By Gerardo R. Partido
Variety News Staff

GUAM has long been a favorite overseas golfing destination among Japanese executives. But lately, more companies from other Asia-Pacific countries have been drawn to the island’s golf courses because of their high quality and lack of crowds.
The booming economies of China and Hong Kong, in particular, have resulted in the game of golf becoming extremely popular there, to the extent that players would go on waiting lists for months and sometimes years for a chance to get on the fairways.
Because of this, the Guam Visitors Bureau said it is no surprise that when the time comes to plan a vacation, China’s golfing fans will often choose a destination where there are no lines to get on the course. And that’s where Guam has an advantage.
China Golf magazine recently published a list of the favored golfing destinations as determined by their readers. The popular Chinese golf magazine conducts polls to let their readers rate destinations in-country and overseas. This year, Guam ranked at number three on the list, just behind Malaysia and Thailand.
GVB attributes the island’s growing popularity as a golfing destination to Guam’s tropical climate and surplus of sunny days, during which local and visiting golfers can take in nine or 18 holes just about any day of the week.
But it’s more than just Guam’s splendid golfing weather that put the island in the Top 3 Favorite Overseas Golfing Destinations. Guam is home to seven beautifully manicured courses, several of them designed by golfing legends like Arnold Palmer, Jack Niklaus, Sam Snead, and Gary Player.
Courses are located from one end of the island to the other and there is a driving range just five minutes away from most of Guam’s luxurious hotels in Tumon Bay. Guam also has two golfing resorts, the Leo Palace and Smarts Guam Resort Hotel, for the serious golfers who prefer to roll out of bed within a few feet of the course.              
According to GVB general manager Gerald S.A. Perez, Guam is ecstatic to be named the Top 3 overseas golfing destination.
“We want to extend a warm and heartfelt Dangkolo na si Yu’os ma’ase and thank you very much to the readers of China Golf for this wonderful honor. We hope more travelers from China and other countries will visit Guam and enjoy a round of golf or two on one of our world class courses,” Perez said.