Organizers of the Faldo Series Asia have announced their 2008 schedule and it is growing.

The Faldo Series Asia has added several new tournaments so that the 2008 calendar features 11 events in 8 different territories in Asia.

Four of the events will occur in China, recognition of the rapid growth of the game there.

Why is this of any significance at all?

Frankly, I had never heard of the Faldo Series before coming across the news that the Asia series was expanding.

Further digging revealed that, while the Asia series began only in 2005, there has been a Faldo Series in Europe since 1996.

Some well-known professionals have graduated from that series including Nick Dougherty and Marc Warren - who won last year's World Cup of Golf along with Colin Montgomerie.

The beauty of the two series is that they are aimed strictly at young amateur players and are designed to attract kids from all backgrounds into the game and help develop young golfers who show some promise.

Every year in Europe more than 1200 kids are involved in the Faldo Series and are able to compete in up to 30 tournaments on some of Europe's top courses (a number of which have been designed by Faldo, coincidentally).

That same model has been applied in Asia and we have the Faldo Series Asia now in its third year and growing quickly.

According to Faldo's website, Nick underwrites both series personally. Whether that means he picks up the entire tab or makes a sizeable contribution with the aid of sponsors, I don't know. I suspect it's the latter.

You have to take your hat off to old Nick; after his playing days, he didn't sit around counting his gold and accepting jobs as a TV commentator (which he does very well in my mind).

And he didn't simply cash in on his name by becoming a "course designer", the usual route taken by dozens of touring pros who are on the downside of their careers as players.

He's doing both, of course, but he is also giving back a great deal to the game with the Faldo Series which is proving highly successful in introducing golf to kids and then encouraging the good ones to stay the course with expert guidance and coaching.

Much like Ernie Els who is doing the same kind of thing with a golf school in South Africa, Faldo is going a long way to creating new growth in the game in an organized and concerted manner.

My hat's off to him.