Where to Play Tennis Around Columbus: Clubs That Actually Work For Every Level

On a gray January evening, I tried to book an indoor court after work and learned quickly that not all “tennis clubs” around here operate the same way. Some let you pay-as-you-go with a small fee on top of the hourly rate. Others expect a membership first, then court time. A couple even change their rules depending on the season. The upside is there is a good fit for just about every budget and skill level across the Columbus area, from Clintonville to Upper Arlington to New Albany.

How much does an indoor court usually cost in Columbus right now?

For a straight hourly rental during the indoor season, the most transparent current numbers I’ve seen are at Olympic Indoor Tennis in Clintonville and the New Albany Tennis Center (NATC) during its indoor months. Olympic’s published indoor court rates for the 2026–27 season are $34 per hour in off-peak slots and $44 in peak daytime and evening windows, with the same $34 off-peak price late at night. Olympic also lists a $10 guest fee on top of court time during the year. NATC has an easy-to-read fall/winter sheet for Oct. 1, 2026 through Apr. 30, 2027 that shows $38/hour for members and $48/hour for nonmembers, plus a weekday daytime special at $34 (member) or $44 (nonmember) from 9 am to 4 pm.

If you want to keep costs down, look at timing. At Olympic, the 6:30–9:00 am and 9:00–11:00 pm windows stick to that lower $34 rate. NATC’s weekday special is another reliable way to shave a few dollars if you can sneak out for a mid-day hit. The less obvious tip is to plan ahead for weekends; prime Saturday and Sunday slots anywhere tend to go first, and you’ll be paying the higher side of the posted range when you do get one.

Which club actually makes it simplest to get on a court this week?

If you don’t want a membership commitment, NATC is the most plug-and-play option when its indoor schedule is active. You can book up to seven days in advance, and their rental rules are clear: a maximum of 90 minutes for a solo hitter and two hours for two or more players. NATC also flips to outdoor play in warmer months and opens its courts to the public from May 1 to Sept. 30 on a first-come, first-served basis at Thompson Park in New Albany. That “no barrier” window can be handy if you’re just ramping back up and don’t want to commit yet.

Prefer to make a seasonal habit of it? Olympic lists membership tiers publicly, including an $365 individual and $580 family option for the 2026–27 season, and then lays out exactly what you get for that price: priority registration, priority court time and access to their programmable ball machine. In practice, that priority is what keeps you from chasing stray evening openings. If you’re trying to reserve a Wednesday 6 pm court in February, that extra lead time matters.

Club-by-club: what I learned on price, access, and the little policies that matter

Olympic Indoor Tennis (Clintonville)

Address: 3480 Indianola Ave., Columbus. The website puts the entire pricing picture in one place, which is refreshing. Memberships for 2026–27 run $365 for an individual, $580 for a family, $295 for a junior, and $335 for a senior, plus a budget-friendly $99 trial membership that lets first-timers sample three different programs within 45 days. Indoor court rates land at $34 off-peak and $44 in the busy daytime and evening bands, and there’s a posted $10 guest fee year-round. If you value structure, this place runs adult singles and doubles leagues, skills-and-drills workouts, and USTA team play, and it’s clear about what each costs to members versus guests.

What surprised me: The early morning and late-night off-peak windows aren’t just throwaway times. If you can handle a 7 am hit or a 9:30 pm session, that locked-in $34 rate makes a difference over a winter of weekly play. It also tends to be easier to book those times without the priority that membership brings.

The Racquet Club of Columbus (near Bethel Rd.)

Address: 1100 Bethel Rd., Columbus. RCC is a full-service private racquet club with indoor tennis, leagues, and a pro shop. The guest policy here is explicit: a $6 per-visit guest fee and a cap of three guest visits per year, which keeps the courts focused on members. They also offer seasonal court reservations that guarantee the same weekly court through the indoor months. If you’re organizing a doubles group that wants a fixed Tuesday 7 pm slot from September through spring, that seasonal block is the lever you pull.

