Obvious difference between the golf course and research results, which justifies different treatment, is that the golf course is rival good. > Research univers

Obvious difference between the golf course and research results, which justifies different treatment, is that the golf course is rival good. > Research universities fill a similar role. They are good to have around, even if you can't monetize their research for free. There are other benefits. I did not claim that the downside of granting patents to universities is so large that universities should not exist at all. Only that it would be better and more just to not grant them patents based on publicly funded research.