“We have over 200 courses around the country and each offers a unique experience. Due to the mild weather, play is possible all year round in Malaysia — in the cool highlands or by the sea,” he said.

Golfers could even play in busy towns and cities or on quiet greens near a jungle, he noted at a dinner in conjunction with World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship 2008 - Qualifying Round Five: Miri, Sarawak, here on Thursday.

To add to the uniqueness, Abdul Khani said some of the local courses were designed by top names like Jack Nicklaus, Graham Marsh, Robert Trent Jones Jr, Ross Watson and Andy Dye.

He revealed that golfing and caddy fees in Malaysia were among the lowest in the region — green fees (US$30), buggy fees (from US$20) and caddy fees (from US$15).

According to him, Malaysia has the stuff to be a major golfing destination in the region – top facilities, world-class infrastructure and a favourable exchange rate.

On the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship 2008 - Qualifying Round Five: Sarawak, Abdul Khani said being a homegrown event, it showcased some of the country’s finest courses.

Besides showing Malaysia’s ability to host an event of this stature, the championship was also an opportunity to highlight the country’s many unique assets such as tourism, product quality, food, natural environment, sports, arts, culture and heritage, he added.

On Penang, the destination for Round Six, Abdul Khani said: “Its capital city, George Town, was recently listed as Unesco World Heritage Site - a huge honour for the country. I would like to urge all the participants to take time to visit the heritage sites in George Town, including the mosques, temples, museum and Little India.”

According to him, the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship is designed to interest amateur golfers worldwide in discovering the joys of golfing in Malaysia.

Today, 15 years after it was introduced in the country, golfing in Malaysia has acquired an international appeal.

Malaysia was named Golf Destination of the Year 2008 for Asia and Australasia by the International Association of Golf Tour Operator (IAGTO) at the International Golf Travel Mart in Cancun, Mexico, in December 2007.

On Thursday, 48 golfers from Australia, Brunei, Japan, US and Malaysia and 20 reporters from Australia, Belgium, Hong Kong and Taiwan played in the World Amateur Inter-Team Golf Championship 2008 - Qualifying Round Five: Miri, Sarawak, at the 18-hole course at Eastwood Valley Golf & Country Club, designed by US-based Nickles Golf Group Ltd of San Francisco, California.

Sakura of Japan comprising Niwa Shuichi, Suzuki Yoshiro, Ono Susumu and Arai Shinichi won the team gross event, beating Duse Australia (Paul Hajjar, James Lind, Sean Moyland and Sid Sagdic).

Stagnotech from Malaysia (Ramzee Manai, Kamarul Zam Zam Idris, Aziman Abu Bakar and Normadi Ahmad) was third.

JJJ from the US (James Chen, Chan Moh Shiang, Joshua Chen and Justine Chen won the Team Stableford category while Tiger from Malaysia (Liew Kim Siew, Stephen Liew Choi, Hong Kok Leong and Hiew Yit Thiam) was the runner-up.

Ramzee Manai from Stagnotech (Malaysia) was the gross winner while Chan Moh Shiang from JJJ (US) took the Stableford Individual Prize category.

The novelty prize winners were Malaysian Ramzee Manai for the longest drive, Japanese Suzuki Yoshizo for nearest the pin and Malaysian Liew Kim Siew for nearest to the line.

Shaharudin Shahram won the VIP Invitation with Abdul Khani Daud and Sunif Naiman second and third.

In the Media Invitation, Singaporean Ahmad Jufree Dareem was the champion followed by Khoo Hing Guan from Australia and Pascale Vandewelle from Belgium.