It is a brilliant fall morning in Colorado Springs, and 13 of us have turned out for Dennis Ralston's tennis camp. The former U.S. Davis Cup Captain and coach of Chris Evert meets us on court for the three-hour-a-day sessions, and after putting us through a series of footwork drills intended both to warm us up and improve our quickness, he lays out his philosophy and the morning's game plan.

"I'm going to tell you some things you may not have heard before," he begins. "I base my whole philosophy on my years as a player and a coach. There are a lot of ways to hit the tennis ball, but as you watch the top pros they're all on balance, they let the racquet do the work, and they look effortless. It's those basic things that I want to get across to you over the next few days."

At age 17 and unseeded, Ralston won the Wimbledon Doubles Championship in 1960 with his University of Southern California teammate Rafael Osuna. Over the next decade he reached the finals of Wimbledon in singles and won the doubles title at Wimbledon, the U.S. Open (three times) and the French Open, rising to No. 1 in the U.S. and top 10 in the world. His record, as both player and coach, would ultimately get him inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame. He joined the Broadmoor as director of tennis in 1993, and shortly thereafter a resort better known for its golf began to show up prominently on tennis maps.

His camps are distinguished by his constant presence throughout the sessions. After his brief morning lecture and demonstration, we are divided into small groups by level—never more than 4 to a pro and usually fewer—and head to the courts. Ralston himself typically roams from court to court, dishing out his wisdom and expertise and helping everyone individually. He is assisted in this effort by an extraordinary staff of teaching pros, each of whom has his own passions and expertise that lets them both reinforce what Ralston has to say and introduce other suggestions for improving performance. Some of the sessions are straight drills, others put us in competitive situations—against one another or the pro—to simulate the pressure of actual play. One segment is devoted to videotaping all of our major strokes. Later each of us gets to view that tape privately with Ralston who provides a running critique and then gives us the tape with his comments to take home.

By noon, many of the campers have had enough—in the rarefied air at 6,000 feet above sea level these workouts take a larger toll than they would at sea level—but several of us met again in the afternoon to play singles or doubles, and then occasionally got together for dinner. All in all it's a well thought out and very well-rounded program

Overview

Resorts like the Broadmoor owe as much to their developer's ego as to anything else. Spencer Penrose, a turn-of-the-century mining magnate, bought what was then a small hotel in the foothills below Pike's Peak and set out to replace it with something grand enough to rival the finest hotels in the world. To that end, he hired the architectural firm of Warren & Wetmore, who had designed New York City's Grand Central Station and Biltmore and Ritz-Carlton hotels. From their drawing board emerged a vision of Italian Renaissance splendor in rosy-hued stucco and red tile.

Penrose then imported a battalion of skilled artisans from as far away as Italy to hand-decorate the walls, ceilings, and floors of the public rooms. While they were at it he and his wife traveled the world collecting paintings, sculpture, tapestries, and other fine pieces to furnish the rooms and lobbies. Finally, to complete the project he hired Frederick Law Olmsted, who had laid out New York's Central Park, to bring order to the foothills landscape, and legendary golf-course architect Donald Ross to design the first of what would eventually be three golf courses. The resort opened in 1918 to great fanfare. The combination of European opulence, a captivating setting, and pure, invigorating mountain air made it an immediate hit with international society. Then as now there was nothing to rival it west of the Mississippi.

Tennis Features

Pro Shop: 719-577-5847

It is extraordinarily rare for a resort to bulldoze an existing tennis complex and replace it with something brand-new, yet that is exactly what the Broadmoor did in late 1993. About the same time it hired former U.S. Davis Cup Captain and Wimbledon finalist Dennis Ralston as director of tennis to breathe new life and credibility into an atrophied tennis program. As a result, what had been a perfunctory amenity has become a reason to visit, especially during the May-to-September period when Ralston personally conducts a series of 3-day clinics (see Tennis Programs).

Tennis Staff. During his long and illustrious professional career, tennis director Dennis Ralston won the NCAA Championships twice in both singles and doubles, reached the finals of Wimbledon in singles, and won doubles crowns at the French Open, Wimbledon, and the U.S. Open. He went on to captain the U.S. Davis Cup team and to coach Chris Evert, Roscoe Tanner, John Lloyd, Brian Gottfried, Yannick Noah, and Gabriela Sabatini, among others. He personally oversees the tennis operation from May to September, with the help of an exceptional team of teaching pros. During the camp season, he's joined by another player he coached, Sharon Walsh, who in the Top 20 on the women's tour and is a former national coach for the British Lawn Tennis Association. Year-round, the day-to-day responsibilities fall to head pro Brent Zimmerman, a former No. 1 in Colorado who went on to play for San Diego State University.
Tennis Programs. Ralston personally conducts a series of 3-day camps from May into September, and his staff runs others at select times during the rest of the year. Sessions average four hours/day, leaving the remainder of the day free for social play or other pursuits. These camps are open to anyone, whether or not they are guests of the hotel. These camps aside, during the main May-September season the staff also conducts hour-long drill sessions and stroke-of-the-day clinics—including a "Davis Cup Drill" series patterned on Ralston Davis Cup practices—and a weekend doubles round robin. They also run several three-day junior day camps during June, July, and August. Finally, Dartfish, the digital videoanalysis tool, is now being used to better help players understand what they need to do to improve specific strokes.
Courts & Fees. The complex consists of 9 hard courts, each of them individually fenced and laid out in terraces on a long gentle slope below the clubhouse. One of these courts is an exhibition stadium named for Chris Evert (whom Ralston coached) and bordered by a broad patio and some terraced seating. Though the weather may be mild enough to allow outdoor play throughout much of the year, the Broadmoor covers two of its courts with a bubble in winter. Court fees: $25/hour ($30/hour indoors).
Altitude Caveat: The Broadmoor stands at just over 6,000 feet above sea level. Expect your endurance to flag in this rarefied air and take extra precautions against sunburn, including the use of an industrial strength sunblock, hat, and sunglasses.

