Wrote a dope af review on my experience being introduced to this facility through a Yelp event…read more Thoroughly enjoyed it enough that I stuck around to sign up for an actual membership, so I am legitimately a paying customer and active member of the Tennis club now!
Gonna feature some of the first impressions highlights from that review I'd written here (but will also come back to provide updates or post supplemental reviews after some additional visits):
Here are my thoughts on Plock Tennis Club, which is a beautifully furnished, welcoming, and trailblazing facility. I'll elaborate:
Beautifully furnished -- the decor is aesthetically intricate with tan/brown painted flooring that emulates clay/hard courts; green fences, green painted doors, and even green painted flooring inside the men's change-room to give it that "Tennis Green" vibe. There's also a lot of Tennis-themed ornamentation including rackets (which they sell!) and framed photos of popular pros like Rafael Nadal.
Welcoming -- their front desk set-up is there to support you! Men's change-room has lockers (as well as a shower). There is a cozy lounge area upstairs with an equipment station for racket stringing.
Trailblazing -- fancy word here, ya? I'll clarify: as far as I'm aware, Plock's Tennis Club is unequivocally unique with its state-of-the-art, intuitively user-friendly iPad/tablet controlled "ball launchers." Beyond the innovative technology layer, the notion that warranted the "trailblazing" label was the appeal of "independent tennis training" (not needing to play with a friend). As far as I'm aware, they seem to be pioneers and a first-of-its-kind place to offer this in Toronto [don't (or actually, please do) come @ me if I'm wrong, but in the meantime, I think the trailblazing label is deserved].
Game, Set, M...embership:
During my initial visit, I had the chance to chat with the owners, Tina and Robert. Speaking to them was an absolute pleasure. They're extremely passionate, diligent, and I have a ton of respect for their ambitious business venture. What really stood out was that they were NOT AT ALL "pushy" or "sales-pitchy" about their memberships--almost to a fault (or a "double-fault"?), as they seemed primarily focused on simply providing a great experience and showcasing what the facility can do.
It worked out perfectly, though, because by the end of our conversation, I basically SOLD MYSELF ON BECOMING A MEMBER. The $169 "Summer Membership" (a 6-month Starter Bundle that includes 3 individual booking sessions and other perks) seemed like a very reasonable value proposition, so that's exactly what I signed up for.
Honestly, even though there is a logical rationale behind their various "peak" vs. "non-peak" and seasonal rates, my first impression of the pricing chart was that it felt convoluted af. But the $169 Starter Bundle bypasses all of that and simplifies the registration process perfectly IMO.
Looking forward to getting back on the courts!