We return to Morocco to find out what’s new in the Western Kingdom
We were delighted to accept a recent invitation to attend last week’s Trophée Hassan II European Tour event alongside the Lalla Meryem Cup on the Ladies European Tour at Royal Dar Es Salam Golf Club in Rabat. As it so happens, it was the ideal opportunity to combine such an excursion with a couple of site visits to new golf projects that have been a long time in the making.
Architect Robin Hiseman from European Golf Design has set out a course within the massive new Prestigia residential complex at Plage des Nations, 26-kilometres northeast of Rabat, and shaper Russell Curtis is currently putting the finishing touches to a Jack Nicklaus Signature design just outside the little mountain resort of Ifrane, two and a half hours’ drive inland from the capital.
But first, we renewed our acquaintance with the two 1960s Robert Trent Jones Snr courses at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, where the club somehow finds the means to host simultaneous male and female professional competitions during a frenetic week of activity, both on and off its two 18-hole championship courses - it’s just as well there’s also a spare 9-hole course to help with practice facilities!
The important work of renovating both 18-hole layouts began immediately after last year’s tournaments ended with architect James Duncan, a Coore & Crenshaw associate, working alongside shaper Benjamin Warren on the Dar Es Salam Red course to upgrade fairway bunkers, create six new traps on the 12th hole and renovate more than twenty other bunkers elsewhere on the course.
On the Dar Es Salam Blue course, the upgrade work undertaken by Cabell Robinson and shaper Dean Badwell has produced truly spectacular results. The renovation involved installing a new greenside bunker at the 5th, refurbishing the lake at the 7th and adding eighteen new fairway bunkers throughout the course. The ragged edge styling of these new sand hazards really catches the eye, giving the layout a truly contemporary look.
On one of our day trips away from Rabat, the visit to Plage Des Nations was full of surprises. We knew the new Montgomerie Rabat course was set within a large housing development but we weren’t quite prepared for the enormous scale of this project. We also didn’t foresee the extent of the substantial elevation changes throughout the property – there’s no flat, Marrakech-style landscape here!
There’s a terrific sequence of holes from the 4th to the 7th – the waterfall being built behind the 5th green will be something of a show stopper – with fairways wrapped around a few small lakes before climbing up to higher ground then plunging back down again. The par five 18th is probably the toughest hole on the course and there’s a wicked left to right camber to contend with on this closing hole as the fairway rises steadily uphill to the home green.
It’ll be interesting to see where the course goes from here in the short term because there’s a land dispute affecting the intended playing corridors for holes 11 and 12 at the moment. Until that matter is resolved, the plan is to temporarily split the long 18th hole into two holes and bring another part-time hole into operation elsewhere. That will mean a bit of a trek between the 10th green and 13th tee but at least there will be a cart path installed to smooth the long transit between these holes at the start of the back nine.
To the east of Plage Des Nations, in the Middle Atlas region of Morocco, lies the resort town of Ifrane which the French established during the protectorate era in the late 1930s as a colonial “hill station”. Due to its high elevation above sea level, it enjoys a relatively cool climate during the summer but it’s often snow-bound in winter, hence the predominance of Alpine-style buildings throughout the small town, affording it the somewhat disconcerting appearance of a European ski resort.
The Nicklaus Signature Design golf course here is being built close to the small regional airport on behalf of ONCF, the national railway company, with lead architect Dirk Bouts heading the Golden Bear’s on site team. Just over half the holes have been grassed with cool season grasses (Bluegrass on fairways and rough, bent for tees and greens) with the remaining holes, mainly on the heavily wooded back nine, still under construction.
The terrain is exceptionally rocky in nature so all the fairways have been capped with imported material and the results so far are very impressive. Holes 9, 17 and 18 are routed along a ridge in front of the clubhouse (which is also still being built) with a severe drop off into the valley below so the extreme topography provides a truly stunning conclusion to both nines – hopefully Jack Nicklaus doesn’t suffer from acrophobia or he may have to skip these three holes when he opens the course next year!
There was still time to call in on another course before returning to London and so we attended an all-amateur tournament at Royal Anfa Mohammedia, to the north of Casablanca, where eighty golfers were competing in a shotgun start for the annual Friendship Cup. The origins of the Mohammedia course are shrouded in mystery – there’s not a single photo on any of the clubhouse walls to give any clues – but we suspect French professional Gustave Golias, who set up the original Royal Marrakech course in 1927, may also have had a hand in laying out the fairways here around that time.
