There’s no sense in repeating that we’re in some harsh economic times. (Oops, I just repeated it. My apologies.) Anyway, many Americans down on their luck & facing uncertain financial futures of their own have been fuming about big companies like AIG getting generous government handouts while they spend cash on wasteful & extravagant endeavors.

Now the perturbed public can add a new economic enemy to their list: golf courses. Specifically, golf courses receiving $4 million in state government funds for rounds not played.

An April Fools joke, maybe? If so, then the ASSOCIATED PRESS has been fooled, and KATC-TV & NOLA.COM have been duped, as well. But really, it’s not hard to believe that such a silly scenario would be another classic example of your tax dollars at work.

The course collecting the cold hard cash is the Tournament Players Club of Louisiana, located in the New Orleans suburb of Westwego. (Not to be confused with Telly Savalas’ Players Club Card. Who loves ya, baby!) Back in 2001, the TPC agreed to a contractual arrangement with then-Louisiana Gov. Mike Foster, guaranteeing the course a specific number of rounds scheduled each year as booked through local hotels.

Well, the whole Katrina thing happened, and people must have been more concerned about drowning than divots. So less swingers made their way to Westwego, meaning the Louisiana goverment had to pay to make up the difference. And that difference has been $4 million removed from the state’s coffers.

Fortunately, the golf course subsidies end at the completion of this fiscal year. Unfortunately, the TPC is still o-w-e-d $1 million, and current Gov. Bobby Jindal is asking his fellow Louisiana lawmakers to approve yet another payment to the club.

I’m sure all those families still stuck in FEMA-provided trailers are thrilled their elected officials care so much about keeping golf courses well-funded.