A very private 18-holer that you'll not find listed in any Moroccan golf directory, Golf du Palais Royal d’Agadir is a Robert Trent Jones Snr design that lies within the heavily guarded ramparts of the Royal Palace...
Golf du Palais Royal d'Agadir
Souss Massa 80000, Morocco
A very private 18-holer that you'll not find listed in any Moroccan golf directory, Golf du Palais Royal d’Agadir is a Robert Trent Jones Snr design that lies within the heavily guarded ramparts of the Royal Palace...
A very private 18-hole layout that you will not find listed in any Moroccan golf directory, the Golf du Palais Royal d’Agadir course is a Robert Trent Jones Snr design that lies within the heavily guarded ramparts of the Royal Palace in Agadir where it made its first appearance to a select few golfers in 1987.
In the book A Difficult Par by James R. Hansen, the author reveals that it was Cabell Robinson who actually designed the course, following problems Robert Trent Jones had experienced when he was last in Morocco in the early 1970s. Jones apparently got caught up in an attempt to overthrow the king during a visit to one of his palaces near Casablanca.
According to Cabell Robinson: “The palace contacted Mr. Jones about doing a job there and I was sent to look into the matter. The land was beautiful dunes covered with eucalyptus and other scrub and lay between the new palace under construction and the sea. I was told that we had to have the course ready to play within six months! Obviously this was not going to work and I told the head of the palace project that we could probably have the course built and planted within six months but it would not be ready for several months thereafter. This was acceptable… An agreement was quickly signed and we started almost immediately… Things progressed smoothly for several months but then payments ceased and at Mr. Jones’s request we stopped all work and left the site.
Several months later, in a thin airmail envelope with no return address or covering letter, we received a check for $500,000. Having now been paid the full amount, we returned to the site and finished the course albeit in a bit more than the six months originally discussed. We subsequently learned that the palace only paid its bills once a year regardless of the number of invoices and reminders sent. This was the first course during my twenty years with Mr. Jones whereby he never saw the course, neither before nor during construction, nor once completed.”
Situated amongst the sand hills beside the Atlantic Ocean, the fairways of the Palais Royal course are laid out in two returning nines, each of which play to a par of 36. The property may be located close to the shoreline but the high security walls that surround the palace keep the outside world at arm’s length, even at holes 3 and 4, the two par fours that are closest to the ocean on the most westerly edge of the palace grounds.
The opening par five hole sets the scene for the round where a veritable sea of sand on either side of the fairway confronts the golfer on the tee. Avoiding those deep and deadly bunkers is the order of the day as the beautifully manicured fairway veers right to a pneumatically jacked up green that’s surrounded by yet more sand.
Precision play is essential around here, otherwise the steep run off slopes around the greens will prove very costly – and that’s certainly the case at the two long par threes at holes 2 and 8 where upturned saucer greens repel all but perfectly placed tee shots.
The only water-threatened hole on the front nine is the beautiful 580-yard 5th, where the pin is cut behind a couple of ponds to the front left and right of the green. The aquatic challenge intensifies after the turn though, first at the par five 10th, followed by the two beautiful par threes at 12 and 14, where water lurks front and right of both putting surfaces.
The course, which hosted the Moroccan Open six times during the 1990s, was used between 2011 and 2015 as the venue for the European Tour’s Trophée Hassan II competition, an event that moved back to Royal Dar Es Salam Golf Club in Rabat from its short-term home in Agadir in 2016.
According to the European Tour website, two of the holes on this course were amongst the eighteen most difficult holes encountered by professionals throughout the 2015 season, during their participation in the Trophée Hassan II tournament:
17th toughest hole was the par three 2nd, playing to a length of 208 yards.
The average score was 3.40 and the ratio of birdies or better versus bogeys or worse was 28/155, with Richard Green recording the highest score (7) in the event.
