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🏌️ Tech-Powered Golf: Fort Walton Beach is adding radar-enabled touchscreen monitors to its driving range through a TrackMan lease, offering real-time ball tracking and gamified practice.
💰 Revenue, Not Taxes: The $6,950/month lease will be funded entirely through increased user fees — not general taxpayer dollars.
⚖️ Mixed Council Reaction: While most council members praised the plan’s financial model, one dissenter raised concerns about spending cap implications and cost clarity.
FORT WALTON BEACH — The Fort Walton Beach City Council voted 5-1 on June 24 to approve a monthly lease agreement with TrackMan Golf Solutions, greenlighting a high-tech upgrade to the city’s golf driving range that officials say will boost revenue and modernize operations without burdening taxpayers.
Under the approved plan, the city will pay $6,950 per month for five years, totaling $ 34,750, to lease 25 weatherproof touchscreen monitors and radar tracking equipment from TrackMan.
The system will provide real-time ball flight data and gamified features that appeal to both seasoned players and beginners.
“This is the second time I’ve brought this back up,” said Golf Course Director Jacob Hill. “It’s changed a little bit… The current setup we’ve landed on is 25 screens set up along the front of the driving range… it makes it really easy for people to see and use.”
Finance Director Nicole Nabors recommended the lease — referred to as “Option Two” — explaining that although it’s more expensive than a one-time upfront payment of $372,000, the cost will be covered by user fees rather than general taxpayer funds.
“With the lease, we’ll be offsetting it with the user fees,” Nabors said. “We are paying more, but the people that are playing are the ones that are paying for it. My suggestion would be Option Two.”
The driving range has experienced a significant increase in revenue.
As of May 31, 2025, it had generated more than $155,000 — nearly meeting its $160,000 annual target with four months remaining. Hill credited this success to recent improvements, including a new ball machine that increased capacity and eliminated the need for a range attendant, resulting in an annual savings of $25,000 for the city.
The range also introduced new pricing tiers earlier this year. With TrackMan’s arrival, bucket prices will increase from $3, $7, and $10 to $5, $10, and $15. Hill estimated the new fees would have added $11,995 in revenue in April 2025, based on usage data.
Councilman Bryce Jeter made the motion to approve the lease and praised Hill’s persistence.
“This is the best example we can give the community of using user fees to offset what it’s costing us,” Jeter said. “We have someone running it like a business and wanting to reinvest in it.”
Councilman David Schmidt echoed the support.
“With Mr. Hill’s leadership, we’re not only staying in the black — we’re thriving,” Schmidt said. “This program helps us redirect public safety and pothole dollars away from subsidizing golf.”
City Attorney Jeff Burns stated that some minor contract revisions are still required. “[City Manager] Jason [Davis] and Jacob [Hill] will work out any items like clarifying the numbers,” Burns said. “There are legal provisions we still need to add.”
Not all council members were convinced.
Councilman Payne Walker cast the lone dissenting vote, citing concerns about financial clarity and whether the lease would affect the city’s voter-approved 3% spending cap under Charter Amendment Three.
“There’s been fears that the spending caps are going to cause problems,” Walker said. “That expense will be impacting other departments… I can’t support it.”
Walker also questioned whether a $35,000 licensing fee was clearly included in the total lease cost, pointing out conflicting figures in the draft contract.
Despite his objections, the council approved the deal.
The TrackMan Range system — the only one of its kind in the region — is expected to attract visitors from nearby hotels and apartments while supporting junior golf programs and boosting community engagement through interactive, data-driven practice.
Pro Communi Bono
