It means extra travel time for many of the biggest names in golf, but many like South Africa's Ernie Els say that is a price that is worth paying.
"I feel the game is changing quickly," he said in Dubai.
"I think the real market is here and the Far East. I'll go to Shanghai definitely once, maybe twice this year," he said.
"I'm going to go to the Johnnie Walker and I think I've got enough time after that back in the US to really get myself prepared for the Masters," Els said.
After the Gulf and China, India is seen as being the next target with players like Jeev Milka Singh and Jyoti Randhawa breaking through on the international scene.
Norman is one who has his eyes fixed on golfing projects in India.
He is even looking further afield to the eastern Mediterranean, Turkey, Jordan, Brazil and Central America.
The international rush comes at a time when the US market is stagnant.
"Going back to the 60s, 70s and 80s, golf was classified as an elitist sport," he said. "It's not that way anymore."
"People are seeing the viability," Norman said.
"Just look at here in Dubai. Golf has been the barometer and been in sync with what's happened here with this growth," he said.
"If you're lucky enough to be involved and caught up in the vortex of it, then great," he said.
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