This hole’s the first of four par threes on the course, with each of that quartet measuring at least 200 yards. Precision from the tee is key as there are steep run-offs surrounding the raised green. Richie Ramsay managed to card a par at this very difficult hole in each of the four rounds on his way to victory in the 2015 edition of the event.
14th toughest hole was the par four 18th, playing to a length of 484 yards.
The average score was 4.43 and the ratio of birdies or better versus bogeys or worse was 31/168, with five players each recording the highest score of 7 in the event.
With two fairway bunkers down the right and a raised green that cants markedly from back to front, there’s lots for players to contend with on the finishing hole here. With many of the players posting bogey figures or worse, Pelle Edberg and Matteo Manassero somehow managed to shoot two under on this hole during the week.
The latest ranking of the Top 100 Golf Courses in the World serves as the ultimate global golf bucket list. Most members of our World Top 100 Panel are seasoned golfers, each playing 20-30 of these courses annually while travelling extensively over decades to form their opinions on others. We recognise that opinions vary—even among our panel members. Rankings are subjective, and there are undoubtedly 50 or more courses in the UK and USA alone that could easily fit onto this list. Links Golf Pilgrimages The rankings
California, United States
New Jersey, United States
Northern Ireland, United Kingdom
New York, United States
New York, United States
Our first Top 10 chart for Morocco was published in 2010, then we doubled the number of courses featured in 2016. Those rankings have only been updated once since then in 2020 so it’s high time that situation was remedied, especially as we’ve made several trips to the country in the last few years and visited quite a few of the contenders. The 18-hole layout at Golf du Palais Royal d’Agadir became our national #1 ten years ago, following our participation in the pro-am for the Hassan II Golf Trophy in 2012, when the professional tournament was staged in Agadir. Since the event moved back to Rabat in 2016, the gates to the course have remained firmly shut – indeed, a tight security cordon around the palace keeps golfers well away, as we found out a few months ago after inadvertently taking a wrong turn on the way to another nearby golf facility. With that in mind, we’ve decided to pay more attention to the other chart candidates, allowing the esteemed Robert Trent Jones Senior design in Agadir to fall naturally in the new rankings due to a lack of support from a local panel of industry experts who we’ve consulted. Essentially, they’ve told us you can’t vote for what you can’t gain access to! Has there been changes made to the layout in the last eight years? Does the course still enjoy the same high standard of maintenance? Questions like these remain unanswered so, for now, we’ll have to largely overlook the former Hassan II Golf Trophy venue and concentrate on the many other top-class courses in the Kingdom which are accessible to ordinary golfers. Royal Golf Dar Es Salam And so, the Red course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (another RTJ design from the late 1960s) returns to the top spot in our Moroccan listings. It’s the premier 18-hole layout at a fabulous 45-hole complex outside Rabat and the layout has profited from a recent bunker renovation by architect James Duncan that really needs to be seen to be believed. Al Houara Crashing straight into our listings at #2 is the Hilton Tangier Al Houara Resort & Spa course which was officially opened late last year by Graham Marsh and Vijay Singh. Playing surfaces are carpeted throughout in paspalum grass, affording a very links-like playing experience close to the Atlantic coast, with extensive practice areas and a 9-hole floodlit short course complementing the main layout. Tazegzout The Vert and Rouge nines at Tazegzout Golf (up one place to #6) lie atop the escarpment overlooking Taghazout Bay, half an hour’s drive north of Agadir, and they’ve now been joined by an entertaining 9-hole short course (the Bleu) on the lower level, close to the beach. Designed by Kyle Phillips and unveiled ten years ago, the main course builds to an exciting climax over the last three holes. Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech The 18-hole layout at Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech edges one place up the new standings to #9. Opened for play ten years ago, it’s a Cabell Robinson production that underwent an extensive bunker renovation last year, involving the rebuilding of all the sand hazards, which resulted in some of the traps being reduced in size while others were totally filled in to improve the overall playability. Royal El Jadida Also moving up one spot in our new table to #10, the 18-hole layout at Royal El Jadida is (like Tazegzout) operated by Madaëf Golfs, the first golf network in Morocco with a total of nine courses in its portfolio. James Duncan has also been busy here of late, carrying out a large-scale upgrade which entailed the redesign of tee boxes, renovation of bunkers and relocation of several greens. Golf du Soleil The Championship course at the 36-hole Golf du Soleil complex is our biggest chart climber, rising three places to #13. Completely renovated in 2019 with a change of playing surfaces, reconstruction of greens, refurbishment of lakes and installation of a new irrigation system, the layout is complemented by the shorter Tikada course, making this place the ideal venue for a full day of golf in Agadir. Al Maaden Golf Resort Advancing two rungs on the ladder to #18, the course at the Al Maaden Golf Resort is possibly the most unique golfing layout you will ever play. Holes were laid out by Kyle Phillips around a geometrical “Moroccan water garden” from Spanish landscape designer Fernando Caruncho in the middle of the property – you’ll absolutely love it or hate it but you’ll never forget it! Akenza We understand the new 18-hole Akenza course (yet another design from Kyle Phillips) between Noria and PalmGolf Ourika in Marrakech, is due to open in September. That means we’ll definitely be back to the Red City this winter to check out the likelihood of this layout featuring in the next edition of our Moroccan listings. To view the entire detailed list of our latest Top 25 Golf Courses of Morocco click the link. View list here. If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
The tourist town of Agadir lies on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, with a population of around half a million people. The local economy is centred on the port, where hundreds of small fishing boats land millions of sardines every year, but tourism also plays a big part in the town’s ongoing prosperity. It’s now the nation’s biggest seaside resort and Agadir As Massia airport is used by an increasing number of European low cost carriers to fly in foreign visitors throughout the year. You can easily spend the best part of a week golfing here as there are 126 holes spread over five different golf facilities. Set aside a day for each of the four modern golf complexes in the town and at nearby Taghazout – but don’t forget the 9-hole Royal Golf Club Agadir where you’ll step back in time to savour its 1937 origins. If only the ultra-private Golf du Palais Royal d’Agadir layout (host venue for the Hassan II Golf Trophy 2011-2015) was so accessible to visitors… Golf du Soleil - Championship Golf du Soleil is the only 36-hole set-up in Agadir and it started out with three 9-hole circuits in the late 1990s which were designed by Fernando Mueller and Gerard Courbin. An additional 9-hole loop was added to the Blue nine in 2006 for form the 18-hole Tikida course, with the original Yellow and Red nines rebranded as the Championship layout. This course staged the LET’s Lalla Meryem Cup in 2011 so it obviously has the capability of testing the professionals as well as providing an entertaining challenge for resort golfers. Golf du Soleil - Tikida The shorter Tikida course also plays to a par of 72, with four par fives on the front nine. A couple of these holes are routed round the Tikida Palace hotel in the southern part of the property, close to where the Oued Sous empties into the Mediterranean Sea. Interestingly, a round here finishes (like the Championship course) with a terrific short par three across the little lake that fronts the clubhouse – it’s a fabulous setting for a post round drink on the terrace watching golfers complete their 18-hole journey round this golfing oasis. The 5-star Tikida Golf Palace hotel was built when the course was extended 17 years ago and it offers 54 air-conditioned luxury guest rooms and suites, each with a minimum space of 60 square metres. Spa and fitness centre amenities include indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, Turkish bath, steam bath, jacuzzi, massage and spa treatments. La Table du Golf restaurant is open seven days a week serving high-quality cuisine for lunch and dinner. Other Riu Group