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Hollow Rock Racquet & Swim Club
5100 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27707, United States
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Su
Review №1

Responsive & welcoming club. Member for years for the excellent Juniors Tennis program, family pool, & summer camps. Well-managed pandemic response with online scheduling system to facilitate physical distance between members. Love the recent addition of Sarah Catherines AquaBarre & CardioBarre. Her classes are fun & challenging with modifications for all levels. Pool is heated, which has made the falls classes even more enjoyable than during peak summer heat. Grateful for these outdoor fitness options to maintain wellness & improve my strength, balance, and overall fitness during this year of pandemic.

Ma
Review №2

I love this place! It is such a fun place with amazing staff. It is so nice to have a place to spend time with friends and meet new ones. I highly recommend this club.

El
Review №3

Sad what has happened to what used to be an excellent Club. They have retained an utterly incompetent manager who has driven away some excellent employees. The Board had to overrule some of his innovations such as requiring all members to register a credit card and signing a release to absolve the Club and other members from any kind of liability. His mismanagement has caused the Club to substantially raise their dues. The Board itself retaliates against any member who makes constructive criticisms. A far better choice for anyone with a UNC connection is the Farm - UNC Faculty-Staff Recreation Association. It is also substantially less expensive. I am much happier there than when I was a Hollow Rock member.

Ch
Review №4

Been a member for 20 years. Club is in the best shape ever with the most fun and interesting membership. In addition to the variety of tennis and swim programs, its great to see the growing summer camps and young campers; the fitness studio with Forza Training; and, mainly, the interesting and courteous membership. As there can be nearly no curation of comments posted by those dismissed from the Club for being, frankly, unhappy with the Club and disrespectful of membership, please consider the source and the tone of their broad-brushed and disparaging remarks of our Clubs 1,000+ members & their families and our Clubs management. If youd like to visit Hollow Rock for a facilities tour and discuss any of the posted remarks for their veracity, please contact me. Id be happy to meet with you at the Club or to arrange for a tour by a member of our proud staff. Happy 4th.

Du
Review №5

We have been members at Hollow Rock for 20 years. Over the years, our family has enjoyed the pools and the tennis courts. The clay tennis courts are the best. And the year round lap pool is wonderful. The members at Hollow Rock are so nice and fun. Both juniors and adults will find new friends and lots of activities to enjoy!

F&
Review №6

I would give this club a 5 stars if it had indoors courts. The staff here is amazing, especially Tennis Coach Mateas and his wife, Angela who does fitness training. My daughter trained with both of them and they are absolutely awesome! Love this place and their staff!

Ly
Review №7

We just joined Hollow Rock this year. Love it.!! When I first came to the club I went on a tour. It was quite thorough so I understood exactly the amenities when I joined. I joined primarily for tennis. The members could not have been more welcoming. The courts are in great condition and groomed twice a day. The pros have been delightful and the instruction immensely helpful. The sign up for courts is fair. It is a busy place, but that is why we joined. If I desired a cafe, child care or exercise equipment I might have given pause, but even then I still would have joined for the incredible tennis opportunities. I am doing that and loving it . Hollow Rock is more than a club, it is a community. The people and events support that philosophy.

D.
Review №8

Hollow Rock is the best place that is affordable in the Triangle or even NC for tennis and or swimming in my opinion. The terrific management and staff are always more than happy to cater to the needs of every member. Every aspect of the facility is meticulously (thought out and) cared for at least once a day, if not twice or more. There is a great community at Hollow Rock, and they will always welcome new members warmly! I highly recommend you go check out this fantastic club for its unbeatable offers and thriving community!

Ja
Review №9

My wife and I joined this summer and have thoroughly enjoyed the experience. We joined primarily for the tennis, and the facility has 22 fantastic courts (19 clay). The staff is terrific, and they offer programs for players of all levels. My wife is a beginner and she has clinics on Monday and friendly play on Wednesday. I play in mens doubles on Tuesday and mixed doubles with my wife on Sunday. There is no shortage of opportunities to play and the courts are well-maintained.There are also three pools (kids, normal, lap), and the lap pool is covered during the off-season and is open from 5:30 - 10:30 all year, which is fantastic.There are also plenty of social events which we have enjoyed. We couldnt be happier with our membership.