We understand that work continues in the background to the north of the country at another Nicklaus Design project in Tamuda Bay. There’s also another 18-hole course about to start further along the Mediterranean coast at Saïdia, with the Plage Des Nations contractor Valtech involved in building this new layout. The Qatari-financed Al Houra course that we visited last year is still waiting to open its doors for play so new golf development in Morocco may have slowed down from its peak of a few years ago but it’s still far from finished.
If you’d like to contact us regarding our latest Moroccan adventure then by all means do so via the “Respond to this article” link at the top or bottom of this page. We’re always happy to receive feedback – be it positive or negative – when we publish these short articles so if there’s anything you’d like to comment on then feel free to contact us.
Jim McCann
Editor
Top 100 Golf Courses
Moroccan golf reaches new heights in the Middle Atlas mountains at Ifrane We were delighted to accept a recent invitation to play the new IMG-managed course at Michlifen Golf & Country Club within Ifrane National Park, located just an hour’s drive south of Fez international airport in the Middle Atlas mountain region. Designed by Jack Nicklaus, the 18-hole layout is the Golden Bear’s first Signature golf course in North Africa and it’s been built to a championship standard that makes it more than capable of hosting both national and international tournaments. We’d actually been to the site during course construction in April of last year, when we were attending the Trophée Hassan II European Tour event at Royal Dar Es Salam Golf Club in Rabat, so it was great to return eighteen months later to see the finished article. The Michlifen course is situated to the southwest of Ifrane, some ten kilometres from the resort’s 5-star chalet hotel, where it was built for ONCF, the national railway company, with architect Dirk Bouts and shaper Russell Curtis heading the Nicklaus design team on the ground. Because the landscape is so rocky in these parts, fairways were capped with imported soil and playing corridors for the last six holes had to be carved through the forest that lies to the south side of the property. By no stretch of the imagination could this course be described as an easy build. Both the front and back nines end in spectacular style with fairways laid out along an escarpment overlooking the market town of Azrou in the distance and the clubhouse terrace perched above this ridge behind the 9th and 18th greens has to be one of the best sundown spots in world golf. Click the link to read more about Michlifen Golf & Country Club It’s a long way to travel to Morocco to visit just one place so we built a little road trip into our excursion, enabling us to have a look at a few other golfing facilities in the north of the country, starting with another IMG operation at the Atalayoun Golf Resort in Nador, on the Mediterranean coast. The recently opened Marchica Golf Academy offers an unrivalled array of practice and learning facilities, including a state-of-the-art Performance Centre, full-scale driving range with proper target green complexes, short game centre and a lovely little par-3 course which runs alongside the lagoon. Led by a small team of Professionals, the Academy not only offers itself as the ultimate golf-learning destination, it will focus on integrating and developing golf within the community as well as identifying and nurturing golfing talent in the country. An hour’s drive east, very close to the Algerian border, lies the popular coastal resort of Saïdia and the decade-old Lacs course at Golf de Saïdia is a Francisco Segales design, routed around a number of sparkling lakes, with both nines finishing in front of the clubhouse. It’s a pleasant resort course to be enjoyed without raising the pulse too much. Nearby, the finishing touches were still being made to Golf de Saïdia’s brand new Teelal course and a very modern two-storey clubhouse when we visited. This 18-hole links-style layout is only the second design from Nicolas Joakimides and he’s set out the course on a sandy 180-acre site next to the beach, shaping much of the course himself. It looks a really fun track – crammed with fairway humps and hollows, sandy waste areas and punchbowl greens – but because it was still growing in we didn’t get a chance to play what appears to be a great new addition to the golf scene in Morocco. Hopefully, we’ll get the opportunity to return next year to properly appraise it. We then headed six hundred kilometres west, from the shores of the Mediterranean Sea to the coastline of the Atlantic Ocean and the harbour town of Larache, where Lixus Beach Resort lies to the north of the port. We’d been alerted to this place six months ago by a golf news item which mentioned its 18-hole championship course was open for play – it was closed when we tried to have a look at it in April last year. Unfortunately, it looks like the course still isn’t actually operating at the moment, which is a real pity as it looks like a very well-constructed layout – having been built to championship standards by Enrique Saenger in 2010 – but the current maintenance regime on the property leaves a lot to be desired. Further south, between Rabat and Mohammedia, we looked in at a Robert von Haage 9-hole design at Bouznika Bay, where the late architect’s partner Rick Baril had overseen the project in the late 1990s. He told us: “We hired a Canadian shaper we had worked with