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Game. Set. Match.

At Meadowood, tennis enthusiasts enjoy the luxury of honing their skills against a bucolic backdrop of stately maples, oaks, firs and the occasional forest animal-turned-spectator. It's hardly the typical setting for a tennis lesson. But then Meadowood Tennis Pro Doug King's Acceleration Tennis method is hardly the typical tennis lesson.

King's innovative teaching system, taught through three-day camps as well as individual lessons, blends elements of time-honored traditional instruction with innovative techniques used by today's most successful professional players. "Essentially, we have identified what is right about both the old teaching methods and the new professional playing styles and combined them into a single system," explains King, who has taught at Meadowood for 26 years.

"For example, in terms of footwork, there used to be a big emphasis on stepping into the shot," says King. "It was taught to the point that it actually interfered with certain shots. Playing in an open stance, like a lot of the pros do, can correct some of the flaws caused by stepping in. But if it's done exclusively, it creates other problems. Both are correct, depending on the circumstances." Acceleration Tennis helps students perfect both stances and teaches them to know when to use each most effectively.

The term acceleration refers not only to the fact that the approach helps students hone their skills fast, but also to one of the cornerstones of the program—connection with the ball. "Swinging results in collision. Stroking results in connection, which is an important part of controlled power," King says. "Acceleration is one of the principles involved—a sudden thrust that occurs at the moment of connection with the ball."

Most guests who take tennis lessons or attend camps at Meadowood are looking for better ways of getting control over the ball, according to King. "We emphasize the mechanics of stroking the ball and helping players develop a better understanding of the principles of form."

"You're not going to become a totally different player in three days, but you can learn things that will change the course of your development as a player," King explains. "And what you learn can go a long way in allowing you to improve by coaching yourself after that."

Meadowood offers three-day, midweek group camps (up to 12 players) every month from May through November. Camps include 13 hours of court time, with mornings emphasizing stroke production and afternoons devoted to play and strategies, such as court positioning and shot selection.

Private or small-group lessons, with a maximum of four students per pro, can also be arranged for resort guests. These sessions are tailored to students' needs, skill level and physical condition, as well as to the skills they want to improve.

Players of all levels can benefit from the Acceleration Tennis program, which is taught on the resort's seven immaculately maintained plexi-pave hard courts, designed to harmonize with the natural landscape.

"The setting is so beautiful here that you don't feel like you're in a tennis facility at all," says King. "You feel as if you're playing out in a wild woodland."

Doug King is One of the Country's Leading Tennis Teaching Innovators

Doug King is the resident tennis pro at Meadowood. Founder of Acceleration Tennis, a revolutionary teaching system, King is leading the way in reinterpreting the traditional tennis model, working with players of all skill levels from beginner to professional.

Meadowood · Napa Valley 900 Meadowood Lane · St. Helena, CA 94574 · Telephone (800) 458-8080

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