Kershaw County officials and advocates for youth golf objected to what they were hearing: the free, nine-hole golf course at Goodale State Park might close.

"It's not the best golf course, but it's free," said Hampton Wright, one of the leaders of a nonprofit youth-advocacy organization called Friends Golf Club. "When parents call and want their kids to get the fundamentals of golf, we tell them (the Goodale course) is a great place to practice.

"Some parents can't afford to pay to let their children learn how to play golf."

The fate of the golf course typifies the budget-trimming dilemma at the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

If the agency cuts any program, somebody complains.

Like all state agencies, PRT has been hit hard by the budget crunch. Its state appropriations have dropped from $35.5 million in 2001-2002 to $32.5 million in 2003-2004.

The cuts have been most noticeable at the state parks:

?_The restaurant at Charles Towne Landing has closed.

?_The number of weekly tours has been reduced at Hampton Plantation and Redcliffe.

?_The tackle shop at Dreher Island was open only three days per week during the winter.

All of those have been tough calls. Closing the Pickett-Thomas Golf Course at Goodale didn't seem that difficult. Calling this layout a golf course is a bit of a stretch. You're better off using a wedge than a putter on the "greens," most of which have a pine branch instead of a standard flag in the hole.

Kershaw County deeded the land to the state for the park in 1973. County and state officials met to talk about the issue last week. The state agency agreed to keep the course open for two weeks while county officials discuss whether to take it over.

"You certainly don't want to see a park closed in your county," said Steve Kelly, chairman of Kershaw County council. "I do know that some of the state parks are moving forward and are very vibrant."

PRT has no plans to close Goodale, a 763-acre park that features hiking trails, picnic shelters and a meeting facility centered around a large lake. But in addition to considering closing the golf course, the agency didn't open the lake swimming area this summer. It cost $3,000 to hire lifeguards for the swimming area last year, and fewer than 500 people paid to swim all summer, said PRT spokesman Marion Edmonds.

The agency doesn't spend much on the golf course. About $25,000-$35,000 per year covers the personnel and equipment to mow the grass on the fairways and greens, Edmonds said.

The course creates no revenue. There's no charge to enter the park or to play the course. The park service estimates several thousand rounds are played there each year, mostly on pleasant spring or fall weekends.

Joe Johnson of Lugoff had the course to himself on a recent humid morning. He spent his vacation week taking his son back-and-forth to an out-of-town youth baseball tournament. That didn't leave time for a round of golf, so he headed to Goodale.

He didn't keep score and seldom attempted to putt on the bumpy greens.

"I just come out here and hit balls," Johnson said. "It's a peaceful place to come out and work on your game."

He uses the course a handful of times each year. He'd hate to see it close, but that wouldn't have much impact on his life. Instead of hitting balls at Goodale, he'd go to a local driving range or, if he had the time, would play on one of the local regulation courses.

Those types of alternatives were considered when the state agency debated closing the course.

"In a budget crisis," Edmonds said, "everybody has to come to the table and decide how badly they want something."

Reach Holleman at (803) 771-8366 or jholleman@thestate.com.