Effective Ways to Improve My Game as a 48-year-old Beginner/Intermediate?

Hi!
I just joined TennisW and this is my first post. I am somewhere in that vast no-man's-land between tennis beginner and intermediate, and would like to know what those of you who are far more experienced than I am think are some effective ways to improve my game, considering my situation.

I am 48-years-old and have just recently discovered what a fabulous and fun game tennis is. I am very seriously hooked.

I guess it's just common sense that the most efficient way to improve is to get private lessons. And I will do that. But I am not independently wealthy, and work 12-hour days, so I will be limited to once-a-week lessons on the weekend, and maybe another couple of hours of playing time per week, if I am lucky.

My question is really how best to complement private lessons and actual playing time with a tennis partner who is at least moderately better than I am. Should I complete a few months, or a year, of private lessons, and then purchase a tennis ball machine (like Silent Partner or Tennis Tutor) to do repetitive drills, and some DVD tutorials, like those by Oscar Wegner?

Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated!

Kind Regards,
Never2Late

"If at first you don’t succeed, try try again. Then quit. No sense being a damn fool about it." W. C. Fields

Hi never2late, I am also a beginner in my mid forties and am in a similar situation to yourself regarding time. I have a 30 minute coaching lesson once a week and drag my husband to the courts whenever we can squeeze in a game. He is vastly better and stronger than I am but there is definitely improvement in my game due to the coaching. Do you have a partner or friend who will commit to practicing with you regularly?

Don't buy any machine for sure ! Too expensive and you won't learn more than playing a free wall ;-) .
I recommend to buy 1 of the dvds from Wegner. I get no money from this :-/, but you might benefit from the experience of others.
Find partners of your level, enjoy rallying as much as you can.
Tennis is a game you should enjoy without constraint.
Look for diversity in the game of your opponents so you'll learn from being a confrontationnal player with the will to win and give great opposition.
Tennis is about going over your own limits and learning from it. That's all the fun from my point of view.
When ready, compete. Nothing better than the win of a long tight match for confidence !! Or capacity to go over your own boundaries next time, if you lost.
If still having tennis lessons, be very specific on what you wanna learn. Consider a shot managed when you've got a good feeling with the ball.
Sorry, being bossy.
Enjoy the game !

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Originally Posted by Never2Late

Hi!
I just joined TennisW and this is my first post. I am somewhere in that vast no-man's-land between tennis beginner and intermediate, and would like to know what those of you who are far more experienced than I am think are some effective ways to improve my game, considering my situation.

I am 48-years-old and have just recently discovered what a fabulous and fun game tennis is. I am very seriously hooked.

I guess it's just common sense that the most efficient way to improve is to get private lessons. And I will do that. But I am not independently wealthy, and work 12-hour days, so I will be limited to once-a-week lessons on the weekend, and maybe another couple of hours of playing time per week, if I am lucky.

My question is really how best to complement private lessons and actual playing time with a tennis partner who is at least moderately better than I am. Should I complete a few months, or a year, of private lessons, and then purchase a tennis ball machine (like Silent Partner or Tennis Tutor) to do repetitive drills, and some DVD tutorials, like those by Oscar Wegner?

Any suggestions would be sincerely appreciated!

Kind Regards,
Never2Late

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It is never too late to begin a steady progressive attempt to reach a high level of skillful play. (I train several players in their 70's and 80's and they are still excited about learning something new!)

The most important point is to study the game as if you were 14 not nearing 50! You have at least 20 good years of tennis left if not more, and most players who learn the game correctly, and practice proper skills, enjoy the continued challenge of reaching higher levels of play such practice provides.

If you are just interested in hitting the ball back and forth and not reaching your potential, then you can use whatever method feels comfortable and figure out ways to get balls back. However, beware, should you wish to reach higher levels or reach your true potential, this would be the worst way to learn.

Taking lessons, learning proper grips and swing patterns, then practicing and employing them in competitive play will allow you to continue to improve and reach high levels of play within a few years.

I would highly suggest a subscription to TennisOne.com or TennisPlayer.net. These two web sites are a gold mine in understanding the game and improving when you can't be on the court.

And, if I may be so bold to recommend my book, TENNIS MASTERY, found at Tenniswarehouse.com, I offer a logical and progressive way to learn tennis so that you don't have to change later on to reach higher levels of play.