News

Kiawah Island, S.C. (Jan. 9, 2018) – Kiawah Island Golf Resort announces the retirement of Director of Tennis Roy Barth effective January 1. Barth now becomes Director Emeritus for the resort upon his retirement. After a lengthy search, Kiawah Island Golf Resort named Barth’s son, Jonathan Barth, as the new Director of Tennis.

Roy Barth is responsible for having built the resort’s tennis programs from the ground up from Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s initial development in 1976. As Director Emeritus, Barth will continue to pursue his passion of helping resort guest improve their tennis skills through his renowned teaching at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort’s Roy Barth Tennis Center.

“This is a momentous occasion for Kiawah Island Golf Resort,” said Kiawah Island Golf Resort President Roger Warren. “The world-class tennis programs our guests seek out stand as an enduring testament to Roy’s vision, drive and management skills. We thank Roy for his 41 years of service and leadership, and wish him and his family all happiness in his retirement. We look forward to his continued presence on the courts at the Roy Barth Tennis Center as he continues to impart his knowledge of the game.”

Barth, who grew up in a tennis family in San Diego and won numerous national junior titles, adapted the skills and knowledge he acquired as a two-time All American at UCLA and as a six-year tour pro into a systematic teaching philosophy rooted on developing key fundamentals that should be mastered at all levels of play. Roy condensed these fundamentals, imparted in his amiable style, into a popular instructional manual and accompanying DVD, “Tips for Better Tennis.”

After completing his successful collegiate tennis career, Barth rose in the world of men’s professional tennis, becoming nationally ranked as highly as eighth in men’s singles and second in men’s doubles, and internationally in the top 40. On the men’s pro tour, Barth regularly competed against such tennis legends as Rod Laver, Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe and Björn Borg, and has maintained a lifelong friendship with the great Billie Jean King. His best wins during his pro career included matches against Tom Oker, Vitas Gerulaitis, Charlie Pasarell, Pancho Gonzales, and Bob Lutz in singles and Arthur Ashe-Dennis Ralston, Stan Smith-Bob Lutz, Ille Năstase-Ion Țiriac, Tom Oker-Marty Riessen , and Dick Stockton-Pat DuPré in doubles.

Barth has provided invaluable guidance as a volunteer in several leading tennis organizations that have proved critical for growing the game nationally and regionally, including as the United States Tennis Association (USTA) South Carolina president. He also chaired the USTA Davis Cup Committee for six years and currently serves as president of the Professional Tennis Registry (PTR), the world’s largest teaching pro organization with sixteen thousand members worldwide.

Barth built Kiawah’s tennis program from grassroots. Under his management, the resort grew to encompass two dozen courts anchored by the Roy Barth Tennis Center. Under his leadership, the tennis operation at Kiawah has ranked among the Top 50 US Tennis Resorts by Tennis magazine and number one for 10 consecutive years by Tennis Resorts Online.

Located along 10 miles of pristine beach just south of Charleston, S.C., Kiawah Island Golf Resort is consistently rated as one of the country’s top resorts. It includes The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort – an ultra-luxury 255-room hotel and spa – and nearly 500 private villas and luxury homes, five championship golf courses, including The Ocean Course – host of the 1991 Ryder Cup and the 2012 and 2021 PGA Championship. TennisResortsOnline.com has ranked the resort’s tennis programs first in the world for 10 consecutive years, and the resort features a renowned recreation and nature program. For more information, visit www.kiawahresort.com.