Je
Review №10

I have been a member of Hollow Rock for over 20 years and absolutely love it! I play tennis several times a week with many different people. The club is very friendly and is going from strength to strength in my opinion. We have a fabulous group of tennis pros and the clay courts are top-notch. I find the prices of tennis lessons and clinics to be very reasonable and competitive with other clubs in the area. The management staff are friendly, enthusiastic and fun and the whole atmosphere of the club is welcoming. There are plenty of social activities planned, we recently had an Oktoberfest party and Chilli Cook-off. I like the fact that Hollow Rock is a member owned club, it makes it a friendly place to be.It is not snooty, just down to earth. Come see for yourself!

Ke
Review №11

I have been President of Hollow Rock three times and a general member of the club for over 25 years. I play age-based tennis tournaments which means I have had the opportunity to play at numerous other facilities throughout North Carolina and the United States. So I have a pretty solid basis of comparison. To my mind, the only clubs that warrant 5 stars are those that offer, at a minimum, indoor courts. In our area, outdoor tennis is not an option for over a quarter of the year due to bad weather. For instance, clay courts here in Durham were only playable four days during the month of February 2015.Hollow Rock doesn’t offer indoor courts like some of its competitors. There is no gym or child care at the club to attract young families. There are no separate quick-start sized courts to help build the juniors program. And the clubhouse has not been upgraded since I joined the club in the late 1980s due to constant financial problems. For these reasons I have rated Hollow Rock three stars.On the positive side, Hollow Rock has extremely friendly members and considerable depth when it comes to tennis competition. These are the reasons I retain my membership at Hollow Rock even though I am also a member of RRC.

El
Review №12

My husband and I have been members at Hollow Rock since 2004. I have 7 kids and they have all enjoyed playing tennis for fun and swimming year around over the years. I highly recommend The Rock for your family! Dont take my word for it; come and see for yourself! You wont be disappointed.

Li
Review №13

I have been a member of Hollow Rock since 1986. My children grew up in the tennis camps, at the pool, on swim teams and later, my daughter was a swim team coach and summer life guard. They had wonderful summer experiences at Hollow Rock. I began playing tennis in 1997 and have been an avid player ever since. I play 4-5 times per week and never have trouble finding 3 other people to play. Hollow Rock has all the USTA teams you could want to join, excellent pros who give informative clinics, and good players at all skill levels. I find the members interesting and very friendly. My tennis friends and team mates have become some of my best friends. Hollow Rock is my home away from home.

Ma
Review №14

Im a long time Hollow Rock member, year round tennis player and sometime swimmer. The pool is wonderful for families and the tennis facilities are the best in the area, in my opinion. There are lots of tennis players at all levels, people are really friendly, and there are all kinds of clinics, mixers and other ways for new members to meet people. Im a huge fan of the club.

Li
Review №15

I am a long time member at Hollow Rock. The club is terrific. They have the best tennis around and it is always easy to find a match. Everyone is very friendly and fun. The staff cares about the members and the club. New clubhouse renovations look great

Ji
Review №16

Great choice very friendly ownerBeautiful waitress

Sa
Review №17

I was a Hollow Rock member for nearly 6 years. Before having kids, HR was a perfect place to go for lap swimming - its one of the few, possibly the only, year round swim club in the Durham/CH area.After having kids, however, we decided it was time to move on to a different club that offers on-site childcare and has a fitness center in addition to the pool (though theirs is sadly summer-only.) Additionally, the other club is nearly half the cost and offers a summer only pool membership. I do miss having tennis as an option, but for a family mostly using the pool, HR just didnt meet our needs anymore.

DE
Review №18

Ive been a member at Hollow Rock for 4 years, and its the best thing I ever did. If you are passionate about tennis, this is the place to be. Regardless of your level, there will always be a USTA team for you, or just a friendly match. The pros are top notch, and the staff is friendly and competent. Ive always been able to get a court, even during peak hours. Its also a great place for families that have children who would like to be on a summer league swim team, or a year round team.

