Blackwater Golf Club in Crestview to add parking, taller netting with $621K in tourism funds
CRESTVIEW — Big changes are coming to the Blackwater Golf Club.
On Tuesday, the Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council approved Crestview’s request for $621,860 in county tourist development tax dollars to construct 93 new parking spaces and taller netting on the driving range at the city-owned golf course.
“The City of Crestview is dedicated to improving the Blackwater Golf Club to strengthen its standing as a leading golf destination and an important part of local tourism,” City Manager Tim Bolduc wrote in meeting documents.
According to the documents, the need for taller netting comes from golf balls flying over the net, which could cause problems for motorists who pass the facility on Antioch Road. Club officials currently use “limited flight” range balls to address this issue. Bolduc said this negatively impacts the experience for golfers and is not the most effective solution.
To address a growing facility, the new plan also includes the addition of 93 parking spots, most of which will be located east of the clubhouse, between the pickleball courts and the club’s entrance.
With the additions, Blackwater Golf Club can use its TopTracer system. TopTracer is a practice tool for golfers that tracks golf balls using cameras and sensors to track the ball’s flight path. Using data from the system, users can get information about distance, speed and ball trajectory.
Tourism department staff said these improvements will increase usage as the next closest course to use the technology is in Tallahassee.
The overall cost for the project is estimated to be $975,263.82, which will funded through a mix of county tourism dollars and general fund money from the City of Crestview. According to meeting documents, most of the project cost will cover parking lot design and construction, set at $668,356.82. The remaining $306,907 will cover the cost of protective netting.
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