Golfing aficionados wanting to invest in the latest golfing hotspots may be wise to look to the island of Madeira.

Part of the Portuguese archipelago of islands in the North Atlantic, Madeira is home to about 250,000 people and is blessed with sub-tropical temperatures. The island is a popular tourist destination, so offers good possibilities for those wanting to rent out properties as holiday homes. There are already golf courses on the island, but golfing interest is set to be boosted, as work on two new golf courses starts in 2009.

Designed by golfing hero, Nick Faldo of Faldo Design, the two new courses will be located in Ponta do Pargo, on the western side of the island. One will be an 18-hole signature championship course and the other an 18-hole park course, plus they’ll be a golf academy training centre for golf players of all ages and abilities. It’s expected that work will be completed and the courses opened in 2011. Already, land and homes in the vicinity of the planned courses is being snapped up and new residential developments are being built.

The two new golf course additions will bring the total on the island up to four (the other two are a 27-hole course at Santo da Serra, which looks over the bay of Machico, and an 18-hole course with 6-hole golf academy at Palherio, 500m above the capital city of Funchal). However, there are also rumours abound that Seve Ballesteros may design a further course for the Sao Vicente area of Madeira.

If you’re considering investing in a golf property, or buying a home near a golf course, it can be mind-boggling trying to decide where to choose, as there are so many top notch overseas golf courses these days. But inspiration is at hand, thanks to the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO), who’ve recently assessed thousands of courses around the world and named the winners in their prestigious annual awards.

The annual IAGTO awards recognise the outstanding golf destinations in five regions of the world – Asia and Australasia, Africa, the Indian Ocean and the Gulf States, Latin America and the Caribbean, North America and Europe. In addition, the International Association of Golf Travel Writers, a sister organisation of IAGTO, which represents over 100 members in 27 countries, awards a prize for the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year.

The awards celebrate the destinations which are making waves in the golf tourism world and the results are invariably of interest to property investors, as they highlight areas where golfing properties may do well, either currently or in the future.

The results of the 2009 IAGTO Awards are in:

New Zealand picked up the award for the Golf Destination of the Year: Asia and Australasia.

The European award went to Andalucia, in Spain (no surprises here).

The Africa, Indian Ocean and Gulf States award was picked up by Dubai.

The Latin America and Caribbean award went to the Dominican Republic.

The North American prize went to South Carolina.

As for the Undiscovered Golf Destination of the Year, it went to Kenya, which was noted for having 40 golf courses across the county, located in very diverse areas and with wonderful wildlife in close proximity.

Spain continues to be one of the top location choices for overseas buyers, but do you know where you can find an area with the best coastal property price growth rate in Spain, great transport links and a coastline that’s well protected from overdevelopment?

The answer lies in Andalucia and the Costa de la Luz, which stretches along the western coast of Spain.

In the province of Huelva, property prices rose by 7.6% in 2007, which was the best property growth out of all of the coastal areas of Spain. Yet it remains one of the least built-up coastal areas in the country, with less than 13% of the coastline affected by urban development. Although several new developments are occurring, retaining as much of the natural environment and beauty as possible is an issue locals are keen to uphold and there are strict environmental controls in place.

With 417km of coastline and great beaches to choose from, it’s the perfect location for both a beach holiday and a holiday home. Compared to the beaches in the Costa del Sol, the sand in this part of Spain tends to be finer in texture and have a more golden hue, and the beaches themselves are often picturesquely backed by pine trees and sand dunes.

There’s good news for golfers too, as the area already boasts a number of great golf courses and neighbouring golf property developments and more are on the horizon. The average price of a round of golf in Huelva costs up to 50% less than it would in the nearby Algarve or Costa del Sol, so you can get more rounds for your money. Many experts have dubbed Huelva the ‘fastest growing destination for golf tourism in Spain’, so buying in the area now could get you in at the forefront of a golfing revolution.

One of the reasons Spain always appeals to UK property buyers is its close location – only a short haul flight away. Huelva is easily accessed via the airports in Faro, Portugal, Seville or other local airports, but earlier this year it was announced that it would finally be getting its own International Airport. It’s been a while coming, but should be functioning by 2012 and will be a blessing for property owners.