PLANTATION BAY GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB JOINS USTA FLORIDA’S MASTERS 55+ LEAGUE OF AMATEUR TENNIS SENIORS

Ormond Beach, Fla. --- Plantation Bay Golf & Country Club in Ormond Beach has joined USTA Florida’s Masters 55+ Tennis League, which launched earlier this month with smaller courts and slower balls to make the sport more enjoyable to senior players. USPTA Master Professional Dave Brown at Plantation Bay Tennis, Fitness & Spa said Master’s 55+ Tennis is one of the best ideas he’s seen in a long time and he expects it to catch on fast. “For generations now, retiring to Florida is the ultimate dream and we have a very large, active population of older Americans here,” Brown said. “Masters 55+ Tennis is the perfect way to offer the benefits of organized tennis play to more seniors,” he said. Brown said Masters 55+ Tennis was designed for beginner players, for former players who would like to get back in the game now that they have time for it, and for seasoned pros who’d like a little less pain with their gain. In Masters 55+ Tennis, all players use their own racquets. Beginners play on 36-foot courts with lower nets and---importantly---red, low-compression balls that still have plenty of zip but at more eye-catching speeds. Advanced Masters 55+ players use the 60-foot court with a regulation-height net and the orange ball, which offers more velocity. The best Masters 55+ players use the full 78-foot court and the green-dot ball with only slightly lower compression. “Almost anybody can play Masters 55+ Tennis and enjoy the game,” says Brown. “The slower ball makes it much easier to keep the ball in play, and that’s where the fun is,” he said. The health benefits are significant. Besides a solid, safe cardio workout, lower-compression balls cause significantly less stress on the body, Brown said. Plantation Bay Tennis, Fitness & Spa organized a tennis festival to introduce Masters 55+ Tennis to Plantation Bay residents and Brown said interest in the new format is high. “One day I can see a statewide tournament schedule with a hundred teams from all over Florida,” Brown said. Brown said Plantation Bay Tennis, Fitness & Spa is open to the public and anyone can join Masters 55+ Tennis. He plans to offer additional instructional demonstrations in the future. The promotion goes through the month of January with an instruction and play program following in February. League play throughout Volusia and Flagler County begins in March for these new and returning players. Reservations are now being taken for Free Lessons on the following dates and times at Plantation Bay: Tuesday Jan. 15 - 3:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 17 - 9:00 a.m. Saturday Jan. 19 - 12:30 p.m. Tuesday Jan. 22 - 3:30 p.m. Thursday Jan. 24 - 5:30 p.m. For more information, telephone 386-236-4292 or email dbrown@icihomes.com.