Salt Lake County's scandals are providing a perfect sales pitch for a new campaign aimed at ratcheting up rounds at the county's six golf courses.

Launched this week, the multimedia promotion advertises two-for-one green fees this month. And the spots take a playful swing at recent headlines.

"Free golf may not be a scandal, but it's still a big story!" the newspaper ads announce.

That warrants more than a golf clap. But take a penalty if you credit county pols for the parody. This spoof comes from the pros at Love Communications.

"We thought about what was relevant, and it seemed kind of obvious," says Rich Love, a partner for the Salt Lake City advertising firm, who helped produce the $30,000 campaign. "I was pleasantly surprised. They [county officials] all laughed and said it can be a good idea."

So even though county credibility may be fading faster than Greg Norman at The Masters, golfers can still come out winners - at the cash register.

Tim Fernau, the county's director of golf, likes the loose ad approach.

"It's fine to poke fun of yourself," he says.

During the past month, county officials have scrambled to address a string of financial flubs from tuition and timecards to accounting and accountability. In response, Mayor Peter Corroon has teed up a range of investigations for auditors and the District Attorney's Office.

For much of May, radio station spots will satirize an exchange between reporters and an editor as they uncover the "scoop" about free golf.

"This is huge," one opines, only to get blown off by the boss. "Look, Woodward and Bernstein, take a look at the big ad in the paper."

In it, the text suggests residents throughout the county are hitting the links for free - "and not just our family members or friends," a jestful jab at recent nepotism allegations in the county.

"It's hilarious," says County Councilman Randy Horiuchi, who has been hacking away at his golf handicap for years. "Hopefully, it can help us out with golf, because we need it."

It did last year.

According to Fernau, last May's two-for-one special flagged 20,000 extra rounds, spiking revenue by more than $200,000.

But since the county still chips in on bond payments for South Mountain, Old Mill and Riverbend courses, its annual golf coffers average $1.5 million in the hole.

That's why such promotions - Love lampooned the elections for last May's efforts - are so important, according to Glen Lu, director of county parks and recreation.

"Our purpose is just to try to attract people to play."

Love says his ads - "everyone is a VIP!" they scream - are not meant to demean or diminish problems at the county; just use current events to champion cheap golf.

"I applaud them for having the guts to go out on a limb and get noticed," he says.

The idea, agrees county spokesman Jim Braden, is to lift an industry that's been flat for years.

"We wanted to get attention."

djensen@sltrib.com