Tennis in MetroWest: Courts at the Golf Club and Nearby Orlando Facilities
A practical look at MetroWest's Har-Tru courts, plus the best public tennis within a short drive
Tennis in MetroWest centers on the MetroWest Tennis Learning Center at 2100 S. Hiawassee Road, Orlando, FL 32835, which operates Har-Tru green clay courts on the MetroWest Golf Club property under a separate business (407-967-6734). The Golf Club and tennis operation share an address but are run independently — the Golf Club's public website does not currently promote tennis. The nearest large public facility is Lake Cane Tennis Center inside Shadow Bay Park at 5108 Turkey Lake Road, with 17 lighted hard courts managed by Orange County Parks and Recreation. The USTA National Campus in Lake Nona, about 20 to 25 miles east, is the largest public tennis facility in the world with 98 courts across multiple surfaces.
Here's the thing about tennis in MetroWest: Google "MetroWest Golf Club tennis" and you'll land on a site that talks golf, dining, and weddings — not a word about racquets. Tennis didn't disappear; the courts are just run by a separate business on the same property.
For anyone eyeing this Robert Trent Jones Sr.–designed corner of West Orange County, that's worth knowing before you shop. Below: what's at the club, what's down the road, and where serious Orlando players end up driving for the best courts in Central Florida.
The MetroWest Tennis Learning Center: Clay Courts on the Golf Club Grounds
The tennis operation at 2100 S. Hiawassee Road brands itself as the MetroWest Tennis Learning Center, with its own phone number (407-967-6734) — distinct from the golf club's pro shop at 407-299-1099. Two businesses, one address. What you'll find there:
- Har-Tru green clay courts — the same surface family the USTA uses for training, prized for being roughly 20% cooler than hard courts in Florida summers and easier on knees, hips, and ankles.
- Lessons, clinics, and league play — the center leans into instruction (it is a "Learning Center"), with private and group lessons, junior development, and team play.
- A country-club setting on the grounds of a Robert Trent Jones Sr. course, with the clubhouse and restaurant right there.
Court rates, lesson pricing, and non-member access change seasonally, so we'd point you to MetroWest Tennis Learning Center directly or a quick call before loading the racquet bag.
Why Clay Matters (Especially in Central Florida)
Most Americans grow up on hard courts, but anyone who plays a few weeks in Orlando heat figures out why clay has a following. Har-Tru absorbs water and dries within minutes of an afternoon thunderstorm, and runs noticeably cooler underfoot than asphalt at 95°F. Clay also rewards a different game: longer rallies, more topspin, more sliding. If years of hard-court play have caught up with you, MetroWest is a kinder place to keep going. For juniors, learning on clay is considered one of the better long-term investments in their development.
The MetroWest Golf Club Side of the Property
Even if you're here for tennis, the headline amenity is worth a paragraph. The MetroWest Golf Club is an 18-hole, par-72 public course designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr., opened in 1987 and renovated in 2013 by Billy Fuller. It runs 7,051 yards from the back tees with elevation changes uncommon for Florida, and has been called the best public golf course in Orlando by Orlando Magazine. For the full local context, see our MetroWest Golf Courses guide, or our West Orange Country Club overview for a comparable public option further west.
Public Tennis Within a Short Drive
Lake Cane Tennis Center (Shadow Bay Park) — Closest Public Option
For straightforward pay-and-play tennis, Lake Cane is the local default. It sits inside Shadow Bay Park at 5108 Turkey Lake Road in Dr. Phillips, about 4 to 5 miles south of MetroWest down Turkey Lake Road — typically a 10- to 15-minute drive. (For green space inside the community itself, see our MetroWest Parks & Recreation guide.)
- 17 lighted hard courts, owned by Orange County Parks and Recreation
- Operated by MG Tennis, which has run programming there since 1986
- 30-plus USTA-sanctioned tournaments annually and 35-plus adult league teams
- Typical hours: 8:00 a.m. to roughly 9:30 p.m. weekdays, 8:00 p.m. weekends
Call 407-254-9170 or check Lake Cane Tennis Center for current hourly rates.
Orlando Tennis Centre — Downtown Clay
About 6 to 7 miles east of MetroWest, the Orlando Tennis Centre at 2055 W. New Hampshire Street is the city-run facility that's been on that site since the 1930s. It currently features 11 clay courts and 6 hard courts, making it the closest non-private clay option besides MetroWest itself. It's a 15- to 20-minute drive from MetroWest via the 408.
USTA National Campus (Lake Nona) — The Big Trip
For a serious tennis day out, the USTA National Campus in Lake Nona is worth the drive. It's about 20 to 25 miles east of MetroWest — figure 25 to 35 minutes via the 408 and 417 outside rush hour.
The numbers are honestly silly:
- 64-acre campus, 98 lighted courts — billed as the largest public tennis facility in the world
- Surfaces include Plexicushion hard, Har-Tru green clay, European Terre Davis red clay, and indoor courts
- Open to the public — no membership required
- Operating hours generally run 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. weekdays and 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. weekends
The campus opened in 2017 as the USTA's "Home of American Tennis." It's also a UCF home court and a regular host for NCAA tournaments. For more on the surrounding area, our Lake Nona Medical City overview covers the broader master-planned community.
A Note on Condo and Neighborhood Courts in MetroWest
One thing newcomers overlook: several MetroWest condo and apartment communities — The Element at MetroWest, Summit at MetroWest, various Stonebridge communities — include tennis or pickleball courts as resident amenities. If you're looking at MetroWest condos and court access matters, ask specifically what's on-site before you sign. Quality varies, and resident-only courts aren't an option for guests.
Pros and Cons of Tennis at MetroWest
The Pros
- Har-Tru clay on-site — rare outside private clubs and the USTA campus
- Cooler surface and faster post-rain drying than nearby hard courts
- Country-club setting with golf and restaurant on the same grounds
- Established instructional programming and league play
- Close to Downtown Orlando, Universal, and major employment centers via the 408 and I-4
The Cons
- Golf Club marketing doesn't surface the tennis operation, which can confuse first-time visitors
- Clay needs more maintenance and isn't always available on rainy weeks
- For pure drop-in hourly play, Lake Cane is simpler
- Serious tournament players will end up driving to USTA National Campus regardless
What the Locals Know
The honest summary on tennis in MetroWest: you have one solid clay-court option on the golf club property, run as a separate business that's easy to miss if you only look at the Golf Club's website. For everyday public hard-court tennis, Lake Cane in Dr. Phillips is 10 minutes away and hard to beat for value. For the full Orlando tennis experience, USTA in Lake Nona is a 30-minute drive that's worth doing at least once a season.
The takeaway for anyone weighing MetroWest as a place to live: tennis is here, the surface is genuinely good, and the surrounding county-wide options are some of the strongest in Florida. Just don't expect to find them all on one website. 🎾
For current programs, lessons, and court access at the MetroWest property, visit the MetroWest Tennis Learning Center directly. For Orange County's public courts at Shadow Bay Park, see Lake Cane Tennis Center, and for the national-scale option, see the USTA National Campus.
Thinking about a move to MetroWest? Browse current MetroWest homes for sale, or contact us for personalized relocation guidance from people who actually live and work in West Orange County.