hotels in Agadir are also associated with Golf du Soleil; namely the Riu Tikida Beach, the Riu Tikida Dunas and the Riu Tikida Palace, along with the Riu Palace Tikida Taghazout on the other side of town. Golf de l’Océan Golf de L’Ocean is situated a short 5-minute drive from Golf du Soleil, with three 9-hole loops in play: “Desert,” “Garden” and “Dunes”. Designed by the American Belt Collins company and opened in 2010, the course co-hosted both the Trophée Hassan II and Coupe Lalla Meryem professional events for men and women just a year after it debuted. The Dunes and Garden nines are marketed as the premier 18-hole combination but either of these 9-hole layouts could be replaced by the Desert nine which is at least as good as both of them. A couple of local accommodation providers are major partners with Golf de L’Ocean and they’re positioned close to each other on the other side of the Royal Palace, just a 15-minute drive away. The 470-room Founty Beach Hotel is spread over three buildings, with a large outdoor pool, a fitness centre and a spa. For those who might prefer a quieter stay, the 28-room Riad Villa Blanche is a great option. The spa provides beauty treatments with massages given by “magic” hands and the restaurant – organized in three atmospherically different rooms – serves French and Moroccan specialities. Golf Les Dunes Golf Les Dunes lies between Golf du Soleil and Golf de l’Ocean, with three 9-hole loops designed by Cabell Robinson in the early 1990s.Each nine has its own character: the fairways of the Oued are very tight and undulating, the Tamaris brings water into play at several holes whilst the Eucalyptus is set out on more open ground. All holes enjoy firm and fast playing conditions as they’re laid out across a landscape of pure sand which is many metres deep. At the moment, the clubhouse is closed for renovation. The golf club partners a number of local hotels, including the 251-room Riu Tikada Beach, the 400-room Riu Tikada Dunas and the 343-room Robinson Club, all of which reside along the strand to the north of the Royal Palace. A little closer to the course, there are cosier places to stay like Villa Riadana and Riad des Golfs (which each have 8 suites) and an Airbnb establishment called Villa Phénix with 6 guestrooms for up to 12 people. These more intimate venues are ideal for small groups who’d like some privacy when they’re not on the golf course during the day. Tazegzout Golf The 27-hole facility at Tazegzout Golf is situated half an hour’s drive north of Agadir in Taghazout Bay, where it’s operated by Madaef Golfs, who also manage Les Dunes. Designed by Kyle Phillips, the original eighteen holes (Vert & Rouge) are set out on high ground above Taghazout Bay, climaxing with a fantastic 3-hole stretch along the edge of the escarpment that overlooks the Atlantic below. Tazegzout’s located a little out of town but it’s well worth the journey to get here and experience a course fashioned by one of the world’s leading golf course architects. The 5-star Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay hotel sits next door to the golf course, with 152 guest rooms available for stay and play. Close by, there’s the 504-room Riu Palace Tikida Taghazout hotel and next door to it is the Radisson Blu resort with a variety of rooms, bungalows, and cabanas. Close by, the Hyatt Regency Taghezout just opened last year with 190 guestrooms, while further along the beach there’s the 170-room Hilton Taghazout Bay Beach Resort & Spa and the Fairmont Taghazout Bay which has a selection of 146 rooms, suites and villas with ocean views – you’re certainly not short of choice here! Royal Golf Club Agadir No golf trip to Agadir would be complete without a visit to the old 9-hole course at Royal Agadir, set out on a triangular-shaped property at the end of the main N10 highway heading west from town towards the airport. The club was founded in 1937 then a mysterious “Scotsman named Mister Wilson” is said to have improved the layout in 1952 before they were further refined in more recent times by a Colonel Kamili. Recent bunker renovations add real challenge to the layout in the modern era – beware those who glibly claim to have played the best 9-hole course in the world elsewhere as they’ve probably never heard of this place never mind set a foot in it… If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
