State tourism officials have recognized that golf outings could have the same potential as ski trips to attract out-of-staters to spend their recreational dollars in Utah.

Over the past two years, the Utah Board of Tourism Development has put some of its cooperative marketing funds into ad campaigns by the Red Rock Golf Trail and the Heber Valley Chamber of Commerce to promote golf around St. George and Midway, respectively.

But its biggest push to date is in concert with the Utah Sports Commission, which on Wednesday announced the launch of PlayUtahGolf, a program designed to attract tourists to courses across Utah's scenic landscape.

"Utahns are well aware of the tremendous impact skiing has had on the state's economy," said Jeff Robbins, president of the Sports Commission, a nonprofit organization created by the Legislature to extend the Olympic legacy by attracting national and international sports activities to the state. "We feel the quality and affordability of golf in Utah is something that will attract players from across the country."

The Sports Commission is using some of the Tourism Board's cooperative marketing funds to pay for $184,000 worth of commercial exposure on the Golf Channel. Beginning with Thursday's first round, the cable channel plans to televise all four days of the Utah EnergySolutions Championship, Utah's only PGA Tour event.

As part of that coverage, Robbins said, the Sports Commission negotiated the right to air 106 ads - 35 percent promoting PlayUtahGolf and its Web site (http://www.playutahgolf.com); another 35 percent advertising state tourism in general; and 30 percent pushing other Sports Commission initia- tives.

Promoting golf certainly appealed to Leigh von der Esch, the Utah Office of Tourism's managing director.

"As one from a golf family who has taken those trips in South Carolina, Georgia and California, I know how much is spent when that kind of tourist comes into the state," she said. "It's a super partnership."

The playutahgolf.com Web site divides the state into five geographic regions but also has information about most of the state's 130 courses. None was charged to display its information, Robbins said.

"The hotel community will also benefit as more and more out of state golfers will be encouraged to 'stay and play,' " added Bill Malone, a PlayUtahGolf steering committee member and the Park City Chamber/Bureau's executive director.

Robbins said the Sports Commission is exploring the development of software that will allow potential tourists to book tee times and hotels through the playutahgolf.com Web site.

mikeg@sltrib.com