Beginner tennis in the Hamptons starts at FS Tennis Club
FS Tennis Club makes a first Hamptons lesson feel navigable: book 7 days ahead, get a racket fit in the pro shop, and start with grip before you ever rally.
At FS Tennis Club in Southampton, the first stop is the pro shop between the clay side and the hard-court side.
What happens from arrival to first rally
1. Book the lesson before you show up.
FS Tennis Club makes one-off private lessons, court rentals, and adult clinics available 7 days in advance, while seasonal lessons and seasonal court rentals require full payment and are reserved for the whole season. If you want to reach the club directly, FS lists its Southampton address on Majors Path, plus a phone number and email on its site.
2. Walk into the pro shop first, not straight onto a court.
The entrance is a combined reception and merchandise space. That is where the racket fit happened.
3. Expect the instructor to slow everything down.
The beginner lesson began with hand and grip placement, then moved to swing form and getting comfortable with the ball before any rallying started. FS’s beginner clinics cover grip, stance, swing mechanics, rules, positioning, and an introduction to singles and doubles play.
4. Use the bubble to your advantage if you are arriving in the colder months.
FS’s hard courts are set up for year-round play, and the winter bubble keeps the lesson going when outdoor East End courts are less inviting.
What to wear and what to bring
Keep the setup simple at FS. The club’s pro shop can handle the racket fit, and equipment is provided for lessons on your own court, so you are not walking in expecting to know every brand or spec on day one. If you do move farther along the East End tennis path, East Hampton Tennis Club keeps a stricter clubhouse look in season with its tradition of all-white tennis clothing and warm-ups.
Why FS is the most forgiving true-beginner start
The club’s adult clinics run daily for beginner through advanced players, private and group lessons are offered for all ages and skill levels, and the facility has eight courts total, split between four Har-Tru clay courts and four hard courts. If you are unsure where you fit, FS recommends a 30-minute evaluation lesson before joining a clinic, and its clinics run with a maximum 6:1 player-to-coach ratio.
How the pricing actually breaks down
For a first lesson at FS, the published outdoor 2026 private-lesson rates are $85 for 30 minutes on weekdays and $100 on weekends, $165 for 60 minutes on weekdays and $190 on weekends, with 90-minute and 120-minute options also listed. Adult clinic pricing is posted as a 10-session package for $650, and private lesson packages include a 10-lesson deal that gives you one lesson free. If you add another player to a private lesson, FS charges an extra $20 per player.
Where to go next after FS
East Hampton Tennis Club is the closest comparison if you want a more traditional club setting. Established in 1969, it has 15 outdoor Har-Tru courts, two year-round paddle tennis and pickleball courts, and a clubhouse, while welcoming new members of all abilities and offering lessons and clinics for adult and child members and non-members. Its posted lesson rates run from $160 to $180 an hour for members depending on pro level, while non-members are listed at $200 an hour, and clinics are posted at $60 for adults with a $20 non-member fee noted on the schedule; junior clinics are listed at $50 or $70 depending on membership. RSVP for clinics is up to two weeks ahead, and spots are limited.
Hampton Tennis is the more mobile, coach-forward option. Its coaching group includes former and current Division 1 players and top junior tournament competitors, and its booking page offers package deals that save $50 on five sessions or give you the tenth lesson free when you book ten. Individual coach pages show one-hour lessons priced at $130 and $250. If you want a lower-barrier public-court alternative, Southampton Town’s Red Creek Park now has three tennis courts inside a 45-acre active-recreation campus.
The Hamptons tennis ladder behind one first lesson
The Meadow Club of Southampton, founded in 1887 and known for its 36 grass courts, belongs to the historic, invitation-era side of the story, while FS, East Hampton Tennis Club, Hampton Tennis, and Red Creek Park cover the more practical end of the spectrum for beginners getting on court.
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