Seach for “Morocco” on this website and you’ll be presented with a whole series of articles, dating back to April 2012 when we published Morocco, the Kingdom of Golf, is waiting to welcome you… Since then, we’ve made several excursions to different regions around the country, exploring the various golf facilities that operate close to all the major cities, from Saïdia on the Mediterranean Sea in the northeast to Agadir on the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Links to these trip reports are listed at the bottom of this article for further reading. Marrakech boasts a dozen courses around the perimeter of the Red City, and we’ve also visited most of the coastal layouts between Essaouira and Rabat then beyond to Tangier – in fact, there’s less than a handful golf locations that we’ve yet to see around the nation. We created a Top 10 chart for Morocco back in 2012 which was doubled in size three years later. These rankings were updated in 2020 then further extended to a Top 25 last year so, all things considered, we think we’ve a reasonable grasp of all things golf-related within the country. Last month, we were invited to attend what was marketed as the “Return of the Champions” – comprising the 48th edition of the Hassan II Golf Trophy and 27th edition of the Lalla Meryem Cup at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat. This golfing extravaganza featured 66 players from the PGA Tour Champions circuit on the Red course and 108 professionals from the Ladies European Tour on the Blue course (the 18th hole on this layout is pictured at the top of the article). What appears next is a blog-style account of how the week unfolded… MONDAY After a late breakfast at the Sofitel hotel in Rabat on the Monday morning, we took the shuttle bus for the 20-minute journey to the Media Centre for accreditation then a wander around the golf club campus to familiarize with the location of the Players’ Lounge, Caddy Area, Exhibitor Units – and the all-important Food Court for lunch! As most of the press people had still to arrive, it give us a chance to sit down with a couple of folk who would keep us right during the week, namely Michel Besanceney (General Co-ordinator of both competitions) and Mounia El Khettar (Communication Director from the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation). Another person who rarely gets in the spotlight at big events is the head greenkeeper so we made a point of talking to Australian Simon Rees, previously at Abu Dhabi Golf Club, who told us when we were here in May last year of his plans to convert the fairways to a type of grass that’s more suited to the Rabat climate. He has experience of setting up for big international events before so he appeared very relaxed about the following few days. A walk round a few holes close to the clubhouse confirmed everything was in position for the week ahead. Both Robert Trent Jones Sr-designed courses have been upgraded in recent years, with James Duncan working on the Red and Cabell Robinson on the Blue, and the results of these big budget improvements are very impressive. TUESDAY The main focus on Day 2 was the Press Conference for both tournaments, attended by the Stephen Ames (winner of last year’s men’s event), Miller Brady (President of the PGA Tour Champions), Alexandra Armas (CEO of the Ladies European Tour), local player Ines Laklalech (who won the Lacost Ladies Open de France in 2022) and a couple of officials from the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation. Miller Brady mentioned that this was the third of twenty-eight events to be played in 2024 across 19 states in the US and three other countries (Morocco, Scotland and Canada), with the first two competitions already staged in Hawaii and Florida. He felt sure the Hassan II Golf Trophy Tournament would be a resounding success, despite a weather forecast of rain along the way. Alexandra Armas reminded everyone the Lalla Meryem Cup was being played for the 12th time as part of the LET schedule and that last year’s winner Maja Stark from Sweden had gone on to represent Europe in the Solheim Cup, winning 2.5 points from the four matches she played in. She looked forward to an abundance of young players teeing it up with the aim of following in Maja’s footsteps. A second press conference was then convened by the LET to announce hosting details for the Lalla Aïcha Qualifying School in December, which will be staged for the next three years in Marrakech. Pre-qualification will take place over three rounds on four courses at Palm Golf Ourika, Palmeraie Rotana, Noria and Samanah before final qualification over five rounds at Royal Marrakech and Al Maaden. In the evening, a group of journalists headed out of the