SO St. George's golf course will be closed by August.

Extensive renovations at Port Royal won't be completed until next year (and that might be a conservative estimate given Bermuda's history of failing to complete major projects on time).

That leaves nine-hole Ocean View as the Island's only public course.

And the Department of Tourism would like to think they can still promote this country - once described as having more golf courses per square mile than any other around the globe - as a viable golf destination.

Does that make any sense?

What the trustees, who control Bermuda's three public-owned courses, would have us believe is that St. George's GC is shutting down because it's losing money. But there's clearly much more to it than that.

The East End course probably hasn't been financially viable for 20 years or more. It's not the most demanding of lay-outs, and as such probably doesn't appeal to the professionals or low to single-figure handicappers.

Yet it does have its unique challenges and over the years has certainly been hugely beneficial to Bermuda Junior Golf Association. And tomorrow, just days after the closure was announced, Premier Ewart Brown will lead a full field in a tournament to raise funds for the Sunshine League.

So why, after Government ordered a hugely expensive makeover only a few years ago when many of the greens were resurfaced by special salt-resistant grass brought in from overseas, was the decision taken now to to close its doors . . . especially as work continues at Port Royal? It's been losing money for years.

According to the trustees, operating the course could cost Government as much as $600,000 for the year ending March, 2009 - a drop in the bucket compared to what Dr. Brown and his entourage will spend over the same period.

Perhaps the trustees could also tell us the extent of the deficit over the last 10 years or more. And more importantly, who's to blame.

The course has never been properly marketed since it underwent renovations, either locally or in the various tourism magazines.

And after Port Royal closed, shouldn't a promotion campaign have been launched and green fees drastically reduced in an effort to make it more attractive to a wider variety of golfers, particularly beginners?

Now the options are severely limited for those who can't afford the hundreds of dollars it costs for non-members to experience the likes of Mid Ocean Club, Tucker's Point, Belmont Hills or Riddell's Bay.

Fairmont Southampton perhaps?

But touring 18 par-threes can also burn a large hole in the pocket.

Of course, the real reason that St. George's is being shut down has nothing to do with the fact that it's draining Government coffers.

It's being taken away from the public because that same land is required to build a private course attached to the planned luxury Park Hyatt hotel which will replace the old Club Med.

It was only a couple of months ago that Premier Brown announced that Bazarian International would take charge of the $294 million development that would include an 18-hole Nick Faldo-designed golf course, that would presumably be built on what is currently the St. George's GC - there's nowhere else in the East End that can accommodate such a project.

But, as far as we're aware, such a deal hasn't quite been sealed.

And if it hasn't, why has the decision to close the St. George's course been taken now, when at the very least it could continue to operate until Port Royal reopens.

If cost-cutting is really at the top of Government's agenda - and many believe it isn't - aren't there so many other ways to save money?

If the course is being closed so that Bazarian can begin work turning what is now a public course into a private lay-out, then why not say so?

The Premier announced last week how he intended to employ yet another bunch of spin doctors, a PR agency from overseas, to improve the image of both he and his fellow MPs.

Wouldn't a simple explanation of Government's intentions be better . . . and so much cheaper!

- ADRIAN ROBSON