By Mohd Riduan Rahman

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 5 (Bernama) -- Golfers outside Malaysia know how difficult it is to get a feel of the golf courses that hosts prestigious tournaments like the PGA where it is often restricted to professionals and the privileged few.

 Moreover, with the shortage of affordable turfs and accompanying services like caddies, buggies and etc, these golfers have to settle for less and can only keep dreaming of playing on turfs of prestige where names like Tiger Woods, Earnie Els and Sergio Garcia tee-off for big money.

 Nonetheless, all these are less of a concern if one chooses to play in Malaysia. With over 200 golf courses around the country and a wide choice for both frivolous and professional golfers, Malaysia is certainly the safe bet as the 'golfers' paradise'.

 Malaysia is blessed with a diverse landscape, with golf courses in the cool highlands, by the beach, surrounded by the lush jungles or gleaming skyscrapers.

 Added with a mild weather where the day time temperatures is around 27'C (82'F), playing golf all year round in Malaysia is possible.

 And above all Malaysia boasts for a number of courses of international standards, designed by top names and legends like Jack Nicklaus, Graham Marsh, Robert Trent-Jones Jr, Ross Watson, Arnold Palmer and Andy Dye.

 ECONOMICAL PRICE TAG

 "I think Malaysia is close to paradise for people like me, I can choose from the easiest to the most difficult golf course at any time I want. All I need is the will to travel", said Keniya Somiya from Japan who has been to Malaysia more than 50 times just to play golf.

 For the single handicap player, Malaysia has the stuff to be a major golfing destination in the region - top facilities, world-class infrastructure and a favourable exchange rate.

 According to him, the average cost to play golf in Malaysia is 40 percent cheaper compared with his country and most Asian nations.

 "I travel a lot, but I find Malaysia gives me the best return for my money in golfing," he noted.

 OPEN TURF

 For Australian Geoff Janz, 46, the sole reason why he keeps coming back for a round of golf in Malaysia since 2001 is the lack of restriction for amateurs and non-members unlike in many parts of the world.

 "Sometimes I see no reason why that kind of limitation had to be enforced on golfing. We had enough of them in the world out there.

 "Its true that that business done in golf course, laws are made in the golf course, but I personally think its not fair to discriminate just because they try to enjoy a round of golf", he noted.

 Some courses even offer night golf for golfers who don't want to miss the chance to tee-off on Malaysian Bermuda grass despite their tight schedule.

 Janz believes that the Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Golf and Country Club, in Shah Alam, is the only spot in the world that offers golf after midnight.

 MALAYSIA AN AFFORDABLE GOLFING DESTINATION

 The president of the Golf Club Managers Association of Malaysia (GCMAM), Mohd Jamal Salleh agreed that Malaysia offers the best price and services in golfing, including caddy, buggy, driving range, putting green, chip slope for practice, and hotels and club houses.

 He illustrated that golfing and caddy fees in Malaysia being among the lowest in the region -- average green fees from RM85 to RM119 (USD25.00 to USD35.00), average buggy fees RM68 (US$20.00) and average caddy fees of RM51 (USD15.00).

 As for golf courses where caddies are compulsory, players have to pay only RM51(USD15.00) for an 18 hole game.

 He noted that finding golfing accessories is never a problem as there are a lot of sports shops that sell them, and all at reasonable prices because golf accessories are duty free in Malaysia, he noted.

 On top of that, most of these courses exist as part of 5-star resorts and luxury clubs for the pleasure of any golfer.

 "With the pricing and the facilities that we are offering, I think it's fair enough to say that golfers can have great fun here", he said.

 GOLF TOURISM STILL DISMAL

 Despite all the best golfing resources available in Malaysia and being selected as the Golf Destination of the Year 2008 for Asia and Australasia by the International Association of Golf Tour Operator (IAGTO), golf only accounts for 2.4 percent of tourist arrivals in 2007.

 If this percentage from Tourism Malaysia is translated into real figures, it means from the 20,978,822 tourists in 2007, only 503,348 engaged in golfing. (Tourism Malaysia classifies anybody who plays even one round of golf in the country as golfers).

 Most of them are from ASEAN nations (475,057) followed by Australia (14,417), South Korea (11,469), United Kingdom (9,115), Hong Kong (8,127), Japan (4,044) and India (3,380).

 LACKING IN PROMOTION

 As for Brandon Tucker, a golf magazine journalist from USA, Malaysia has yet to earn a reputation amongst the Americans and the Europeans as a golfing destination since not much information is spreading across.

 "I think the potential is there, for golfers like me, if I'm going to travel 20 hours by flight to get here, there has to be something exceptional and that is just what I found here.

 "From what I see there is a lot of things that I never saw before and I suppose that's the reason why people travel to play", he said.

 Meanwhile, another Australian golfer Paul Chapel also concurred with Tucker over the lack of publicity and the need to send the message to the target audience.

 The Malaysian golf courses should be promoted around the world especially in Europe and the USA, he said. For more information on Malaysian golf courses please visit www.tourism.gov.my

 -- BERNAMA