Courtesy: Deer Creek North, Toronto

It strikes me that there has never been a better time to be a public golfer.

I have mentioned in passing that I prefer playing different courses rather than being tied to a membership at one course.

So that means I play public courses in my part of the world. Fortunately, there are plenty of top ranked public courses in the Greater Toronto Area.

But why is there no better time to be a public golfer?

Because there are too many golf courses. Plain and simple.

And a lot of them are starting to feel some pain.

Just as Myrtle Beach has seen a number of closures of newly built courses in the very recent past and others turned into subdivisions, so, too, other areas in North America are seeing contraction after a sustained period of unbridled growth.

Now, it's a good thing that golf courses are privately owned. If they were government run and bound up in bureaucracy, they would sink like stones and disappear in tough times.

But they won't. And that's because they can rapidly respond to shifting market forces.

They have become aggressive in pursuing business. That translates into great deals for public golfers.

Coupon books proliferate now, offering two-for-one green fees, three-for-fours, half-price after 3PM and so on, often at top rated courses.

I was cutting the grass one day last summer when a guy walked up my driveway and sold me a book of tickets for a course very near to me. I only used the tickets three times and paid for the book in the money I saved on green fees.

But, apart from coupon offers, many courses offer other great deals. The "nine and dine" dinner/golf package is a thriving part of golf course business now and it keeps the kitchens and dining rooms busy.

Some of the more expensive courses in my area are now offering bulk discounts, sort of mini-memberships.

There is one course I am thinking of in particular. Buy 30 rounds and save 50%. The offer is fully transferable, meaning I can use it one time, my wife can use it another or I can let a friend use it. And the best part is that the "mini-membership" is good for two years.

This particular course usually charges over $80 per round, cart included. With the "30 rounds" package, the discount is 50%. For two full seasons! There is a lesser package of 20 rounds that works out to a 10% saving. But that's money that stays in my pocket. And maybe gets spent in their bar!

Another course in my area allows junior golfers to play for free after 5PM in the summers and a parent can play for just $26 CDN. Unlimited golf, too! We're talking top drawer all the way. Terrific family entertainment.

Now that's smart, heads-up thinking.

Courses thinking like that will survive. They will also turn a lot of that new business into repeat business for years down the road.

Look for those kinds of opportunities where you golf.

And when you find them, you'll realize, too, that it's a great time to be a public golfer.