Morocco, the Kingdom of Golf, is waiting...

We’ve published quite a few articles on golf in the Kingdom of Morocco, most recently when we revisited Marrakech last year, then a few months ago when we teed it up on a winter weekend break to Agadir. Often overlooked by golfers looking for an alternative to the usual destinations in Portugal or Spain, Morocco has more than forty courses spread out around the country, most of them built to modern specifications and maintained to a high standard. A host of travel agencies can sort out accommodation and green fee packages but you can also make your arrangements, flying in to deal direct with clubs you’d like to visit – the only course we know of which is off limits to the public is the Palais Royal d’Agadir. All the other clubs are happy to accept a green fee and provide, at very reasonable rates, a local caddy who’ll carry your bag and offer advice as required. Some caddies have been employed for more than fifty years (at Royal Dar Es Salam, for instance) so they certainly know their way around. Last month, we were invited to join a select group from the European Golf and Travel Media Association to participate in a week-long golf trip along the Atlantic coastline of the country, starting in El Jadida and finishing in Tangier. Hopefully, the following brief account of how the tour unfolded will give you a flavour of what golf is like in the northwest corner of the African continent. Royal Golf El Jadida After flying into Casablanca airport, we drove an hour to the Royal El Jadida course outside the fortified port city of El Jadida. Built by the Portuguese in the 16th century as a staging post for mariners heading to and from South America, El Jadida is now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, with the city fortifications of bastions and ramparts regarded as fine examples of military design. The golf course lies to the north of the city, where architect Cabell Robinson carved out eighteen holes from a landscape of coastal woodland thirty years ago. The golf facility is now manged by Madaëf Golfs – who operate another eight courses in five other Moroccan destinations – and a substantial investment was made a short time back which allowed James Duncan to carry out a very well-received bunker renovation, along with other infrastructure improvements made in and around the clubhouse. Mazagan The EGTMA group stayed a couple of nights at the magnificent Mazagan Beach Resort near El Jadida, which owner Sol Kerzner built in the early years of the new millennium, modelling the complex on his Sun City complex in his native South Africa. The 492 rooms and suites (plus 14 restaurants and bars) at Mazagan are spread across a huge 600-acre coastal property with the spa including a 100 square metre breath taking space of mosaic and marble in the hammam, along with a state-of-the-art gym and fitness centre. The Mazagan golf course is a Gary Player design, the longest in the country when it debuted in 2009 and fairways weave in and out of the low-lying sand dunes to the north of the resort. Holes are set out as two returning nines, each of which concludes metres from the waves crashing onto the beach, near to the clubhouse. Bahia Golf Beach Day three of the press trip got under way in rather unconventional style, attending an exhibition of horsemanship at the Tbourida (also known as Fantasia) in Bouznika. The performance consists of troupes of horse riders in traditional attire who head in a line along a 200-metre track at the same speed then, at the end of a short charge, fire their muskets into the sky. The difficulty is synchronizing the horse movement during acceleration of the charge, and especially in firing the guns simultaneously so that one single shot is heard at the end. Regional heats take place – 31 junior and senior troupes participated in this one – before the finals take place at the Mohammed VI exhibition centre outside El Jadida. After the excitement of the Tbourida in the morning, the afternoon’s play at Bahia Golf Beach was rather tame in comparison, though the course is a solid Cabell Robinson design which brings water hazards into play on several occasions. The slope for the middle set of three tees (5,060 to 6,075 metres) varies between 120 and 129 so it’s not too taxing a track but if you choose to play from the black rear tees (6,749 metres) then the challenge increases quite a bit as a slope rating of 140 will confirm. After finishing the round, it was back to relax at the on-site Vichy Celéstins Spa Hôtel, boasting 130 bedrooms and two restaurants with the country’s first Wellness Clinic also offering guests the use of a large health spa comprising an indoor pool, gymnasium, hydrothermal area, yoga studio and two large outdoor pools. Royal Golf Dar Es Salam Situated in the Zaers forest to the south of Rabat, the 45-hole golf facility at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam is a late-1960s Robert Trent Jones Senior production that concurrently hosts the Hassan II Golf Trophy and the Lalla Meryem Cup on the Red and Blue courses. The Red course was recently renovated by architect James Duncan – with substantial green contouring a major feature of the upgrade – and these wildly undulating new putting surfaces definitely added to the playing experience for the visiting journalists. There aren’t many (if any) golf clubs around the world with the resources to host