While millions of children dream of one day playing for Everton Football Club (oh, was that just me?), American sports such as baseball and basketball have heavily influenced contemporary global clothing and more people around the world stay fit by doing a few laps of their local swimming pool than doing any other form of exercise, no sport can claim to have had the influence on landscape that golf has had recently. And that is felt more keenly in the property market than anywhere else – “frontline golf” is the new “beachfront” in terms of what buyers look for in an investment.

While nobody would dare to claim that Cyprus has a St Andrews-esque golfing history, the island is slowly but surely catching on to the game and, with 340 days of sunshine every year offering plenty of opportunities for fairway action, the Cypriot government has set itself the task of attracting 5% of the northern European winter golf market.

For keen players, that means just one more reason for buying in Cyprus, however, even if you think of golf as a good walk spoiled played by white men dressed as black pimps, then you should still consider the hugely positive impact that golf has on your Cypriot property investment – bored of the wind, rain and cold of Scotland, Ireland, England or Scandinavia, winter golfers will be queuing up to rent your property and, later, even buy it.

There are several other courses already built or under construction (from the relaxed and family-friendly Vikla Golf course near Limassol which is ideal for beginners, to the tougher Secret Valley course 20 minutes from Paphos), but Aphrodite Hills is typical of the new Cypriot courses,

Designed by Cabell Robinson, the 18-hole, 6665m, par-71 course is every bit as beautiful – clinging to the edge of the sapphire sea – as it is challenging. Championship standard, with practice greens, a driving range, pro shop, club house and high-tech coaching facilities, Aphrodite Hills follows the popular Spanish, Portuguese and American example and is, in fact, am all-encompassing golfing resort rather than merely a course. There are restaurants, bars and a luxurious five-star hotel. If you want the full green-side experience, apartments in the development start at CY£220,000 with stunningly-located villas available from around CY£500,000.