Lee On The Solent Tennis Squash & Fitness Club

So there I was, a total newbie, face-to-face with a squash ball that seemed to have a personal vendetta against my racquet. It was my first time at Lee On The Solent Tennis Squash & Fitness Club, and I’d foolishly agreed to a game with a friend who “played a bit.” Reader, I spent most of the first game chasing a tiny rubber bullet while my opponent looked like he was conducting an orchestra. By the end, I was dripping with sweat, my legs were jelly, and I was grinning like an idiot. That’s the thing about this club—it has a sneaky way of making you love the struggle.

The Vibe: Old School Meets “Let’s Get Sweaty”

This isn’t one of those shiny, impersonal fitness chains where the staff forget your name the second you sign up. Lee On The Solent feels like a club that has history, and I mean that in the most charming way possible. You walk in, and there’s a faint echo of decades of tennis serves and squash boasts bouncing off the walls. The bar area—yes, a proper club bar—still has that “just finished a match, let’s talk about it” energy that’s rare to find these days.

But don’t let the “old school” vibe fool you, because the facilities are surprisingly sharp. The courts (both tennis and squash) are well-maintained, and the fitness gym has enough iron to make any serious lifter happy. It’s like your cool uncle’s garage gym, but with better lighting and fewer oil stains. And a bar. You see the priorities are in order here.

Tennis: Grass, Clay, and Artificial Turf (Oh My!)

If you’re a tennis player, this place is basically a playground. They’ve got four artificial grass courts that play beautifully, a couple of clay courts for when you want to feel like you’re at the French Open, and some floodlit hard courts for those dramatic night matches. I tried the grass courts myself, and let me tell you, sliding on them feels like a cheat code for getting to drop shots. Just be prepared to pick a few bits of rubber out of your shoes afterward—I’m still finding them in my gym bag.

What I love is that the members range from absolute beginners (like my poor, humble self) to absolute demons who can place the ball on a sixpence. There’s a real mix of friendly social doubles and intense singles leagues. Nobody judges you for double-faulting, but they will absolutely celebrate when you nail a cross-court winner. It’s a supportive sort of chaos.

Squash: The Sport of Masochistic Joy

Remember my opening anecdote? Yeah, that’s squash in a nutshell. The club has three international-standard squash courts, which basically means the walls are true and the floor is bouncy enough to punish your knees. If you’ve never played, imagine trying to hit a wall with a racket while simultaneously dodging a very angry, very fast fruit. It’s addictive, it’s exhausting, and it’s probably the best cardio you’ll ever hate.

The squash community here is passionate. They run box leagues, tournaments, and even social evenings where beginners can get trounced by friendly experts. I went to one of their “Squash 101” sessions, and the coach—a retired pro with a wicked sense of humor—spent ten minutes just teaching us how to stop hitting ourselves in the shins. True story. You’ll leave with a purple bruise and a new obsession.

The Fitness Club: No Mirrors, Just Sore Muscles

The gym area is compact but surprisingly well-equipped. You’ve got your treadmills and bikes, a decent stack of dumbbells up to 50kg, and a few cable machines that look like they’ve survived a war. Don’t expect a juice bar or a spin class with a DJ. Expect honest sweat, the clanking of weights, and the occasional grunt of effort. There’s a small studio that runs yoga and pilates, but the real charm is the lack of pretension. Nobody is filming themselves for Instagram. They’re just trying to get through their reps before grabbing a pint at the bar.

I’m a bit cynical about gyms, but this one works because it’s attached to the sports. You don’t just go to lift; you go to get stronger for your next tennis match or to recover from the squash beating you just received. It has purpose.

Why You Should Join (Even if You’re a Lazy Bum Like Me)

Look, I’m not going to pretend I’m some athlete. I joined because a friend dragged me along, and I kept coming back because of the weirdly sociable atmosphere. You can be terrible at tennis (me) or get demolished in squash (also me), and someone will still buy you a drink and analyze your technique with genuine interest. Maybe too much interest. It’s the kind of place where you make friends because you’re all suffering together in a shared, healthy way.

If you’re looking for a glossy, 24-hour super-club with a smoothie blender and pro trainers who charge £80 an hour, keep walking. But if you want a proper sports club—with creaky floorboards, a warm clubhouse, and people who genuinely love the game—then Lee On The Solent is your spot. Just bring a towel, some self-deprecating humor, and maybe an ice pack for your dignity.

Oh, and one last thing: the bacon baps from the bar are dangerously good. You’ve been warned.