international men’s and women’s professional golf tournaments in the same week on the same campus but Royal Dar Es Salam has being doing this on and off since 1993, which is a quite remarkable achievement. An impressive new national Academy setup is due to open later this year at the club (the result of a joint venture with the PGA of America) and this will include all the usual golf training and practice components, as well as a museum, library, fitness centre, spa and restaurant. Before heading back to our accommodation at the newly opened Conrad Rabat Arzana hotel outside the capital, there was time for a quick look round the medina in the old walled city of Salé, which is separated from Rabat by the Oued Bou Regreg where it empties into the Atlantic. Of course, for the women in the group especially, a little local shopping after a long day at the golf club was the perfect way to round things off on the Rabat leg of the tour... Royal Country Club de Tanger The penultimate morning of the trip was spent on the road, making the 3-hour journey north from Rabat to the port city of Tangier and the Royal Country Club de Tanger, which celebrated its centenary in 2014. It’s a wonderful old property in the Boubana district of the city, where the golf course has been extensively modified over the years, primarily by Hugh Alison in the 1930s, Cotton & Pennink in the 1960s then Peter Harradine twenty years ago. In more recent times, clubhouse facilities at Royal Tangier have been upgraded, cart paths refurbished and general maintenance improvements made to allow the club to keep pace with a fast-moving golf world – anybody who visited five or six years ago would now be amazed by the transformation that has taken place since then. After golf it was only a short 15-minute drive downtown to the Hilton Tanger City Center Hotel beside the Tanger Ville railway station, where the new high-speed TGV train service connects to Casablanca. It was a little too late in the day for the media group to try any of the rooftop pool, sauna and steam facilities but the long-range views at dinner from La Kasbah restaurant on the 15th floor across the Strait of Gibraltar (to Tarifa, 31 kilometres away on the Spanish mainland) were simply stunning. Hilton Tangier Al Houara Resort & Spa The final leg of the 6-day Moroccan golfing excursion entailed a mere 30-minute drive south to the Hilton Tangier Al Houara Resort & Spa, where the 18-hole golf course was officially opened nine months ago by the joint architects Graham Marsh and Vijay Singh. Funded by the Qatari Diar investment company, phase 1 of the Al Houara project includes the hotel and golf complex (extending to the 18-hole layout, 9-hole floodlit par three course and practice facilities), though the partly-built clubhouse is yet to be completed. That means holes are artificially sequenced at the moment so that a round starts and finishes on the coastline, close to the hotel, and that isn’t an ideal arrangement but it’ll have to do for the time being. Al Houara is a big budget development and it’s obvious there was no expense spared in the design and build of both the course and the surrounding infrastructure. It might lack a little character and soul right now – which Royal Tangier has in abundance – but the course itself is one of the very best in Morocco and should go on to host many prestigious championships in years to come. When the round was over (and yet another magnificent spread of Moroccan food had been devoured next to the hotel pool) it was time to hit the road south to the Barceló Anfa Casablanca for a final overnight stop before flying out from Mohammed V International Airport the following day. What a week it had been; mixing great golf with local culture and dining on Moroccan cuisine of the highest quality throughout the trip. Above all, the hospitality was unsurpassed which, for those who have been to the country before, is pretty much why they return again and again to a land that just keeps giving… Sincere thanks for overseeing such an unforgettable expedition to tour guide Khalid from the Paris bureau of the Office National Marocain Du Tourisme (otherwise known as visitmorocco.com) and to EGTMA senior member Roland Machenuad who was heavily involved in the background organisation beforehand with President Jo Maes. And just how good is Morocco as a golfing destination? Well, you’ll never know if you don’t go… 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

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

Golf resorts in the Red City of Marrakech Our series of resort golf articles continues with a destination that’s a little more exotic – Marrakech! Now, Morocco might not feature that highly on the wish list of places to play for many golfers but there are a dozen really good tracks surrounding the Red City that are well worth seeking out for those who don’t mind venturing a little further afield to play golf. There are plenty of low-cost flight operators flying into Marrakech Menara airport from all over Europe, the courses are accessible and reasonably priced, and the climate is such that it’s an ideal golfing getaway from autumn to the following spring, outwith the four hottest months of the year in the summer. Royal Palm The Royal Palm Golf & Country Club is located 15 kilometres southwest of the world-famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square in the city centre and