What to know before you go: Because RCC’s seasonal model is such a draw, many of the best evening times are tied up by those long-term reservations. If you’re not a member, plan on visiting as someone’s guest a couple times to see how it fits, then talk with the front desk about joining before the indoor rush starts. The guest limit of three visits per year is enforced, so use them strategically.

Elysium Tennis (Plain City, northwest of Dublin)

Address: 7637C Commerce Place, Plain City. Elysium runs on a straightforward membership contract with clearly posted monthly dues. For 2026, that’s $60/month for an individual, $73/month for a couple, $82/month for a family, with lower senior options at $31/month for a single senior and $60/month for a senior couple. They also list a junior category at $25/month. The first year is an annual commitment and then you can terminate with 30 days’ notice. Elysium’s junior clinics show per-session pricing too, with a posted $49 rate for certain two-hour youth clinics and a junior membership requirement called out when you enroll.

Why someone chooses it: If you like the idea of a modern, multi-court facility where your monthly dues secure consistent access, this model makes sense. The membership documents also specify a guest policy of three visits per calendar year for nonmembers, which can be a nice way to let friends try a clinic or a hit without committing immediately.

New Albany Tennis Center (Thompson Park, New Albany)

Address: 5600 Thompson Park, New Albany. NATC is the most transparent “walk in and rent a court” option during the indoor season, and it’s equally easy in summer when the courts are outdoors. Their published 2026–27 indoor rates are $38/hour for members and $48/hour for nonmembers, with a $34/$44 weekday daytime special from 9 am to 4 pm. You can reserve up to seven days ahead, and they’re candid about rental rules: maximum 90 minutes if you’re solo and two hours if you’ve got at least two players on court. One very specific perk for retirees who play during the day is a $130 Senior Monthly Player Pass, which covers your share of court fees for weekday play between 11 am and 3 pm for a full month.

Summer quirk worth using: From May 1 through Sept. 30 the courts are outdoors and open to the public on a first-come, first-served basis, no booking portal needed. If your schedule is flexible, that window is a low-cost way to get reps without committing to anything long-term.

Northam Park Tennis Courts (Upper Arlington)

Address: 2070 Northam Rd., Upper Arlington. If you want that clay-court feel without a country club membership, Northam is your bet. The city rebuilt the complex and reopened it in 2025 with nine Har-Tru courts, reservations in 90-minute blocks, and a clear rate card. For the 2025 season (the latest posted on the city’s site), resident season passes were $286 for the first individual, $255 for seniors, plus add-ons for other household members. Nonresident season passes were $429 for an individual and $383 for a senior. If you only need a couple of sessions, the daily admission is posted at $10 for residents and $14 for nonresidents, limited to four visits per person each season.

How reservations work: Members can reserve online up to seven days ahead and there’s a one-reservation-per-day limit. Daily-admission players call the tennis office to book, also up to seven days out. The courts run a defined spring/summer schedule and then a trimmed late-season schedule into October, with time blocks laid out by day of the week so you know exactly when you can play.

Scarborough East Tennis Club (southeast Columbus)

Address: 5641 Alshire Rd., Columbus. Scarborough East is one of the city’s long-standing indoor facilities on the southeast side. The club’s program calendar confirms it is actively running adult and junior sessions through the current year, and the site lists regular weekend hours. If you live in Reynoldsburg or the southeast suburbs, it’s a practical drive compared with heading across town. Scarborough also hosts league and tournament play throughout the indoor months, which is helpful if you need structured matches to keep you honest.

Practical detail: Call the front desk before you go if you haven’t played there recently. Program calendars are current, but posted clinic and league times fill, and the house rules for guests versus members can change season to season. If you’re aiming for a Saturday afternoon clinic, asking about current guest play and any per-visit fee saves you a wasted trip.

Is there a clay option here that doesn’t require a country club membership?

Yes, and it’s actually pretty polished. The Northam Park Tennis Courts in Upper Arlington are Har-Tru clay, rebuilt in 2025, and the whole system is set up like a municipal version of a club. You can buy a season pass or pay a daily admission of $10 for residents and $14 for nonresidents, limited to four visits per person per year if you don’t hold a pass. Courts are booked in 90-minute chunks, and the reservation window opens seven days ahead at noon. Late-season hours run into October with fewer evening blocks, which matters once the sun sets earlier.

