Introducing Tennis Director Tom Whitten

by Max Rausch, photo by Gene Choi (Contributing Members)

What motivated The Olympic Club’s new Director of Tennis, Tom Whitten, to leave the successful program he built at The Oaks Club in Sarasota, Fla., and move all the way across the country to San Francisco? Oddly enough the answer, at least in part, is Barry Bonds.

“I grew up in Virginia, but I fell in love with the Giants in the early 2000’s when Barry Bonds was smashing balls into the Bay, and

I got to see a few games from the front row, with my friends at Sun

Oaks Club in Redding,” Whitten said. “From there, San Francisco became my family’s favorite city to visit, so when the opportunity arose to work at a San Francisco institution like The Olympic Club,

I just couldn’t say no.” Bay Area ties aside, Olympians should be excited that Whitten decided to pack up his rackets and move west — his track record of success speaks for itself. Not only is Whitten a United States

Professional Tennis Association Certified Professional, he’s also achieved the rare rank of Competitive Player Development Specialist and coached over 100 students of all levels to United States Tennis

Association rankings and national championships. But don’t let the competitive accolades fool you — Whitten loves working with players of all skill levels.

“What’s great about tennis is that the challenges of the game are pretty much the same for everyone,” Whitten said. “Oftentimes beginners and super advanced players will have the same problem areas, just at different levels, so it’s fun and challenging for me to try and figure out unique ways to coach different students.” Whitten is excited to continue to raise the bar of The Olympic

Club tennis program, and plans to use his first few months on the job to really get to know the tennis community and gather ideas for what they want out of the program. He’s only been on-site since

August 15, but has already been impressed with the passion of the membership.

“The members here are passionate about competition in a way that really sets The Olympic Club apart from other places I’ve worked,” said Whitten. “The energy is great, and it’s neat to see so many people striving to be the best tennis player they can be, whether they are a 5.0 former college player or a 3.0 who is on the water polo team.” Tennis has been recognized as a low-risk activity during COVID-19, and the courts are open to singles play, guests and tennis-themed groupfitness classes. Book a court time and drop by to meet Whitten and learn more about his plans for the program!

“I’m really looking forward to the vibe,” he said. “And the weather.” 