M
Review №19

I have been a Hollow Rock member for seven or eight years and have never once questioned continuing our membership. As I say to my friends, a monthly membership for my family is less than what I pay for cable tv each month, and Hollow Rock has been far more enjoyable. :-) When I joined, I was worried about finding people to play with, and to my delight, I found everyone extremely welcoming. Before I knew it, I had more tennis playing opportunities than I knew what to do with. The place can be busy and this is exactly what makes it fun - kids and adults bustling about with smiles and meeting friends. If you are looking for a clean, friendly, well-run recreation and social club, Hollow Rock is fantastic.

Ch
Review №20

Ive had a family membership at Hollow Rock for about ten years, and its one of the best decisions we ever made. If you like to play tennis, this is the club for you. When my children were small, they used the excellent swimming pool all summer. The people are friendly, the staff is great, and Ive never had a problem reserving a court when the weather is nice. The club also has tennis socials on a regular basis. There are USTA teams at Hollow Rock for just about anyone who wants to play.

S.
Review №21

I have been a visitor and then member on and off since 1982 (gasp!) and I rate the club and the (current!!!) management and board 5 stars only because 10 stars isnt an option. I am sad that there is someone who recently rated it so low, and I see that she is not a member... I think it must be an unhappy person, because while Hollow Rock has room for improvement (dont we all, and dont all places of business and dont all clubs?), the enthusiasm and zest for making it a GREAT PLACE TO BE makes me smile inside and out! The focus must be on the positive and guess what? At Hollow Rock it is! BOOM! Fun place, fun people, great pros, great staff, great leadership and .. .great Chili Cook Offs!And wait.. thats not all.. great art inside from local area artists.. dont play tennis? Dont swim? Come see great local area art and say hi to Lisa. Who is Lisa? Go find out.. youll love her... we all do!

Li
Review №22

We joined Hollow Rock almost 25 years ago so I could play tennis. Three kids later, we saw years of pool time as well, and now have a family of 5 avid tennis players. Many, many friendships and memories have been made at this down to earth club. You will not find a nicer group of people than the members at Hollow Rock.

Ty
Review №23

I’ve been a member at Hollow Rock for four years and my family just loves the club. We joined to take advantage of the family friendly pool but were quickly bitten by the tennis bug and all members of our family play tennis – 19 top notch clay courts, friendly (and serious) competition, and second to none instruction by an experienced team of tennis professionals that are led by a tennis director who genuinely cares about the club and its members. The new General Manager is just awesome and has breathed new life into the organization making the members all confident that the club’s best days are ahead! I (along with almost 90% of our members according to this year’s survey) would recommend Hollow Rock to anyone looking for Durham’s BEST “up-and-coming” yet established tennis and swim club!

Ch
Review №24

Hollow Rock is an enjoyable place with monthly activities and events for families, summer camps, year round camps, year round swimming, three aquatic facilities, unbelievable, international tennis pros, tennis clinics and more. The staff is always available with a smile on their face to assist you with any need. If you are in the Durham/CH area or even Raleigh and looking for a family friendly club, this place is for you!

