Irish architecture firm Jeff Howes Golf Design is making moves on the fast-growing Chinese golf market. 

Following a number of visits to China by Howes’s team over the past twelve months, and the company’s attendance at the 2010 China Golf Show, the company has embarked on an ambitious expansion drive into China and, it plans, the rest of Asia.

“While Asian markets are challenging in cultural, social and business practice terms as well as generally requiring longer periods of familiarization, the return on time and money spent developing a market share can be worth it,” said Jeff Howes. 

With the help of Enterprise Ireland’s Irish and Beijing offices and their regular workshops, Howes has already established an office in Beijing. made numerous visits to sites for potential clients in Shanghai, Beijing, Dalian and Harbin, resulting in two consultancy contracts to date, and exhibited at the Guangzhou China Golf Show and the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Bangkok.

“Our commitment to this new market is clearly evident with the level of investment in monetary and personnel terms,” said Howes. “It’s our hope that expansion into Asia will result in increase employment in our Irish home office.”