Tennis

Jordan Vaughan is an accomplished tennis professional with a lifetime of experience on the courts. Growing up watching her father excel at his role as a director of tennis motivated her to create her own legacy within the game. Jordan was an art major at Florida Gulf Coast University, a photography major at Florida Atlantic University and has been an instructor of tennis for more than a decade.

Armed with a deep passion for the game, Jordan has accumulated a wealth of experience at some of the most renowned country clubs in Southwest Florida, as well as distinguished facilities in Los Angeles, Nantucket and Miami. Most recently, she was the director of tennis at Esplanade Golf & Country Club and Fiddler’s Creek in Naples where she established world-class tennis programs for exclusive memberships and continued to build her brand at high-end clubs. As a USPTA Elite Professional, Jordan is a knowledgeable and successful athlete whose accomplishments include being a finalist at the 2014 US Open qualifying mixed doubles and winning several international father-daughter tournaments alongside her dad.

When she is not on the court, Jordan enjoys spending time with her three dogs, hiking in the High Country and photographing the stunning scenery of Linville Ridge’s mountain scape.

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Head Tennis Professional

On the court since he was just six years old, Jesse Witten brings a lifelong passion and experience to his role as head tennis professional at Linville Ridge Country Club. Born and raised in Naples, Florida, Jesse attended the University of Kentucky in Lexington, where he played collegiate tennis and earned his Bachelor of Arts in Kinesiology. In his first year as a Kentucky Wildcat, Jesse reached The NCAA Division I Men’s Tennis Championship final, along with ranking the No. 1 at his university.

After leaving The Bluegrass State, Jesse went on to play full-time at the professional level, securing an impressive overall ranking of 163 across the globe. He competed in all four major Grand Slams, reaching the third round of the US Open before proudly losing to Novak Djokovic in four sets. While Jesse still maintains a world ranking, he began working as co-director of a prestigious tennis academy in Naples in 2012, where he spent eight years developing and training numerous college and professional players.

Currently, Jesse owns a small, private site working with kids and adults full-time, helping them reach their goals and sharing his passion for the game. He has spent the past nine summers in Linville Ridge, North Carolina, and looks forward to returning every season. “Not only is the weather perfect, the scenery is amazing and the facilities second to none, and the people are so welcoming,” he says. In his free time, Jesse enjoys playing basketball, boating, being outdoors and mastering his golf swing.

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A Linville Ridge staffer since 1987, Carl has been a local resident since elementary school and competed on his high school and college tennis teams. He became a certified United States Professional Tennis Association member in 1997. His in-depth experience with the Club, his sport, and the area have proven to be invaluable assets to the membership.