The annual cries of poverty from Milwaukee County are almost too much to handle. It's enough to make you want to gag. But there's one answer, or at least a part of an answer.

The county should get rid of its 16 golf courses. The county then won't have to spend any money, it can make money, and golfers will be better off. A lot better off.

First, let's admit that Milwaukee has one of the best systems of public golf courses in the country. Officials from dozens of cities have visited over the years to see the way public golf should be run. They've gotten national awards for their efforts.

But times have changed. Now there is lots of competition for the golf dollar. There are over 100 other golf courses within a one-hour drive from Milwaukee. Lots of them are high-end wonderful courses. But there are also many moderately priced courses.

It may not make sense, either economically or qualitatively, for Milwaukee County to be in the golf business. Let's take the economics first.

Golf is somewhere around a $6.5 million a year business in the county. That's a big business. There are 16 courses ranging from the premier Brown Deer, which is one of the very best public courses in the country, to several small par 3's, good for social golfers, the elderly and those just learning the game.

Last year somewhere around 480,000 rounds were played on county courses. When I pressed the county officials to come up with the amount of money the county spends on golf, they had a hard time. The money, they say, isn't separated out of the general budget for the parks. It's typical of county government that when you ask them how much something costs they really don't know. But it's safe to say it's a good chunk of money and it would be nice to not have to spend it.

Now let's talk about the quality of the golf experience.

In plain language, the experience at county courses pales in comparison to other places, even county run places like Brighton Dale in Kenosha County. From concession stands that aren't even open, to rude and slow-as-molasses clerks, the county is an example of how not to be golfer friendly.

Practice ranges are horrible, if they exist at all. Yardage markers, if they exist at all, can be off by dozens of yards. Ball marks on greens go unrepaired. Sand traps can be unraked. Fairways can be as long as the rough and greens can be a long as the fairways. Rangers to keep play running smoothly are virtually unheard of.

In short, Milwaukee County, with its union employees running so much of the operation, falls woefully below what golfers in this area expect and deserve.

When you go to other courses in this area, they make you feel welcome. They have a smile on their face. They hurry through the check-in process when there's a line. They are quick with directions and all the amenities. They've generally got nice practice areas. They know the details about their course and share them whether they are asked or not.

I talked to County Executive Scott Walker this week. He floated the idea of leasing the golf courses last year but it got shot down. There is a faction both on the County Board and among the general public that doesn't want any change. But Walker, who I disagree with on many things, is right to take the lead on this one.

"I think it's a good idea and we are looking at what happened in Cook County (In Illinois) as an example of how it can be done," Walker said. He added that he's not in favor of selling the golf courses but does favor leasing them. He recognizes the political difficulty in an outright sale of land that is so precious.

What he's going to find in Cook County is that the golf courses, which had required an annual multi-million dollar subsidy, are now the number one source of revenue to the county outside of property taxes. The experience for golfers is uneven, but that can be traced more to the management company than to the fact that the courses have been leased out. The same thing is true in Detroit and Cleveland and dozens of other cities.

The key is who gets the lease for the courses.

There are lots of golf management companies around this country. Some are small and some are gigantic, managing hundreds of courses.

Milwaukee is historically skeptical of these kinds of management companies from outside our hometown. We are not quick to embrace out-of-towners, especially out-of-towners who are going to take over one of our proudest resources.

But there is a clear way around that hurdle.

I talked this week with Joe Stadler, who heads the Professional Golfers Association of Wisconsin. The state PGA already has a contract with Milwaukee County to provide some services at four courses. It's a limited contract providing for operation of the pro shop, but not much else. And those courses are better than the other county courses.

"If Milwaukee county parks ever decided to look into leasing the facilities, we would have a very strong interest," Stadler said. "I would much prefer for us to do it than a different management group." The state PGA is not interested in making a huge profit. It's mission is to help employ golf pro's and to grow the game of golf.

Homegrown talent. People whose occupation is running golf courses. A chance to actually make money on golf. A group that is willing and anxious to do it.

Sounds like a golf match made in heaven.