There are few things I love more in life than traveling and racquet sports — except maybe wine tasting.
So, let’s just say, on the extremely rare occasion I can combine the three, I’m a pretty happy camper.
Which is precisely why my many squash trips to San Francisco followed by a few days in Napa or Sonoma have been some of my favorite and most memorable of all time.
It’s also why I was so pleasantly surprised when Javier Salamanca recently reached out to me and let me in on a little secret…
The Gateway to California Wine Country Is Now Home to Padel
In fact, were you to leave San Francisco tomorrow (after playing at Bay Padel and/or Park Padel, of course!) and drive over the Golden Gate Bridge toward either Napa or Sonoma on the 101, you’d pass right by Flyte Racquet Club and its four new outdoor padel courts in the heart of Marin County.
As Javier, who serves as the director of padel operations and member engagement at Flyte, explained to me the club originally launched in late 2023 as a multi-racquet-sport destination that includes six tennis courts and a whopping 23 pickleball courts, seven of which are indoors.
However, the four outdoor padel courts weren’t added until May 2025. And while Javier is proud of the fact that about 30 of Flyte’s 400 total members are now playing padel regularly, he also knows he has plenty of work to do, telling me:
“The biggest challenge is that padel is still a new sport in Marin County, and Flyte is currently the only club offering padel courts in the area. This means we need to introduce many people to the sport and educate the community about its rules and appeal.”
Hitting the Ground Running
Despite only moving to the area from Madrid very recently (in part to pursue a master’s degree in sports management at the University of San Francisco), Javier is already tackling this challenge head on. As he explains:
“Starting in January, we began organizing regular open play sessions, which have been very successful. Our first session had just four participants, and by the most recent one we reached 20 players.”
He adds:
In February, we expanded our efforts by offering a variety of clinics, discounted private lessons for both members and non-members, and weekly programming focused on introducing new players to the sport.
Every Monday we host a free beginner clinic from 3:30 to 4:30pm, followed by open play from 4:30 to 7:30pm. The first Monday program was a big success, with around 30 people attending in total.
In addition to all of this, Javier — who actually began playing padel at just four years old in Spain and has been coaching for much of his life — tells me they are also planning social and community-driven events throughout the month, including a Valentine’s Day event.
What’s more, they’re also working on organizing exhibitions with high-level players to further showcase the sport and build excitement around padel at Flyte.
The Path Forward
When I ask Javier if, besides him, they have any other “native” padel players who aren’t discovering the game after playing other racquet sports, he tells me:
“Most of our padel players are coming from a tennis background, along with a [few from] squash and racquetball. There is a growing group of people who are completely new to the sport and are curious to try something different.”
Given the climate and demographics of Marin County, it seems like this should be a place where padel will eventually thrive. Even so, Javier understands that it will take time and patience to build the community and grow awareness.
Ultimately, he tells me:
”[This is] a tremendous opportunity. We are entering a completely new market with very little competition, and there is a growing curiosity and interest among people who already enjoy racquet sports like tennis and pickleball.
Additionally, several top-tier padel brands have shown interest in being part of this project, which will help raise the sport’s visibility and support the growth of the local padel community.
Overall, being the first club of its kind gives us a unique chance to establish a strong presence and shape the future of padel in the region.”
Speaking of unique, I can’t say I’ve come across too many padel clubs that are so aptly named as Flyte, as you can see in the incredible video Javier recently sent me below.
So, if you live in the area — or are even just passing through on your next wine tasting trip — please be sure to reach out to Javier and set up a time to come see Flyte in person.
Then, please also be sure to hit up a few of my all-time favorite spots in wine country, including:
Tank Garage Winery: For super interesting and smashable single-vintage wines with punk-rock monikers (like their Peep Show rosé and F*ck Yeah! red blend) and beautiful bottles served out of a restored 1930s filling station on the outskirts of Calistoga.
Gott’s Roadside: A James Beard award-winning, elevated roadside diner with locations in both St. Helena and Napa that has been serving everything from good old fashioned cheeseburgers to slightly more exotic fare like ahi tuna burgers and pistachio milkshakes since 1999.
Cruse Winery: While this boutique winemaker doesn’t have a traditional tasting room, they do open the doors to the Petaluma production facility on occasion for open houses where you can sample all of their unique and delicious red varietals and sparkling offerings along with occasional library wines.
The Charter Oak: A casual rustic-chic eatery in St. Helena that serves everything from raw vegetables and soy dip from its own farm to open-wood-fire grilled avocados and ribeye steaks.
Hog Island Oyster Co.: The Napa outpost of this legendary no-frills yet still-uber-Instagramable fresh seafood purveyor within the Oxbow Public Market. Grab a seat at the bar, order a cold Anchor Steam and a pipping hot bowl of the best clam chowder you’ll find on the Left Coast. Trust me, you’ll be glad you did!
You can vistit Flyte Racquet Club at 440 Smith Ranch Rd, San Rafael, CA 94901 between 9am and 9pm on weekdays and 9am and 7pm on weekends. For more information, please call them at (805) 463-5983 or visit their website.
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