(Published in Sunday Star, Tee Up, 15 September 2013)
As we celebrate Malaysia Day tomorrow we should all walk together, on and off the course, and in this enlightening article, MST Golf CEO Ng Yap shares some profound points on why and how we can do this.
Malaysia’s diverse landscape makes her the perfect place for a variety of unique and challenging golf courses that offer excitement to even the most seasoned golfers. Golf is very accessible and affordable in Malaysia with over 200 golf courses, year round warm weather and a well-established golf industry; making Malaysia a golfing paradise for local and foreign golfers alike.
The recently announced inaugural EurAsia Cup which is a team event akin to the Ryder Cup and the President Cup, together with CIMB Classic (the first PGA Tour event in Asia), Maybank Malaysia Open (the first European Tour co-sanctioned with Asian Tour event in Asia), Sime Darby LPGA Malaysia (top ladies event in Asia) and Iskandar Johor Open (top Asian Tour event) undoubtedly put Malaysia as the top golfing nation in Asia.
Malaysian golfers are blessed with all the above in a stable and prosperous country that allows us to enjoy golf with our own group of golf kaki (friends), opportunities to compete in many clubs and corporate tournaments, and networking freedom through golf.
Although golf is a popular sport played professionally by some of the most highly paid athletes in the world, it is very much a lifestyle that can be enjoyed by people from all walks of life without age limitation. With golf returning to the Olympics in 2016, golf popularity will rise to another level especially in Asian countries.
Golf contributes to many nations’ economies and Malaysia has identified Golf Tourism as one of the National Key Economy Areas under Prime Minister’s Department’s PEMANDU, to drive our country to achieve developed nation status by 2020. Many of the world’s best and most expensive property are evolved around golf real estate.
Many MNCs as well as Corporate Malaysia use golf as the key marketing platform, acknowledging that golf and the corporate world make an extremely powerful combination. Corporate golf offers excellent opportunity for enhancing corporate profiles and forging client relationship as well as promoting camaraderie and strengthens esprit de corp.
Malaysia is home to diverse cultures and is truly a melting pot where Asia’s three major races – Malay, Chinese and Indian – together with other majority ethnic groups, live side-by-side in peace and harmony.
This country has come a long way and developed into one of the most vibrant and exciting nations in Asia.
In the eyes of golfers and the golf industry, Malaysia is the most far-sighted in Asia and is already a developed golf nation. And as we celebrate the past 25 years of achievements in MST GOLF, we march on to the next 100 years.
Let us all walk together, on and off the course, as proud Malaysians.