Top 25 Golf Courses of Morocco 2023
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.
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Jim McCann
Editor
Top 100 Golf Courses