hotel by taxi to the Rabat medina in search of the Dar Zaki restaurant. It took a little time to locate it among the narrow alleyways but, what a find – no wonder it’s rated #1 out of 356 in Rabat by tripadvisor.com! The food was simple but wonderful, with a selection of sharing starters and mains the way to go. And with a bill of less than eighty euros for five people it was an absolute bargain for a meal to remember. WEDNESDAY We were invited to participate in the Friendship Cup pro-am with players from the PGA Tour Champions the day before the serious business got under way. Team Stableford totals consisted of both the professional’s score and the 4-person amateur team score (playing in a scramble format). Royal Golf Dar Es Salam has just completed a new practice facility (with soon to open library, museum and offices) where professionals and pro-am participants were able to warm up prior to teeing it up on the 1st hole. At the last minute, one of our European Golf and Travel Media Association members had to drop out through injury but Omar Lamrini from the golf club stepped in to make up the numbers. Professional Mario Tiziani from Michigan, the brother-in-law of Steve Stricker, led the line and he played a very solid round, contributing to a total score of 77 points which saw the team finish 15th out of 30, so no disgrace there. The slow pace of play did however give us a chance on several tees to chat to John Daly, the professional in the group behind us who, with his country music blaring away on his cart, has to be one of the most laid-back golfers you’ll ever come across – all that was missing was a case of beers in the back of the buggy! Unfortunately, our very slow round of six and a half hours gave us no opportunity to look in on the Pro-Am Hassan II Kids Cup by First Tee on the 9-hole Green course, where nine teams of three (two children and one pro) participated in a fun competition. The Royal Moroccan Golf Federation signed a partnership with First Tee USA in 2019 to transmit skills and life values to young people through golf and so far more than two hundred youngsters have benefitted from this program across five Moroccan cities. Later in the evening at the invitation-only Cocktail Party in the Fairmont La Marina Rabat Salé Hotel a couple of EGTMA members from Ireland, Ann Mooney and Geraldine Bradley, were spied in the company of Colin Montgomerie and his wife Sarah. When asked if they were now frequenting Elland Road more often during the current football season, Monty confessed he’d actually been to Anfield quite a bit (as Sarah is a Liverpool fan) but they’ll hopefully see a lot more of Leeds United later in the year – assuming they get promoted to the Premier League in May! We also got the chance to have a quick chat with architect James Duncan about the course improvements made to the Red course at Dar Es Salam, the upgrade of the El Jadida course and his latest project at Brambles in California. He also has an interest in the Coul Links development in Scotland so perhaps he’ll be back in Caledonia before too long? THURSDAY The first two days of competition at RGDES were earmarked for a couple of side trips, away from Rabat, so the Thursday was spent in Bouskoura on the southern outskirts of Casablanca, where three golf courses are all situated close to one another within large residential developments. Casa Green (pictured above) was first up in the morning and it’s one of nine Madaëf Golfs facilities in Morocco, with the course designed by French-based Jeremy Pern. Following a buggy tour of the property, a lengthy chat with Director of Golf Reda Bennis was one of the more interesting hours spent during the entire week – there’s nothing like local knowledge to keep you abreast of developments. In the afternoon, there were similar visits paid to the nearby Tony Jacklin Casablanca and Palmeraie Country Club golf courses. Whether any of these three Bouskoura layouts make it into our next Moroccan listings remains to be seen but they all stand a chance. The brochure produced for The Return of the Champions devoted a page to seven courses to check out close to Rabat, namely the three that we visited at Bouskoura and four others: the 18-hole layouts at Bahia Beach [#24 in our Moroccan chart] and Royal Anfa Mohammedia [listed at #20], along with unranked 9-hole tracks at Bouznika Bay and Royal Golf Anfa. We didn’t have time to see these other four courses but they all remain in the frame for our next national chart update whenever it happens. FRIDAY The IMG-operated facility at