of some recent news from TennisResortsOnline.com.
The popular site recently listed this New Hampshire resort as one of the Top 20 places to play the sport, not just in America but in the entire world.
“Tennis at The Balsams dates back to before the turn of the century,” the site notes, “when the resort had a grass court. Tennis greats Bill Tilden, Fred Perry, Bobby Riggs, and Helen Wills Moody all played here, and following World War II former Wimbledon and U.S. Women’s Tennis Champion Pauline Betz Addie spent a summer there as the pro. Today the courts are red clay and hard, but everyone from beginners to avid players are well taken care of.”
Rick Toland, Director of Golf and Tennis at The Balsams, says he was pleased with the results but not surprised. Despite his own status as a fixture at the resort for decades, he credits pretty much everyone but himself for the win.
“If it’s not broken, don’t fix it,” he grins. “We want to continue with an outstanding program.”
The honor does not have The Balsams’ staff resting on its heels. They recently commissioned significant improvements to the on-site tennis shop, which boasts something you might not find at most tennis meccas: reasonable prices.
Toland says the resort’s instructional program also played a role in this New Hampshire vacation spot’s high placement on the coveted list.
Dave Ridley
The Balsams Blogging Team
2 Comments
Richard Forrest
Posted July 7, 2010 at 8:46 am | Permalink
I’m sorry to throw cold water on your post, but I find it difficult to believe that the Balsams is in the top 20 in the world for tennis destinations. That may have been in the past, but that was long ago. I love tennis and I think your clay courts are nice; however, tennis at the Balsams might be in the top 1000 tennis destinations in the world, but not the top 20. Be honest. Now, golf at the Balsams may be an entirely different story.
The Balsams Blogging Team
Posted July 12, 2010 at 2:11 pm | Permalink
Thank you Richard for reading this blog post and responding to the news. Although the hotel is very proud of the high quality of its tennis program and the resort, The Balsams did not do the rankings. Tennis Resorts online evaluated and ranked each tennis destination. The Balsams Blogging Team wanted to pass on the news.
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By http://thebalsams.com/blog/?p=… | NH Vacation Inn-Bedded Resorter on July 6, 2010 at 2:38 pm
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By Meet Mr. David Rosenfeld: Head Tennis Professional at this NH Resort! | NH Vacation Inn-Bedded Resorter on August 27, 2010 at 8:00 am
[...] with the assistant professional, Lori Charron) is personally responsible for much of that deserved praise. You can find him in the tennis pro shop or out on the red clay courts, and he is always willing [...]