Oa
Review №25

My experience as a Hollow Rock member of seven years has been an extremely distressing one. I, and another Club member of three decades, have been the targets of a frightening, unrelenting hate mail campaign by a former Hollow Rock tennis professional over the last four-and-a-half years. We only knew this employee via our memberships and time spent at Hollow Rock. (Ive since resigned from the Club).Recently the correspondence has become increasingly menacing, culminating in the email that arrived this week, so we have finally decided to take the matter to the FBI. The content echoes the kind of hate messages written by dangerous offenders. The author was a tennis instructor at Hollow Rock (HR) for many years; I took a few private lessons and group clinics taught by him. But he is not currently employed at the Club. Nonetheless, his emails reference HR, its current members, and updated events at the Club. Clearly someone(s) still affiliated with HR is/are passing on information to this long-time Club staff member and stoking his disturbing obsession with us. The author expresses his desire for our immediate harm (in detail), and he also describes his continued celebration of the severe stroke of another HR member which almost cost him his life.We have saved the emails over the years for the record. We will be asking the FBI to investigate the author and any individuals tied to HR who could be abetting this alarming behavior. (We have some strong ideas who they might be). I have already filed a report with the Orange County Sheriffs Office and contacted an assistant US Attorney on a related matter.This is my personal experience of being a member of Hollow Rock Racquet & Swim Club and taking lessons and clinics from its staff: fear for my personal safety.My advice: stay far, far away from this organization. Recreational clubs are supposed to be fun and stress-free. An oasis. Not result in (former) members turning to the FBI out of concern for their personal welfare. And you would never want your family exposed to the vile language/descriptions used by this professional who taught at HR for so many years. These are some sick letters which will be shared with the FBI.P.S. As further evidence that HR can present a hostile environment, please read some of the 5-star reviews here that refer to a disgruntled, divisive and unhappy former Club member. You can see why I might be disgruntled after being the subject of such disturbing letters sent by a Club pro. Also, for years I pointed out the fact that HRs board of directors and manager had stopped reporting as taxable revenue on the Clubs IRS returns (Forms 990) the lane rental income earned from Duke Aquatics/Carolina Aquatic Team. HRs President and manager had just written me an apology pledging no more legal non-compliance after I had discovered the board violating NC statute and Club bylaws.Still, for years the board and manager claimed I was wrong on the tax law; during that time frame, such reviews about my being divisive and disgruntled appeared.Then finally, with the hiring of independent CPAs who confirmed my reading of the tax code, the board filed amended IRS returns for the years FY14-16 which properly reported this sizable aquatics revenue as taxable unrelated business income, as has their newest IRS return for FY17. All of this can be verified by examining HRs Forms 990 which are accessible online. (Also, note on the four annual 990s the fact the Club admits to having no official written policy to protect whistleblowers who disclose suspected violations of law. The IRS considers whistleblower protection policies crucial for transparent, sound corporate governance).So in addition to having a former Club employee send disturbing emails about me for several years, I have had Hollow Rock members belittle me after exposing statutory non-compliance and pressing their Club to simply follow the rules like everyone else is expected to do.

Sh
Review №26

When I took up tennis 10 years ago, I visited many of the local clubs, taking lessons and meeting people. I soon joined Hollow Rock, as the combination of great instruction, fun people, nice facilities, and fair pricing was hard to beat. I have never regretted this decision, and feel that Hollow Rock tennis has been a wonderful part of my life. I have rarely found it a problem to reserve a court, and I play recreation and USTA. The pools are also very nice, and the club activities and atmosphere is very family friendly.

Al
Review №27

I love the club - I tend to play tennis but have been watching the camp and swim programs become invigorated with professional leadership. The new manager was the South African national tennis player and a former investment banker - top quality hire and the results are impressive.

ri
Review №28

Some of the best clay courts in the state, always well maintained. Great staff who cares passionately about growing the game of tennis...inquired about mens usta league play and was placed on a team in less than 3 days, outstanding service to say the least. New leadership and vision has this club definitely moving in the right direction.

Ma
Review №29

Hollow Rock is THE place for tennis in Durham! Great people; lots of well-maintained clay courts; excellent pros who put on the best clinics. Sparkling pools, lots of fun activities. Great management!

Mi
Review №30

Excellent tennis facilities and 2 spacious pools - with year round swimming! After some years of inconsistent Board management, Hollow Rock now also has a fantastic new full time professional manager, as well as a new Board with expertise in all the areas of club management. Any deferred maintenance on any of the facilities have been identified and budgeted for, with corrections already made. The improvements are continual, tangible and ongoing. An engineering firm was commissioned to study every asset of the Club, and in addition to full time staff, a professional maintenance firm has been commissioned to keep on top of all the main systems. The Club is in very sound financial shape as evidenced by its strong banking relationships. The disgruntled is out of date and has a sharp axe to grind. But dont take our word for it - come see for yourselfAs for the disgruntled member (who has been out of the club for close to several years) and her accusations, a few facts: the club is no more in debt than any homeowner would be. In this very conservative banking environment, several banks bid aggressively this year to win our business, based on the improvements made to date, the improvements planned (including a fitness center and expanded food/bev), a growing membership (with still-spare capacity), a high level of member satisfaction, the strength of the clubs management and board, and financial position. All regulatory bodies and agencies that have anything to do with the club (IRS, ABC, animal control, etc) have confirmed that the club has comported in every way with all licenses, registrations, laws and regulations. The tennis issues are grossly exaggerated. Refer to the Clubs website for peak times, and easy online scheduling. There is plenty of excess capacity. But again, dont take any internet posters word - come see for yourself.

