By Devon Ravine
With a few ceremonial swings from Mayor Nic Allegretto, the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club officially opened its new Trackman Driving Range on Friday, Sept. 26.
Each of the range’s 25 bays is now outfitted with Trackman, a Doppler radar system that tracks every aspect of a shot—carry distance, ball speed, launch angle, peak height, and more. Results are displayed on a 32-inch touchscreen, along with a shot tracer to show ball flight.
“It’s got something for everybody,” said Golf Course Director Jacob Hill. “From serious players analyzing every club to kids enjoying video-game style courses.”
Beyond practice, the system allows golfers to virtually play world-famous courses such as Pebble Beach, Royal Troon, and Bethpage Black, the site of this year’s Ryder Cup. Hill said the club will rotate its library of more than 400 courses to keep things fresh.
The system can be enjoyed solo or with groups of up to eight. Players can log in as guests or create a Trackman account to track every swing on their phone and even compete with golfers worldwide.
Use of Trackman is included with regular range fees—$5 for 25 balls, $10 for 55, or $15 for 95. Hours are Tuesday–Sunday from 6 a.m.–10 p.m. and Mondays from noon–10 p.m. On Friday and Saturday evenings, food and drinks are available from the Clubhouse Grill, with specials on range balls.
The Fort Walton Beach Golf Club, at 1955 Lewis Turner Blvd., also features two 18-hole courses open to the public. For more information or tee times, call 850-833-9664 or visit fwbgolf.com.