I’ve found the courts to play true and hold up well after rain because of the irrigation installed with the rebuild. If you haven’t hit on clay much, budget a few minutes to get used to the slower bounce and built-in recovery time between points. That alone can be a good bridge if you’re returning from an injury or just trying to keep the rallies longer.

What if I’m brand-new to tennis and want group instruction instead of worrying about booking courts?

Two places make this straightforward. Olympic Indoor Tennis runs adult “Skills N Drills” sessions, with formats grouped by level so you can work on footwork, consistency, and point patterns without hunting for a hitting partner. Because Olympic publishes membership and guest structures clearly, you can plan for the $10 guest fee on top of any program price if you’re not a member, or join at $365 for the season to unlock member pricing and priority registration.

On the east side, New Albany Tennis Center posts clinic calendars and publishes rental pricing that matches what most adult clinics here cost per hour. The practical add-ons are helpful, like the Senior Monthly Player Pass at $130 for daytime weekday play between 11 am and 3 pm, which covers your share of court time for singles or doubles for a month. That perk pairs well with their lessons if you’re a daytime player and want extra practice without buying more clinics.

With kids, Elysium Tennis is set up for easy on-ramps: their junior clinic pages list a per-session rate of $49 for two-hour clinics and make it clear a junior membership is required when you enroll. That transparency lets you plan a month at a time and see whether your player likes the level before committing to longer-term team or tournament tracks.

Side-by-side comparison to help narrow it down

Reader Q&A

Can I rent an indoor court in Columbus without joining a club?

Yes. The simplest route is the New Albany Tennis Center during its indoor months, where nonmembers pay $48 per hour and can reserve up to seven days ahead, with a weekday daytime special at $44. In the public sector, Northam Park is outdoors only but offers daily admission at $10 resident and $14 nonresident for 90-minute reservations.

I only play during the day. What’s the best value for weekday daytime tennis?

Two specific deals stand out. Olympic’s early morning and late-night windows are $34 per hour, which is useful if your day starts early. For a true daytime option, NATC’s weekday special from 9 am to 4 pm is $34 for members and $44 for nonmembers, and their Senior Monthly Player Pass at $130 covers your share of weekday court time from 11 am to 3 pm for a month.

Is there a real clay-court option near the city that isn’t a private country club?

Yes. Upper Arlington’s Northam Park Tennis Courts run nine Har-Tru clay courts with a posted rate system. You can buy a season pass or use daily admission at $10 resident and $14 nonresident, with reservations in 90-minute blocks and a seven-day booking window.

What if I want to try a club before I commit for a whole season?

Olympic lists a $99 trial membership for 2026–27 that includes an evaluation and access to three different club programs over 45 days. Elysium allows guests up to three times per year, and RCC allows three guest visits at a $6 fee per visit, so you can sample a league night or a clinic before deciding whether to join.

Key things to know before you book

• For the lowest posted indoor rates, look at $34 off-peak court time at Olympic or the $34/$44 weekday daytime special at NATC.
• Booking rules vary. NATC lets anyone reserve up to seven days ahead, while RCC caps nonmember access at three guest visits per year with a $6 fee.
• Daytime players have extra value options. NATC’s Senior Monthly Player Pass is $130 and covers your share of weekday 11 am–3 pm court time for one month.
• Clay without a country club: Northam Park’s daily admission is $10 resident and $14 nonresident, with reservations in 90-minute blocks.
• Summer is different. NATC’s courts switch to public, first-come outdoor play from May 1 to Sept. 30, which is a low-commitment way to rack up reps.
• If you plan a weekly winter routine, membership priority can be the difference between a guaranteed 6 pm court and constant scrambling. Compare the $365 individual price at Olympic against how often you plan to play.

If you’re stuck between two places, make the choice based on your schedule. Book-heavy weeknights and team play point toward a membership-first model like Olympic or a seasonal block at RCC. If you prefer spontaneous weekday daytime tennis, NATC’s posted specials and Northam’s daily admission make life easier.

Published: September 9, 2026 · Reviewed by the Whats Up Columbus editorial team