Ci
Review №31

Love playing tennis here at Hollow Rock! Terrific pros, lots of opportunities to play and great friends to play with. The pros and the management are responsive to the needs of the members, and look for ways to make improvements every season.

Bo
Review №32

Had a great time at the recent OctoberFest party at HR! As a long-time member, these events (and the many tennis mixers) are always fun and provide the opportunity to not only make new friends, but to touch base with old friends as well.

Ma
Review №33

When I joined HR four years ago, I really had no idea how much I would love this club -- and I do. I switched clubs in the hope of improving my tennis game and finding lots of people to play with. Hollow Rock has given me that five times over! Thanks to excellent pros with lots of different clinics, I think that my game has gone up a notch since joining. Of course, that also has to do with having lots of opportunities to play, both casually and in USTA. It is too bad that work interferes with my tennis, given that there are enough games going on that I could play every day! I think our clay courts (so kind to my knees) are the best-maintained in the Triangle, something our USTA opponents often comment on as well. I enjoy the social activities, the tennis mixers, and (most of all) the great FEEL of the Club. It is just a fun place to be. The management and the Board are committed to giving members what they want and are open to trying new things. Whatever your level, I would enthusiastically recommend Hollow Rock as a great club for people who love to play tennis.

G
Review №34

If youre into tennis (19 Har-Tru clay and 3 hard courts); swimming (large rec and lap pools, swim teams and indoor winter swimming); social events (tennis mixers, deck parties, holiday cookouts, etc.); and fun with good people - this is the place you want to be. Convenient to Chapel Hill and Durham in a beautiful setting.Stop by and check it out!

Ju
Review №35

Just such a community this place, tons of Tennis always happening and full of life every day...

Mi
Review №36

Ive been a member for 7 years. Its a terrific club with beautiful courts, great tennis, and friendly people.

Pr
Review №37

Im a member

Be
Review №38

Hollow Rock is as advertised a swim and racquet club. It is member-run and family-oriented. There are many caring tennis professionals who teach, encourage, follow-up with emails, check on progress. It makes me smile when I see maintenance staff, headed by Gary, performing his tasks accompanied by Frankie, the neighbor dog, riding in the golf cart. All of the front desk personnel are friendly and ready to assist. The manager is friendly and his door is open for suggestions for improvement. The cleaning staff are pleasant and competent. Our children spent many wonderful hours on the Hollow Rock swim team through the years, eventually becoming life guards themselves. We have members from a wide-range of occupations, families, artists, folks in the medical profession. We are fortunate to have defibrillators available. With the expert assistance of a defib, multiple medical members, and our head pro, the life was saved of one of our members this summer whose heart stopped during a tennis match. Although a frightening experience, the situation was handled quickly and professionally. There are many, many social events during holidays, as well as chili cookoffs, mixers, cooking classes. The list goes on and on. Check it out for yourself. If there is something you are looking for that is not available, ask and maybe it can be added. Kudos to the all-volunteer board who give up valuable time to make Hollow Rock a fun place to be. -- from a long-time (35) year member.

