fitness & sports TENNIS FOR CHRISTMAS
by Maury Nunes
Tennis players on your Christmas list? What might Santa have in mind for them? With my special LAPOA phone line, I was able to get through to one of his Elves-in-Chief, who made a few recommendations: He said: “Tennis Balls.” (Duh!) “How obvious,” I said. “Santa has to be more creative than that.” So, then he got serious and faxed me a list: • Cooling Towels/Scarves – The kind you soak in water and wear in the heat. • Cooling Hats – Ditto • Portable Spray Fans – Load with water and spritz away when it’s hot. • Vibration Dampers – Critical for reducing the risk of tendonitis. • Sweat Bands – Not all players love them, but often popular with the guys who want to channel Bjorn Borg, Jimmy Connors or Andre Agassi. • Wrist Bands - Not all players love these either, but they can be stylish as well as functional. • No-Sweat Hats – Hats that do not absorb and degrade from sweat. • Tennis Lessons – A good idea to somehow diplomatically check out with the player before committing. [Soleil and BridgeMill reportedly have pros glad to be engaged.]
• Racquet Restringing – Buy a gift card/voucher. Most players will be grateful for the thought behind this gift. [Soleil, BridgeMill and Dick’s Sporting Goods are reportedly nearby options.] One consideration here is the kind of string to be used. Costs can vary pretty substantially, relatively speaking. • Racquet Frame Protectors – Plastic pieces that fit on the frame to limit the effects of scraping shots. Usually, these products have to be professionally attached to the racquet and are often purchased as part of a restringing package deal. • Racquet Regripping – Basically, a ditto to restringing, but often a simultaneous purchase. • Racquet Grip Kits – Some players, like your author, feel comfortable regripping their own racquets. Restringing, however, requires special
equipment and a degree of real skill, usually acquired with tutored experience. • Grip Covers – There are some products that help preserve the grip from wear. • Tennis Glove(s) – Specifically designed to keep a racquet from slipping due to sweat, a pair can also be a cold weather friend. • Goggles – While protective eyewear has become de rigueur for other racquet sports like squash, handball and racquetball, it is much less frequently used in tennis, but sad statistics show that it’s not a bad idea. Again, diplomatic inquiry may be in order. • Protective Sunglasses – Less psychologically obtrusive perhaps, but same logic and surely practical when playing outdoors, as at Lake Arrowhead.
And, of course, there’s all the regular apparel – shorts, athletic socks, t-shirts, sweatpants, etc. And the host of gift cards that can support these purchases. Gift cards also work for tennis shoes and a new racquet, BUT it is unwise for those products to be delivered directly as the player needs to make the selection. The fax also mentioned that this list might well be used for pickleball players and other racquet sportsters, except, of course, that balls appropriate to those sports would be applicable. (Duh!) Merry Christmas to all!
SECOND TUESDAY OF EVERY MONTH 60 to 90 minute Massage Therapy sessions available beginning 10:00am at the Clubhouse. Book your session with Licensed and Certified Massage Therapist, Ingrid Meiners at 678.541.1987 and rejuvenate your body, improve your golf, tennis and daily activity. Gift certificates available. 1 hour $70 | 90 minutes $100
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