Making a racket: Hamptonites’ favorite tennis, paddle and pickleball clubs

The 2024 US Open is upon us. While the pros are duking it out at Flushing Meadows, Hamptonites will be practicing their swings at a series of exclusive new racquet clubs.

These are not your traditional country clubs. They are stylish, social and all about well-being, both on and off the pitch. They offer members not only access to beautifully maintained courts, but also views; spa; personal trainers; Michelin-starred food; and exclusive evening.

“It’s bridging the gap between private members’ social clubs and the traditional country club,” said Waylon Ian Chin, CEO of NAOA, a private members’ club that opened in East Hampton in May. “Our thesis was about creating a club that is good for you.”

Members, who pay an initial fee of $30,000 plus $12,000 in annual dues, can hit one of ten tennis courts. Two are of red European clay, and eight are of har tru clay, which is crushed stone.

The eight-acre campus—pristinely landscaped—also boasts four pickleball fields; three padel courts; a wellness area with cold immersion and an infrared sauna; a retail store; a grass; and a restaurant run by a Michelin-starred food group. “We felt that country clubs have a bad reputation when it comes to the quality of their menus,” said Ian Chin. “We said, ‘Let’s really build on this.'”

Another club in full swing this summer is the Racquet Lounge in Southampton, a five-acre oasis with four padel courts, six pickleball courts and seven tennis courts (six Har-Tru and one hard.)

It was founded in 2023 by Kent Hospitality Group, the organizers of SAGA, Crown Shy and Overstory in New York City (SAGA does all the food at Racquet Lounge making mostly gourmet sandwiches, salads and smoothies.)

Members can play amongst themselves or take lessons from attractive professionals. They can also participate in tours, camps, and social events like lobster bakes and barbecues (a new clubhouse in the middle of the property offers viewing balconies for those who want to watch the action from above.)

Other new clubs are skipping tennis and offering ball or padel, fast-growing sports, especially among the rich and famous.

In Montauk, padel lovers can join Privé Padel, located at the Montauk Yacht Club, which reopened in May under the group that owns Proper Hotels. The new padel courts are located on the harbor and surrounded by glass walls, meaning players, who pay $500 for the season, get unobstructed views of the surrounding yachts and wildlife.

“We saw court bookings double from June to July and are on track to double July to August bookings,” said Nicholas Solarewicz, founder and CEO.

Brisas, which also opened this summer in East Hampton, has three padel courts and a 4,000-square-foot lounge with an outdoor sauna and yoga studio; a snack bar; and a play area. All the furniture, including a wooden table tennis table, is handcrafted by artisans in Mexico. The latter is made “from a single piece of wood sourced from a remote Mexican forest,” said founder Rohan Kamdar.

Members can join padel clinics to improve their games. But they can also try making candles; flower arrangement; and ceramics (there is a pottery studio on site.)

The spirit is “bohemian,” Kamdar said. “Brisas hopes to revive an outdated industry – the classic country club – by doing away with the ‘all white’ and instead inviting all walks of life to come play barefoot and be their most authentic selves. ”