Meet Our Pros

Michael Mcfarlane

Michael McFarlane, Resort Co-Owner

Michael is a 35 year resident of the Coachella Valley and a graduate of the University of Redlands with a degree in Political Science. He has been involved in tennis since the age of eight and has been teaching clinics and camps for the past 25 years.

Michael was exposed early to the workings of a country club, his grandfather owned one in Palm Springs; and since his grandfather was also the developer, Michael literally saw how a tennis club was created from the ground up. At age 14 he started his serious study of tennis at the Rancho Mirage Reed Anderson Tennis School and credits his style to the teaching he received and provided there for a total of 14 years.

In 1997, the opportunity arose for him to instruct at Shadow Mountain Resort’s highly acclaimed Desert Tennis Academy, where he took his love of tennis. Since then, his attachment to the resort culminated into ownership in 2009. Having such a dedicated tennis enthusiast as a part owner is great news for anyone wanting to improve their game in an atmosphere that is specifically geared to the game. Michael is committed to creating a resort that stays serious about tennis and yet has a more social vibe, wanting to give the historical Shadow Mountain Resort & Club a updated look; and create a social ambiance that entices people to come play and hang out with friends while improving their tennis game, aspiring for them to come back over and over again. He enthusiastically takes on the challenge of keeping Shadow Mountain Resort a favorite hotspot for years to come.

John Randolph

John Randolph, Head Tennis Professional

John started playing tennis at the age of five when his mother took him to his first tennis lesson. He competed in other sports as well as tennis until his freshman year at Palm Springs High School where he began to focus exclusively on tennis, playing varsity on the team there through his senior year.

Upon graduation, John went to work for former top 7 ranked player in the world and renowned coach Jose Higueras at Mission Hills Country Club. Under the auspices of Higueras, John worked with many top juniors from around the world, including Alejo Mancisidor, a former top 50 touring pro. During this time, John also attended College of the Desert, where he was the number one singles player on the team. He was the M.V.P. for C.O.D. for two seasons, including the undefeated conference winning team in 1989, the year he also reached the final of the conference championship. Following C.O.D., John went on to U.C. Santa Barbara where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology.

After college, John began teaching tennis at the Palm Spring Tennis Club, where he served as Head Pro. In the summers, he traveled to Europe, playing tournaments and coaching in south France. At this time he also began working with several professional players on the WTA tour, including former Canadian number one and Fed Cup player and top 50 in the world Jana Nejedly. John would later team up again with Jose Higueras, acting as hitting partner and helping to coach former number one player in the world and grand slam champion Jennifer Capriati, as well as Tracy Sinjin, formerly the number one ranked eighteen and under player in the United States, and top 100 in the world professional.

John would continue his coaching career at several other tennis clubs where he worked as the Head Tennis Pro, including the Palm Springs Plaza Racquet Club, the Riviera Resort, and the Reed Anderson Tennis School at the Westin. He has also taught tennis for the U.S. Santa Barbara Alumni Association Family Vacation Center and the Coachella Valley Parks and Recreation District. John has served as the Head Tennis Professional at Shadow Mountain Resort & Club since 2001.