The business of golf in Santa Barbara is complicated.

Not long ago, the demand was higher than the supply, but with the addition of two beautiful public courses within the last 15 years, the supply is higher than the demand.

Here’s an idea: Allow avid golfers like me the opportunity to play all of Santa Barbara’s public courses at a reasonable green fee, rather than discouraging business with extremely high prices.

There are four 18-hole public courses in Santa Barbara. Nicknamed “Muni,” Santa Barbara Golf Club is arguably the most popular. Its location and reasonable rates have attracted local audiences for decades.

In the 1970s, Sandpiper Golf Course opened its doors, offering a challenging layout and dramatic ocean views with six holes playing right up to the cliff‘s edge. It is annually rated as one of the top public golf courses in California by golf publications. Golfers pay higher rates to play there, and justifiably so.

When Santa Barbara Golf Club and Sandpiper were the only two choices, both courses flourished.

In the mid ‘90s, along came two new golf courses that tipped the scales from demand to supply.

Rancho San Marcos is an immaculate golf course in the foothills of the Santa Ynez Mountains overlooking Lake Cachuma. It is located just over the top of Highway 154, a short drive for Santa Barbarians.

At about the same time of the opening of Rancho San Marcos, Glen Annie Golf Course was introduced to the local golfer. With panoramic ocean views as far as the eye can see, Glen Annie takes the same approach as Muni, keeping rates reasonable for the average, middle-class golfer.

It’s not a surprise to anyone that real estate in Santa Barbara is exorbitant, and certainly Rancho San Marcos and Sandpiper fit that description. It is understandable that green fees would be a bit pricey considering the mortgages must be on that precious land.

These two courses charge in excess of $90 per player, per round, which attracts very few golfers, especially in this economy.

Not to mention, Santa Barbara is blessed with private country clubs such as Montecito, Birnam Wood, The Valley Club and La Cumbre. The wealthier local golfer who has the funds to afford the fees that Rancho San Marcos and Sandpiper are asking are more likely to already have memberships at one of the local private clubs.

By comparison, Santa Barbara Golf Club and Glen Annie have green fees from $40-60, approximately half of Rancho San Marcos and Sandpiper. By providing significant mid-week promotions and student rates, Glen Annie and Muni attract a local audience to increase volume.

With their higher green fees, Rancho San Marcos and Sandpiper don’t attract the locals as frequently. Rather, they depend on out-of-town corporate groups to pay the higher fees, and that business has decreased significantly, due to today’s economy.

Here’s my plan: If Rancho San Marcos and Sandpiper were to significantly reduce their rates to make it affordable for the average golf enthusiast, they would increase their volume from existing low levels and promote awareness of how beautiful their courses are.

The Los Angeles Times critiqued Rancho San Marcos by saying it’s “where the golf gods play.”

Now I’m no golf god, but I sure would like to play the course at a fee that won’t put a dent in my wallet.