Salt Lake County leaders have a love/hate relationship with the South Mountain Golf Club.

One day they want it, the next they don't.

County leaders wanted the course so badly that in 1999 they paid twice what they would have paid had another deal gone through in 1996.

Now the county is considering dumping the pricey course and letting a private company run it instead.

It's quite a change from the past, when the county fought through lawsuits and recriminations and a failed bid to buy the property to eventually purchase it for $17 million in 1999.

Councilman Jeff Allen fears the course is too difficult for the average Joe.

"It's a golf course that doesn't appeal to the general golf public," Allen said. "And it is a course that doesn't fit our mission statement for providing golf and recreation in the county."

The course is difficult. That's a fact. But no more difficult than other public courses in the area, South Mountain golf pro Jerry Brewster said.

Bonneville Golf Course, a public course on Salt Lake City's east bench, has a higher slope rating than South Mountain, according to the Professional Golfers' Association. And Old Mill, another county course, is just as difficult from the white tees.

"I don't think it's too hard for most people," Brewster said.

South Mountain just gets a bad rap, since it "doesn't fit the mold of the typical municipal golf course," he said.

The average golfer loses a lot of balls on the course, with its rolling hills, rocky ravines and plenty of brush near the fairways.

Allen fears that average golfers are staying away in fear of losing golf balls, which cost a pretty penny these days.

"Does (South Mountain) fit our priorities and our goals in having a golf portfolio?" Allen said. "If that is to provide golf for the average golfer, and not to have to worry about losing golf balls, then South Mountain doesn't really fit the bill."

Provo resident Ralf Schmirald loves the course.

He drives up about twice a month to take in the scenic views and play a round of 18.

"It's one of my favorites," Schmirald said. And contrary to Allen's assertion that the course is not kept up, maintenance-wise, Schmirald had no complaints. "They do a lot of work on it. It's generally always in good shape."

Brett Taft isn't too impressed with South Mountain. He plays the course every so often, and said, "It's not a very good course."

He said it's too crammed up on the hillside.

If the county ends up privatizing the course, both Taft and Schmirald fear a major jump in green fees. Schmirald loves the course enough that he might continue coming back, but Taft doesn't plan on it.