Royal Melbourne Country Club Unveils Brand New Pickleball Courts, Clubhouse Improvements as Part of Larger Club Improvement Project

State-of-the-art courts to enhance club’s premier racquet sports complex and allow members increased access to America’s fastest growing sport

LONG GROVE, Ill. – Royal Melbourne Country Club today unveiled two new state-of-the-art pickleball courts, as well as improvements to its 42,000-square-foot clubhouse as part of a larger extensive club improvement project aimed at enhancing the overall member and guest experience.

The two new courts, which are now open for member and guest play, complement Royal Melbourne’s Greg Norman-designed golf course, expansive practice facility and full-service clubhouse and add to the club’s existing racquet sports complex that currently features four Har-Tru tennis courts, a tennis pro shop that offers same-day racquet stringing, repair and customization, and a viewing deck. USPTA Elite Professional and Director of Racquet Sports Mike Lardino and his talented teaching team will tap their vast experience in building one of the area’s top country club tennis programs to create a robust calendar of pickleball programming that will include clinics, camps, lessons, leagues and social events for players of all ages and skill levels.

Also new to Royal Melbourne this year is a social sport membership that includes access to all racquet sports, the pool, dining and social events.

“We are thrilled about the opening of our new pickleball courts and providing members and their families with another premier amenity that we know will serve as a hub for connection, wellness and fun,” said Chris Stewart, KemperSports general manager at Royal Melbourne Country Club. “With these club enhancements and a new social sport membership option to help players enjoy it all, it’s a very exciting time to be a member at Royal Melbourne. We are confident that Mike and his team will do a tremendous job in making this new amenity a club favorite, and we look forward to continuing to elevate the experience for members old and new.”

The opening of the pickleball courts come as the sport is experiencing a boom in popularity. According to the 2023 Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Topline Participation Report, pickleball earned the honor of America’s fastest-growing sport for the third year in a row. In 2022, pickleball participation almost doubled, increasing by 85.7 percent year-over-year and by an astonishing 158.6 percent over three years.

By year’s end, Royal Melbourne’s racquet sports complex will receive another upgrade by way of four new paddle tennis courts that will be heated and fully lit and a social house that will feature a bar and bistro kitchen. Both amenities are currently under construction. The social house will serve the racquet sports complex year-round, namely as a warming hut and a place for players to gather in the winter months, as well as the pool and aquatics center in the summer.

“At KemperSports, we’re committed to listening and responding to the evolving needs and preferences of our members and guests to take their experience to the next level,” said KemperSports Executive Vice President of Operations Mark Freemott. “We truly don’t believe there’s been a better time to be a member at Royal Melbourne, and we’re excited to write a new chapter in the club’s rich history with the addition of these first-class lifestyle amenities.”

For more information on the Royal Melbourne Country Club, the club improvement project or membership options, visit www.royalmelbourne.net.

About Royal Melbourne Country Club:

Royal Melbourne Country Club in Long Grove, Ill. combines understated elegance with a contemporary attitude. Distinguished by its diverse membership, phenomenal golf experience, fun recreational activities and year-round social events, the club serves as a chosen venue for weddings, special occasions and more. Carved into the surroundings of wetlands, ponds, prairies and trees, the 18-hole, par-72 Greg Norman-designed golf course combines the beauty of sport with the beauty of nature. Members not only experience the challenge of the game in the way it was meant to be played, but they also get to do so in a lushly landscaped atmosphere inhabited by several forms of local wildlife. Additionally, since opening in 1992, the club and its members have supported a robust caddie program that has provided young caddies a pathway to the prestigious Evans Scholarship. Royal Melbourne Country Club features a host of other amenities, including tennis, junior activities, aquatics, dining and a 42,000 square foot Victorian clubhouse. For more information, visit www.royalmelbourne.net.

About KemperSports:

KemperSports is a leading sports, entertainment and hospitality company that delivers operational excellence in property and experience management. Headquartered in Chicago with regional offices throughout the U.S., KemperSports manages more than 140 golf courses, private clubs, sports venues, and destination resorts nationwide. It has more golf properties named among the top 100 U.S. public and resort courses as rated by GOLF Magazine, Golf Digest and Golfweek than any other management company. For more information about KemperSports, visit www.kempersports.com.

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Media Contact:

Gehrig Parker, KemperSports

gparker@kempersports.com | 847-977-3400