Michlifen is a 6-hour round trip from Rabat into the Middle Atlas mountains but we’ve been there a couple of times in the past and know it’s well worth the drive to get there and back. Jo Maes, President of EGTMA, was keen to have a look and so we set off from Rabat nice and early at 07:00. The image above shows the overcast weather on arrival but within minutes the very fine rain at altitude in the clouds was like a foggy mist, meaning you could see less than 50 metres in any direction! Playing a round of golf was out of the question, disappointingly. Head greenkeeper Alex Avila, who we’d previously met when he worked at Oued Fes Golf, showed us around the clubhouse and the academy, both of which are set up to the highest standards, before the Michlifen hotel general manager Abdelaziz Aoumeziti joined us for lunch. In the afternoon, we were given a tour of the 5-star hotel (located a 10-minute drive away in the centre of Ifrane) including the spa and enormous multi-sports hall (where Jo Maes was determined to display some of his old basketball skills). The hotel is designed and decorated like a luxury chalet where visitors come in the winter when the snow often falls (“Michlifen” means snow flake) or in summer to escape the heat in the cool mountain climate. Too bad rain stopped play for us on one of the days we were most looking forward to! SATURDAY And so, the culmination of the week-long trip brought us back to Rabat for the third and final day of play in both the men’s and ladies’ competitions. And to start the day, we wished every success on the 1st tee to one of our core team members, Panellist & Travel Consultant Javier Pintos, who was caddying for a fellow Argentinian, Ángel Cabrera, the two-time Major winner. “El Pato” as he is nicknamed, had a reasonable tournament, finishing joint 27th in a field of sixty-six. The man from Córdoba was only cleared to play again in PGA Tour-sanctioned events last December after spending some time in prison so it’ll be interesting to see how he gets on now in this comeback season. Of course, competitive golf is all about winners and it was another Argentinian, Ricardo González, who held off a strong challenge from Thomas Bjørn to finish one shot ahead of the Dane and claim the Hassan II Golf Trophy with a three-round total of ten under par. This prompted a mini-invasion of Argentinian supporters who were inside the ropes on the 18th green on the Red course when the final putt was sunk, with our man Javier right in the thick of things! The prize for winning the men’s tournament is a Moroccan dagger, known as “The Khandjar,” which the victor gets to keep. Across the road on the Blue course, Bronte Law from Stockport in England, completed her final round with a par four on the 18th to post a magnificent nine under par score of 64, edging out her nearest competitor Pauline Roussin-Bouchard by three shots as she claimed victory in the Lalla Meryem Cup. The prize for winning the ladies’ tournament is a “Minaudiere” clutch bag encrusted with precious stones which is a rather unique way to mark a special win on the LET circuit. At the press conference afterwards, Bronte gave fulsome praise to Ian Woosnam who has been helping her behind the scenes but her victory was tinged with a little regret that her parents had been unable to make the journey to Morocco to support her – maybe next year now when she returns as defending champion? If you have any comment to make on the above article then please use the “WRITE A RESPONSE” link at the bottom of this page. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses FURTHER READING On this website, click any of the nine links below: DECEMBER 2015 Top 20 Golf Courses of Morocco 2016 JUNE 2016 We’ve revisited Morocco to uncover further golfing delights APRIL 2017 We return to Morocco to find out what’s new in the Western Kingdom OCTOBER 2018 Moroccan golf reaches new heights in the Middle Atlas mountains at Ifrane JUNE 2020 Top 100 Golf Courses revises its North African rankings AUGUST 2022 Golf Resorts in the Red City of Marrakech JANUARY 2023 Agreeable resort golf in Agadir MAY 2023 Morocco is calling – what are you waiting for? JUNE 2023 Top 25 Golf Courses of Morocco 2023 Golf in Morocco: Land of Wonders is a big, glossy production that was published in 1996 to mark the Silver Jubilee of the Hassan II Trophy. Written by Barry Ward and Tom McArthur, with extensive photography from Brian Morgan, this book was something of a labour of love to produce for Mohamed Khnichich from Marrakesh Express Travel [ISBN 0 9529617 0 9].
