FAIRWAY CROWDS: Although lingering economic doldrums have...

FAIRWAY CROWDS: Although lingering economic doldrums have hurt merchandise sales at golf course pro shops, the recession hasn’t made it any easier to find a tee time. . . . On Mile Square Golf Course in Fountain Valley, one of the county’s busiest, about 400 rounds are played daily. “We’re booked every day from daylight to our last tee time at 5 or 6,” assistant professional George Pinnell said. “And then we have people coming out after (the last tee time) to play a few holes.”

RANGE BOOM: Orange County’s lack of golf courses--it ranks 309th out of 321 metropolitan areas in holes per person--is a main reason for overcrowding. And with only one course under construction, that won’t improve soon. But by the end of August, four new practice ranges will have opened in four months. . . . “I just hope we don’t end up like Japan, where people just practice and don’t play,” said Bill Cunerty, golf coach at Saddleback College, who helped open a range at the school in May.

LIKE MOTHER . . . : Coto de Caza’s Kellee Booth, a senior-to-be at Santa Margarita High, is one of the favorites to win the 45th U.S. Girls’ Junior Championship beginning next Monday at Mesa Verde Country Club in Costa Mesa, and she has a great resource for advice. Her mother, then Jane Bastanchury, was a successful junior and amateur golfer in the ‘60s and ‘70s and played in the tournament twice, once reaching the quarterfinals. “Kellee has a big advantage over most of the kids,” said her father, Mike. “Her mother is able to tell her what to expect.”

BARGAIN: The likely closing of the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station brings up a question: What will happen to the base’s 6,750-yard golf course? Base spokeswoman Capt. Betsy Sweatt says it’s too early to speculate. “I’ve read a lot about the base closure but I haven’t seen any stuff about the golf course,” Sweatt said. The course, available only to retired and active military personnel and guests, is one of the better bargains around: $9 during the week and $11 on weekends for service personnel.