If everything goes according to plan this week then the next Martin Kaymer could well be spending his winters honing his golf skills in Bermuda.

The German major winner, who played in last month's Grand Slam at Port Royal, has been singing the Island's praises since he left and people have been listening.

A delegation from the German PGA arrived on the Island last night to put the finishing touches to a project that would see them make Bermuda their winter base for the country's top youngsters.

And with tourism chiefs from Europe also among the party, the hope is that the Island will become the destination of choice for golfers from Austria, Switzerland, Germany and beyond.

"The German PGA want to select and co-operate with perfect golf destinations," said Walter Langenberger, who is the president and CEO of eest Tourism Group. "The target is to bring golfers from Germany and other parts of Europe to Bermuda to play golf when the courses in Europe are closed from September until April because of the cold winter.

"A team of international tourism and golf experts are engaged in this project under my leadership. We proposed Bermuda as (a) golf destination and one of our major attractions was indeed that the Grand Slam was performed successfully in Bermuda."

The German tour party, who will be based at Tucker's Point, will play golf and meet with golf representatives and tourism officials during their six-day stay, and will then make a decision on whether the Island is the right choice for their players, and their customers.

"At the end of the trip PGA, delegates will evaluate if Bermuda has potential for the project," said Langenberger. "If the PGA delegates will accept Bermuda by the end of the trip or shortly after return a great business opportunity for golf tourism to Bermuda could start.

"It is a long term project for five years and it could start in 2011 already. In addition Bermuda will be an official "PGA Winter base" to bring golfers of any age to play, train and improve their golf skills."

The benefits to Bermuda could be substantial both in terms of international exposure and from a financial standpoint. Langenberger said that according to statistics from golf tour operators, the average amount spent by each golfer on a trip was $2,563 and that they stayed an average of seven nights at a golf destination.

And Langenberger was under no illusions as to the impact that holding the Grand Slam had had on Bermuda's standing in the international golf tourism industry.

"In my opinion the Grand Slam provided a widespread of international publicity and awareness for the golf event and the destination," he said. "The participation of Martin Kaymer was/and will now definitely be a potential door opener for getting business from Austria, Germany, Switzerland and other golf markets in Europe to Bermuda.

"Especially because Martin Kaymer was very excited about the tournament, the professional way the event was performed, the perfect location of Port Royal, in addition he expressed that Bermuda is a great golf destination."