Diksha Sundriyal
Apple TV+’s ‘The Dink’ follows the story of Dusty, a middle-aged man who is still stuck at the moment when he lost his tennis career. As a child, he had been a prodigy. His gaming skills were so impeccable that everyone thought he would be the next tennis legend. But one game undid everything, and Dusty keeps reliving that loss. Now, he works for his father, Chuck, at the Mountain Crest Tennis Club, teaching tennis to kids. Or at least, that’s what his job is. He spends his days reminiscing about his long-past glory days, while his father is worried about the future. It seems that tennis is being pushed out by a new sport: pickleball. Chuck wants to crush the scourge before it takes over the entire world, and the fight against pickleball begins with his own club. SPOILERS AHEAD.
The Fictional Mountain Crest is Filmed at a Real Tennis Club
Mountain Crest is a fictional tennis club in ‘The Dink.’ It is a major location in the movie, as this is where Dusty and his father spend most of their days. It is also the central point of conflict, which is why it was important to find a location that could perfectly represent its essence to the audience. The filmmakers seem to have found their answer in Altadena Town & Country Club (ATCC). Located at 2290 Country Club Drive in Altadena, California, it has served as a filming location for projects such as ‘Dirty Dancing,’ ‘Van Wilder,’ and ‘Freakier Friday.’ Episodes of ‘Grey’s Anatomy,’ ‘Lessons in Chemistry,’ and ‘It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia’ have also been filmed here.
It spans several acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers amenities including multiple tennis courts, swimming pools, and a fitness center. The club also has lush gardens, and its three spacious dining areas make it a great place to host social events and community gatherings. The club went through a difficult time in early 2025 when its clubhouse was reportedly destroyed by the Eaton fire. Notably, ‘The Dink’ had wrapped production in Altadena about two weeks before this. The club remained closed for several months, but repair work continued, and in September 2025, a new life was breathed into it.
Slowly, ATCC seems to be recovering from its losses, reopening its doors and courts and becoming the hub of activity it was before the fire. In the movie, the Mountain Crest Tennis Club becomes a safe space for Dusty, where he can hide from the world. However, over the course of the film, as he breaks out of his shell and discovers a love for pickleball, the club becomes a place of rejuvenation and possibility, reflecting the protagonist’s transformative journey outside its gates.
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