Tennis Ball Caddy Goes to Waist

Bill Scott says that one time when he was playing tennis, he tripped on a loose tennis ball and landed on his head. He says it hurt a lot.

Now, Scott owns a Sun Valley manufacturing company that produces high-speed mixers for restaurants. But when a business partner suggested a new product, a belt that holds loose tennis balls, Scott fell for the idea.

Thus was born the Ace Tennis Ball Caddy.

The device straps around the waist and can hold up to five tennis balls. The belt is made of polyester. The clear plastic ball holder fits into the small of the player’s back and, Scott promises, does not interfere with playing.

The caddy has made a hit among local players, according to Ron McCabe, founder of the Studio City-based Southern California Tennis Club.

“It was surprising how quickly I got used to the belt around my waist,” said McCabe, who has been using the caddy for a month. “After about three matches I forgot it was there. And you play a lot faster because you’re not always chasing balls.”

And, says McCabe, the belt is a godsend for women players.

Explained Scott: “The ladies still don’t have pockets in their tennis togs. They usually tuck the balls up in their underpants. That’s a pain in the rear.”

The Ace Tennis Ball Caddy is available in a variety of colors and two sizes: one that holds three tennis balls at a time and one that holds five. Both sizes cost $19.95. The caddy is available at Valley tennis shops and racquet clubs or direct from the Scott Turbon Mixing Co.