Your Call

Here's what others have had to say about Broadmoor.

• "The most beautiful venue, the most helpful, attentive, nice staff, and the best cared for courts."—T.S., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "The highlight of the tennis camp is the actual hotel, amazing. The tennis instructor will feed you balls right in the sweet spot , if that is what you want, but a far as instruction goes. get a pro at your home club. I will return to the Broadmoor for the hotel and senery and the tennis wil be secondary but fun. if you want to have fun and be realxed then go to the Broadmoor"—C.A., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "Fabulous setting, top notch instructors and specialized attention if desired! The Broadmoor's tennis camps are structured so you can play as much as you want; or take some time off to sit by the pool, enjoy the spa or drive up into the mountains. Having been to numerous tennis camps, we keep coming back to The Broadmoor."—A.S., Adv., April 2008

• "I have told many of my friends about the high level of teaching and professionalism of the staff of the Broadmoor. I have recently purchased a gift certificate for my husbnad's birthday totalling about $200. Both my husband and I are looking forward to receiving additional instruction, encouragement and advice regarding improving our tennis strokes and strategy on the court and developing a better mental attitude to remain calm and positive for big points. We can't wait for our next experience there."—R.Z., Int., April 2008

• "Strengths
  1) coaches - a) diverse, inspiring and v. credible, as at least a couple of them have played with renowned professionals such as BJKing b) organised and united method of training (despite diversity of individual coaches), accompanied by written literature to reinforce
  2) caters to individual fitness levels
  3) quick and accurate player assessment for grouping purposes
  4) shot-specific filming so players could view weak areas Weaknesses:
  1) expensive"—S.B., Adv. Int., April 2008

• ""—R.M., Adv. Int., April 2008

• ""—L.U., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "The Best place to Enjoy your tennis experience honing your skills, while parent can relax in the beauty of the Broadmoor Resort. The grounds of The Broadmoor is beautiful. "You never want to go home." My family have enjoyed this resort twice and recommend it highly. There is no Weaknesses."—S.S., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "Excellent instructions. Highly recommend. Resort itself is fantastic."—D.F., Adv. Int., April 2008

• "Great Tennis experience with Dennis Ralston and staff. 4 to 1 ratio maintained. More than enough tennis and strategy along with private during the camp from Dennis. First class facility and great matching of games by the tennis director. The Broadmoor is an exquisite hotel and playground."—S.H., Adv., April 2008

• "This was my first ever tennis camp and I plan on making this an annual event. The Broadmoor staff are very attentive and the facility is simply extraordinary. Our pros, Sharon Walsh and Lili Bell, took a very even handed approach which seemed so right for the level of players in our group. No extreme drills but plenty of instruction.
  They kept us busy and more importantly, they sent us home with ideas about how to implement the things we learned in camp. I have experienced pros who seem only to criticize and point out how far one needs to go - but Sharon and Lili were very supportive and gave us plenty of ideas to take home."—J.S., Int., April 2008

• "Christopher and Sharon were both attentive, direct and helpful with their comments. They provided highly personal instruction. Six of my 3.5 team attended the camp and every single person walked away more confident and energized about their game. I couldn't recommend the camp more highly."—J.L., Int., April 2008

Other Recreation

Golf Courses. Tee times for any of the following courses can be reserved by calling (719) 577-5790. Play is limited to guest of the resort and members. Greens Fees: $165 on the East or West courses. This includes a golf cart and club storage.

East Course: The legendary Donald Ross designed this first of the Broadmoor's courses in 1918 and it was later redesigned by Robert Trent Jones. It remains the most forgiving of the three with wide fairways and expansive greens. It has played host to many tournaments, including the U.S. Women's Open Championship in 1995. Par: 70. Length: 5,847-7,091 yards.
West Course: Another Robert Trent Jones design, originally as 9 holes in 1950 and then expanded to 18 in 1965. Its rolling fairways and multi-level greens afford both mountain and city views. Par: 71. Length: 5,375-7,340 yards.
Mountain Course: the most challenging of the three, the Mountain Course was laid out in 1976 by Ed Seay and Arnold Palmer. Though shorter than the others it is also narrower. Its curving, scrub oak-lined fairways crossed by ravines put a premium on accuracy and club selection. Currently, however, only the front 9 is available as reconstruction takes place on the back 9. Par 70. Length: 5,600-6,781 yards.

