Whether you're a beginner player or looking for advanced instruction, Tennis Pro Now is a valuable marketplace that links students to local certified instructors.

Photo credit: Tennis Pro Now

When most people begin to play a sport, the first thing that comes to mind is lessons. There are two options for every new tennis student: find a private instructor or join a country club tennis class for beginners. But finding a reputable and cost-effective tennis instructor is often a problem for new players.

Typically, new students sign up at high rates with the country club or have difficulty finding a reputable private instructor, as there is no feedback system or management for these instructors. That is, until TennisProNow.com launched as a source for individuals to find and set up a certified local tennis lesson.

Tennis Pro Now is a marketplace that links students to instructors. The service screens, certifies and utilizes the top-ranked instructors, giving students the choice of any instructor in their area. To date, more than 7,000 pros have signed up for the website.

Prices range from $47.50 for a private lesson compared to $70-100 per hour that country clubs charge. Of course, a student may be able to find a cheaper instructor on community boards or Craiglist.com (charging $30-50/hour), but there is no authority doing background checks, checking the credibility, or ensuring that the pro is qualified. Tennis Pro Now simplifies this with a 5-Step Certification process, background checks, and prior student reviews.

Rather than dealing with a single private club, students can choose from almost any public tennis court. The pro simply comes to the court closest to home. Tennis Pro Now handles the court bookings, customer service and scheduling. Unlike most pros on Craigslist, the site's lessons come with a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If a lesson does not meet expectations, the company will switch the pro or refund the purchase price.

Tennis Pro Now has taught more than 5,000 lessons using 450 pros. The company serves over 2,600 towns in all 50 states, with the average student being a beginner, male or female from 7-47 years old. However, the company also offers customized instruction for intermediate and advanced levels.

New players can go to the website, enter their ZIP code, and can see a list of courts and instructors. Students can select an individual pro or the service can match them to a pro. Lessons are offered 7 days a week. Currently, the site only offers private and small group instruction.