GAMES OF LOVE FOR A WEEKEND GET-A-WAY
Shadow Mountain Resort & Club Palm Desert California
One often finds feelings of love contagious and since falling in love last year- with the game of tennis that is- I decided to combine the fashionable sport with the luxury of leisure with a weekend getaway.
Living in Los Angeles makes Palm Desert, CA an easy weekend escape. Minimum luggage and travel hassles, plus luxury resorts and spas in Palm Desert are like wings to a bird. This journalist is plucking a few feathers to see which resorts and spas stand out from the flock.
TENNIS EVERYONE…
Shadow Mountain Resort & Club in Palm Desert, CA was chosen for several reasons. First, I wanted to experience a true tennis resort and club. The acclaimed tennis academy is consistently ranked among the top 50 in Tennis Magazine’s most outstanding resorts. It additionally they are listed under the magazines best game-matching and best bargain lists. According to a Shadow Mountain rep, it’s the only Tennis Academy in the desert.
Daily clinics, a figure eight pool and on-site massage therapists blend solid work-outs, strategic play with refreshing relaxation.
Shadow Mountain receives an A+ in positive attitude and efforts to please their guests. All guest accommodations are condominiums and range from studios to three bedrooms with kitchens. The comfortable relaxed environment was felt the moment we arrived. The resort and club is in walking distance to wonderfully unique restaurants and boutiques. There is a café which is open for breakfast and lunch. The hours vary per day, so make sure to check ahead of time. The pool was delightfully refreshing. General Manager Cindy Calquhoun revealed to me that generations of families visit Shadow Mountain year after year. What Shadow Mountain has done in creating a family friendly environment while providing a non theme park atmosphere for individual guests and couples deserves applause.
I had the pleasure of instruction by Shadow Mountain’s Director of Tennis, Michael McFarlane, which has improved my strokes and position of play substantially. A resident of the desert for 26 years and having played at Palm Springs High School, Michael has been with Shadow Mountain for eight years. Here, he shares insight on the resort, the academy and a bonus of helpful hints for players of every level.
SAPER: Growing up in the desert you knew all of the resorts and tennis facilities, how did you choose Shadow Mountain for your Pro career?
McFarlane: Well, Shadow Mountain truly is the only true tennis resort in the valley.
SAPER: When you say "true" tennis explain what that means.
McFarlane: Well, there are a lot of resorts that cater to golf and tennis is kind of a side thing. They’ll have a couple courts in the parking lot or it’s just a side resort amenity. But we truly cater to the tennis player. That’s who comes here, true tennis players. When people see us in tennis magazines or they see us on the web or things like that they recognize us as a true tennis resort and it’s a dying breed. There’s just not that many of them. There’s probably a dozen in the entire United States and we’re thankful that we have it here in the desert and here in Southern California.
SAPER: Yet, tennis is hotter than ever. I mean there’s more women playing tennis, there’s more leagues being put together. You would think that’s something people would want to pay more attention to.
McFarlane: It is definitely a growing business. It’s funny how they chart it. They chart it in ball sales and racket sales, but our business every year for the last 8 years has grown and for us, it’s a great industry to be in. We like catering to that tennis public.
SAPER: You started talking to me about your clinics which are everyday. Is that included in the room or is it extra? Also, please explain a little bit about the clinics, as I think the ones at Shadow Mountain are unique. Such as the way you move people from one court to another, emphazing different tennis techniques and skill development for maximum play for all levels.
McFarlane: Right. We have what’s called a Desert Tennis Academy which is run through Shadow Mountain and it’s a clinic that goes from 9 to 12 everyday and then we also have what’s kind of an adjunct program everyday that’s more team oriented. But our main clinic goes from 9am to noon. The morning clinic is where people come and stay at Shadow Mountain on a tennis package and they get to do the clinic everyday. We also have individuals who don’t stay at Shadow Mountain (but come to the daily clinics.) We cover everything in the clinic. The first hour to hour and a half is all technique, forehand to backhand… We really work with technique and how to hit the shots. The second part of the clinic is all shot selection, game situation type drills. We try to work on individuals games, you or your partner or whomever you happen to be with. We focus on things that are going to make the person better as an individual versus starting out with everyone on the court hitting backhands and forehands. Basically at our clinic, individuals will rotate from court to court, each focusing on specific skills. We do a lot of game situation type things and that’s what I think truly separates us from the “clinic” where people just go out and bash a thousand balls.
SAPER: The way you showed me felt very easy, and then my movement became more natural and in rhythm. Although. I’ve never danced on a tennis court before... you created it so I now can remember it and use what you showed me comfortably. Leader… Strike up the band!
McFarlane: The trick to our job is to make something that’s very efficient and that’s going to be very easy to do and to apply later. When you leave here today we just hope you’ll have some grasp of what’s going on. So if you have some grasp of what’s going on, when you go home you’ll know what to work on or you’ll know when you hit the shot. If you can leave and go oh, I remember I should’ve done a, b or c, then our jobs complete because then you know what to work on at home. If you leave here and you just feel like you’re hitting the ball harder or hitting the ball more in, yet you don’t know why or how, it’s going break down. It is a very tough game. They say it takes ten years to learn how to play the game well and efficiently. That ten years is why a lot of people stop playing tennis. But if you learn the right way, and there is a right and wrong way to play the game, you’ll stick with the sport a lot longer.
SAPER: I certainly appreciate and value the environment I’ve experienced here. The casual atmosphere scores aces (excuse the pun). The attitude here is inviting, and fun. What happens here at Shadow Mountain that you haven’t found elsewhere?
McFarlane: It is definitely a family friendly resort. The staff here is tailored to those family type of needs and wants- my staff, my tennis staff. We have the type of attitude that we’re out here and having a good time and if you meet any of the guys that are out here, you’ll realize that we’re all just here goofing around and having a great time. At the same time we’re trying to get you so relaxed, you become a better tennis player. And that’s really what my thing on tennis is. I want to make you a better player without you knowing it, and then our job’s complete and at the same time we have a good time-which is why we all became tennis pros.
Shadow Mountain is a recommended escape and definite do, whether you’re looking for a little R&R or a very fashionable winning serve. Check out their website for current specials and a complimentary $25.00 gas credit card. Visit Shadow-Mountain.com for more information or call 1-800-472-3713