this hotel boasts 134 guest rooms, suites and villas overlooking the golf course. There are no fewer than six restaurants and bars offering local and international cuisine, and other sporting amenities include a fitness centre, swimming pool and spa. The course is a Cabell Robinson design that opened for play ten years ago and it’s currently undergoing an extensive bunker renovation which will result in some of the hazards being reduced in size or eliminated altogether, while those that remain will be relined with capillary concrete. When the work is completed in a few months, Royal Palm will once again be a match for any of the other golf facilities around the city. Assoufid Assoufid Golf Club lies only a 10-minute drive away from Royal Palm and although there’s no on-site accommodation at present, a new 80-bedroomed Marriott hotel is due to open next door in 2024 at the St. Regis Marrakech Resort, owned by Assoufid Properties and developed by United Real Estate Company, which is part of the Kuwait Projects Company. Assoufid is certainly a favourite with reviewers who commented in 2019: “from the 6th hole on this is an outstanding layout… Assoufid is on the right path to making this the best course in the area… this spectacular course offers beautiful views over the Atlas Mountains as well as eighteen interesting holes… probably the best course in the area, far more contour than other courses.” Al Maaden On the southeast outskirts of the city, there’s a little cluster of three golf facilities, one of which is the Al Maaden Golf Resort where the Park Hyatt Marrakech will open next to the clubhouse later this year. The new resort will have 181 rooms and suites, with guest rooms grouped in clusters around a common courtyard. There are two pools: one next to the main restaurant and a formal pool with an infinity edge overlooking the course. The 18-hole layout at Al Maaden is a Kyle Phillips design which debuted in 2010 and it’s one of the most unique courses you will ever come across, Holes are routed round geometrically square-shaped water features designed by landscape architect Fernando Caruncho from Madrid – it’s a layout that divides opinion but it’s one you’ll never forget! Amelkis Less than three kilometres away as the crow flies, you’ll find the 27-hole golf facility at Amelkis Golf Club located next to the 5-star Amenjena hotel which was modelled by architect Ed Tuttle on Ahmed al-Mansour’s now ruined palace, el-Badi. It’s been described as “surreally beautiful and ethereally quiet, which some find blissful, others find eerie.” The original 18-hole course at Amelkis comprised the Red and Blue nines and these still form the strongest 18-hole combination. The 10th (and second last) edition of the Moroccan Open was staged here in 2000 when Jamie Spence beat his nearest rival by four shots. In more recent times, Bronte Law won the Laila Aicha Tour School in 2018 with a record total of 26 under par for her five rounds. Royal Marrakech Immediately south of the Ameklis property, on the other side of the Route de Ouarzazate highway lies the venerable old course at Royal Golf Marrakech, parts of which date back to 1927. A new nine (originally called “Menara”) was added in 2007 but it’s the older “Vert” and “Rouge” nines that still combine to form the 18-hole layout of first choice. Laid out on largely flat terrain and stretching to less than 5,900 metres from the back tees, the Old course is a pleasant parkland walk through tree-lined playing corridors that are irrigated by a special water supply. The club recently built a new colonial-style clubhouse and invested in a bunker renovation project which has dramatically enhanced the playing experience. Palmeraie Last – but certainly not least – in our look at resort golf in Marrakech, the Palmeraie Rotana Resort is situated north of the Red City, about a 15-minute drive from the medina. Rotana operates the Hotel du Golf Rotana and the Palmeraie Palace (currently closed), each of these hotels extending to over 300 hotel rooms and suites. Above the clubhouse, there are 11 riad-inspired rooms for keen golfers wanting to stay right on the course. The 18-hole layout is a Robert Trent Jones Sr. design that debuted thirty years ago, when it was the first golf course to appear in the city since Royal Marrakech debuted sixty-five years previously. Today, the course measures just over 6,000 metres from the back markers, with water coming into play on several occasions, most noticeably on the back nine at four of the holes. Postscript A google search will bring results for several travel companies who specialise in golf packages for Marrakech. Some of the hotels mentioned above are used by these firms and other accommodations located close to the airport (just outside the medina) also feature on the website of these operators. Note there are five other courses available for play when you’re in Marrakech: the 9-hole Atlas, along with the Tony Jacklin Marrakech, Montgomerie Marrakech, Noria and Samanah. The 18-hole layout at PalmGolf Ourika has yet to re-open after closing during the recent covid crisis. We understand work has just got under way on the long-awaited Akenza course (between Noria and PalmGolf Ourika) so hopefully it won’t be too long until golfers are able to tee it up there at a development which has been on the drawing board for over a decade now. Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses