Riffa Views Invitational draws top golfers to Bahrain

Colin Montgomerie (winner of eight order of merit titles and 31 European Tour wins), Retief Goosen (twice US Open Champion), Michael Campbell (US Open Champion) and Camilo Villegas (twice victorious on the PGA Tour this year) will visit Riffa Views for this exciting Skins competition.

Riffa Views, known as 'the most distinguished residential address in Bahrain' and the first residential golf resort in the island Kingdom, features a Montgomerie-designed 18-hole championship golf course and it is the completion of this that the Invitational celebrates.

Playing for a prize of $250,000 for their given charity, the golfers will go head to head to truly test the new course.

Montgomerie is quietly confident, having said,

"Although I will have some very stiff competition, I will be hoping that my 'local' knowledge of the course will give me a slight edge on the day!"

Not only this, but the Invitational will also feature a pro-am with celebrities such as Boris Becker (who has a tennis academy on the site) and Sir Steve Redgrave taking part, adding to the anticipation of this three day event.

The Riffa Views Invitational is just another sign of Bahrain's growth as a desirable market of interest with one of the world's largest real estate advisors, DTZ, recently releasing findings that also adhere to this fact.

Their 'Middle East Market Update: Bahrain' highlighted an increase in the number of real estate transactions taking place in the country, with 2008 turnover figures at BD2,150m, up 58% on the previous year.

Quoted as saying that this is "being fuelled by strong indigenous demand, a relaxation of foreign ownership regulations in certain areas of the country, strong levels of liquidity in the regional market and improving financing options", Bahrain appears to be one Middle Eastern country where interest is still growing and this is being actively encouraged, with this reflected in the property market, unlike some neighbouring Emirates.

With the spotlight firmly on Bahrain, and foreign interest not abating, more and more people are looking to invest in the property market in this politically mild country, and Riffa Views itself offers an excellent opportunity for this.

As James Wyatt, partner of Barton Wyatt, explains why a golf property of this kind can be a good investment,

"When looking to buy a second home or an investment property abroad, golf properties are always a secure investment choice. Not only is golf a growing sport with more and more people now looking to play at courses overseas, golf courses also often come with additional facilities that increase their appeal as excellent long term investments choices. Riffa Views, Bahrain's first development of this kind, is proving to be an exciting option for those looking to invest in the growing golf market and with events like the Riffa Views Invitational now taking place and a Colin Montgomerie-designed championship course, interest in the development is set to increase further still."

This exclusive residential development comprises of 870 luxury villas set around Colin Montgomerie's championship golf course, and a choice of 2 to 5 bedroom townhouses and villas are available. To play on the same course as the stars, Riffa Views property prices start at £260,000/ €342,200 through to £1,800,000/ €2,300,100.