Ho
Review №39

Reply to Owner: First, I think its funny that the ones responsible for the Response to my review, the clubs board and staff, are being referred to as Hollow Rocks Owner. Given the way they look to control and penalize us members all the time, youd think they did own the club. Practically the only time they ever describe Hollow Rock as a member-owned club is when they want something from us general members such as donating money, volunteering and making sacrifices like paying higher dues. We members have been harassed constantly the past few weeks for more donations to sponsor yet another mostly nonmember tournament, even though the participants entry fees should more than cover costs. Second, the problem of too few courts being available for recreational play was already discussed with the clubs board and staff at a tennis meeting earlier this month. They were not sympathetic. Some of our members made the constructive suggestion of pushing back the start times for evening USTA matches. It was dismissed and our members were told that sacrifices had to be made for the club. The board and General Manager see Hollow Rocks heavy participation in USTA leagues as a means of marketing for the club which is why they recently lifted the quotas on nonmembers joining Hollow Rocks USTA teams. It seems the chance of recruiting a few new members is being put ahead of retaining current ones like myself.Third, I dont know what the board expected when it sent members the new Social Media Policy warning us of penalties for member misconduct if we wrote anything that wasnt positive on public media platforms. But they should have guessed that it would lead to members posting anonymously.I’ve been a member of Hollow Rock for many years. I joined for the tennis. I’m not using my real name here because under a new policy I can be brought before the club’s board for member misconduct for writing anything in public about Hollow Rock that is not positive commentary. I am giving the club 2 stars so my review is not very positive. Over the last 1-2 years it’s been getting more and more difficult to get a court during peak hours. This issue is not grossly exaggerated. Ive talked to many other members whove had the the same trouble Ive had booking a court. I work full time so I mostly want to play after 6 pm or on weekends. These time slots tend to coincide with team tennis. USTA teams, lessons and clinics get priority when it comes to court reservations. Often this leaves very few courts if any for recreational matches. For the third time this summer, Hollow Rock is hosting a tournament during which we members are barely allowed to use our own clubs courts for the entire weekend. The organized recreational seniors and mixed doubles matches for members have been cancelled during their usual times.The new management makes a big deal out of the fact that Hollow Rock has so many more USTA teams than other clubs in the area. Why does the staff assume everyone thinks this is such a good thing? A busy USTA schedule can mean members wanting to play recreationally can’t book a court, especially now that the club is allowing lots of nonmembers to join Hollow Rock’s USTA teams. Because there’s so much competition for court time, the board just established a harsh no-show policy that penalizes members who don’t check in at the front desk before playing. When some members have complained about this policy and the lack of courts, they’ve been told they need to make sacrifices for the club. Who pays a lot of money every year to make sacrifices? Our dues have gone up two years in a row. And if the club is in such great shape financially like that board member said, then why was it necessary to raise our dues? Why are we general members always being asked to donate money? Where are all the improvements he is talking about? At this stage I’m seriously thinking about resigning my membership from the club.

Fr
Review №40

Best clay courts in the area, a lot of players and a super pro team, not to mention a great value.

Ka
Review №41

After over 30 years of club membership, I think Hollow Rock is the best club around and I have never considered leaving because of the many friendships, old and new, I have made through the years. I send out an invitation list nearly every week to over 40 women (and could have more if I knew everyones name and email address that I play with!) who are rated 3.5 or 4.0 for doubles and/or singles matches and often have two courts to schedule! Other members organize fun singles and doubles, mixed doubles on Sundays, and other casual get togethers too. I have found our HR members to be welcoming, supportive, interesting, and kind people who enjoy tennis and improving their games but also value socializing on the court and during the many social activities the club hosts several times a month. We have a thoughtful and productive board who has valued transparency and frequent communication and dialogue (e.g., we all just completed a comprehensive survey), as well as a positive approach to governance that completely negates the kind of divisiveness on display in a disgruntled ex-club members rants which pop up in google reviews. Our courts are lovely, we have opportunities for many clinics for different levels of play, and many teams (e.g., USTA, Triangle) open to one and all. The pools are great for kids and for more serious swimmers, including a bubble for winter swimming. I hope anyone considering joining will come out and meet folks and learn more because you will be welcomed and likely form as many good friendships as I have been fortunate enough to make!

Pi
Review №42

Great club. Pool accessible all year.

ro
Review №43

Great atmosphere, wonderful pool, clean facility

Ca
Review №44

We love it!

An
Review №45

Half a star wasnt an option

Information
10 Photos
45 Comments
4.6 Rating
  • Address:5100 Erwin Rd, Durham, NC 27707, United States
  • Site:http://www.hollowrock.com/
  • Phone:+1 919-489-1550
Categories
  • Recreation center
  • Swim club
  • Swimming pool
  • Tennis court
  • Tennis instructor
Working hours
  • Monday:8am–7pm
  • Tuesday:8am–7pm
  • Wednesday:8am–8pm
  • Thursday:8am–8pm
  • Friday:8am–8pm
  • Saturday:8am–8pm
  • Sunday:8am–7pm
Accessibility
  • Wheelchair-accessible entrance:Yes
Planning
  • Membership required:Yes
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