funny, I just got home from the gym and read your post but have the answer anyways. You can buy the membership now....and they are so kind that they freeze your membership if you are gone for a month at a time. So you can buy it Feb 8 for a year but it will be good until March 8, 2007 as you can freeze your first month.

SUPER cool you are a beginner tennis player. I hope we will get together to learn.