Spa & Fitness Center. The clearest evidence of the Broadmoor's intention to appeal to a more active—and perhaps self-indulgent—clientele is its Spa and Fitness Center, which together comprise a four-level, 90,000-square-foot complex done in native stone, Italian tile, and hardwoods. The spa offers a full range of treatments, including massages, facials, milk and mud baths, and herbal wraps, inhalation rooms, several wet treatment rooms. Four of its massage rooms open onto private terraces for treatments outdoors with views of the Rocky Mountains. Its changing and sitting rooms have fireplaces.

The Fitness Center consists of an indoor pool with underwater music and a transparent ceiling, an outdoor lap pool, a mountainside Jacuzzi and lounging deck, an aerobics studio, and a state-of-the-art, attentively staffed gym—with windows on the golf course and mountains—outfitted with cardiovascular equipment and Cybex and other workout machines.

And ... In addition to everything else the Broadmoor has bicycle rentals, paddleboats for use on Cheyenne Lake, a trap and skeet range, a fly-fishing school, and horseback riding.

Children's Programs

From late May through Labor Day, the Broadmoor runs a "Bee Bunch" program for children 4-12. One counselor is assigned to every five children. Depending on their age, the activities may include visits to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo (on the Broadmoor grounds), swimming in any of the three pools, arts and crafts, pony rides, paddleboating, scavenger hunts, or golf or tennis clinics. A full-day program from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. costs $65/child and includes lunch; half day programs, from 9 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. costs $25/child. In both cases there is an optional 6-10 p.m. evening program (at $45/child, including dinner). Family rates are also available and separate babysitting can also be arranged through the concierge.

Lodging

The Broadmoor has some 700 guest rooms generally arranged on either side of Lake Cheyenne. In the past I've always preferred the rooms in the original hotel. Those rooms and the main lobby and entrance have just been thoroughly refurbished to the extent of combining small rooms to create luxurious suites. They have the Edwardian elegance only antique furnishings, original art, and hand craftsmanship can provide. I can't stay there without wondering who among the hotel's long roster of famous guests may have slept in that bed or wandered those halls.

On the opposite side of the lake stands the seven-story West Tower, which opened in 1997. Although the newest wing has none of the historic echoes, its rooms nonetheless stand out for their exquisite traditional decor and spaciousness. All of them have French doors that open out onto terraces with views of the mountains, lake, or golf course. There are several other lodging options, some in front of the main hotel, others on the west side of Lake Cheyenne.

Restaurants

There are some dozen restaurants and lounges on the Broadmoor property. These range from the Golden Bee, a traditional English pub that serves yards of ale and steak and kidney pie, to culinarily ambitious Charles Court and the 14th-floor Penrose Room. Also new is the Summit, a free-standing American brasserie across from the hotel, which Esquire named one of the best new restaurants in 2006. Since I visited these two signature rooms have new chefs. Peter Schintler, who trained at the Michelin three-star Le Manoir aux Quat' Saisons in England the four-star Le Cirque in New York City, took over responsibility for the lakefront Charles Court, which now offers cutting edge American cuisine. Meanwhile, Christophe Doumergue, most recently of the Soleil restaurant in Atlanta, has taken the helm at the 14th-floor Penrose Room and has discarded its stilted Continental menu in favor of contemporary French cuisine. If you've eaten at any of these restaurants, please send along your reviews and I'll post them here.

Calendar

See Also

Among the other tennis resorts with the Broadmoor's grand style are:

• The Breakers Palm Beach, Florida
• Boca Raton Resort & Club, Florida
• Sea Island Resort, Georgia
• The Greenbrier, West Virginia

Travel Essentials

Seasons. Although the Broadmoor is open all year, the best time to visit is during the May-to-September high season when activity on the courts reaches its zenith.

Broadmoor
1 Lake Circle
P.O. Box 1439
Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1439
719-634-7711
Toll-free: 800-634-7711
Fax: 719-577-5779
Web Link: The Broadmoor

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Book Online: The Broadmoor

 

Travel Instructions. By Air: The Broadmoor is 11 miles from the Colorado Springs airport. If you're driving from there, take Drennan Road to Hancock Expressway, turn right onto Hancock Expressway and continue to South Circle Drive. Circle Drive becomes Lake Avenue and terminates at the entrance to The Broadmoor. By Car: Exits off I-25 are clearly marked.

General Tourist Information. Visit the Colorado Springs Convention & Visitors Bureau web site or contact them at 104 S. Cascade, Suite 104, Colorado Springs, CO 80903; 719-635-7506 or toll-free 877-745-3773.

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