previously and found a great French project manager. A team was built around these two key people, and the project was completed.” “I think we were able to design some interesting holes at Bouznika Bay. Today, I think we could have been even more aggressive with the sandy waste areas – which mainly border one side of many golf holes. But I would be more aggressive with the sandy waste areas today – and allow them to penetrate the fairways in some strategic points.” Our final visit was to another 9-hole course, this time the old layout at Royal Anfa in Casablanca, which is set within an oval horse racing circuit in the north west quarter of the city, less than two kilometres from the corniche that runs along the Atlantic shoreline. Secrétaire Général Mohamed Mekour had extended an invitation to join him for lunch at the clubhouse and it was fascinating to hear him talk about the management of a club that has more than four thousand members, which represents around two thirds of all registered golfers in Morocco. As it was a Friday, when weekly race meetings take place, the course was closed but we were given special permission to inspect the layout by buggy with the course manager. Extending to 2,710 metres from the back markers, this 9-hole circuit plays to a par of 35, ending with a par three hole which requires a carry across a small lake to the home green. Royal Anfa is a nicely laid out track that has served the membership since the 1930s (or 1940s, depending on who you listen to) and the club definitely functions at the heart of Moroccan golf, as witnessed by the sight of several leading officials from the Moroccan Golf Federation enjoying lunch at the next table, following an earlier meeting they’d attended in the clubhouse. All too soon, it was time to depart the Western Kingdom and return once again to the UK. We’ve now been to just about every golf facility in the country, apart from one that opened in the south of the country last year, along with Ron Fream’s 9-hole layout at Settat University which we hadn’t enough time to visit this time around. There are also a few very private tracks laid out within the Royal palaces in Rabat, Fes, Marrakech and Skhirat that we’d like to visit in the future if it was possible to obtain the necessary permission. We’ve played within the palace walls at both Agadir and Meknes so it would be a rather unique golfing achievement to complete the Royal rota but that’s perhaps another story for another day… Jim McCann Editor Top 100 Golf Courses
Golf Courses in North Africa set to Double 9th December 2008 KPMG publishes it's North Africa Golf Benchmark Survey As part of its third annual Golf Benchmark Survey, KPMG has published its first regional report for North Africa. While the region currently has only 43 courses in operation - predominantly in the tourist areas of Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia - there are currently 40-45 golf projects in different phases of planning or construction, many of which are parts of large master-planned resort communities. The study, which focuses on the business performance of golf courses, also reveals that the average gross operating profit margin for 18-hole courses is 25 percent in North Africa, compared to 17 percent in South Africa. However, with green fees making up more than 50 percent of earnings, average revenues at 18-hole courses in North Africa are €945,000, lagging behind other countries including Portugal (€1.8 million), Spain (€1.5 million) and South Africa (€1 million). The average weekend green fee for 18 holes in North Africa is €59, compared to €78 in Portugal, €66 in Spain and just €30 in South Africa. Golf has developed and grown in North Africa in the past 10 years, largely in relation to travel and tourism. Egypt now has 14 courses, compared to just three over a decade ago. Morocco leads with the way with 18 courses and more than half of the region's 9,000 golfers, with Tunisia (10 courses) and Algeria (1 course) making up the remainder. However, there are now between 40 and 45 new golf course projects in different stages of development, underway in North African countries, including Algeria, Libya and Sudan. "This is an important report as this is the first time the North African golf market has been studied in such detail," said Andrea Sartori, head of KPMG's Golf Advisory Practice in EMA. "It is a region that, in golf business terms, has grown over the past decade and continues to develop with a significant number of projects underway. "Our survey found that golf managers were optimistic about the future business prospects for their courses, although our analysis was conducted prior to the full scale unfolding of this autumn's global financial crisis. However, we believe the outlook for the North Africa region remains positive." Other key findings in KPMG's study reveal that: * The average number of rounds played on 18-hole golf courses in North Africa is 20,400. * 89 percent of all rounds are green-fee rounds - only 11 percent are member rounds. * Egypt has the most expensive 18-hole weekend green fees (€66), followed by Tunisia (€46) and Morocco (€40). * Golf participation rates among the local population remain very low, with approximately one golfer for every 10,000 inhabitants. * The average number of members at clubs in North Africa is relatively low (236 members), but is highest in Morocco where the average is 425 members. * The proportion of female (30 percent) and junior members (11 percent) at golf clubs in North Africa is higher than most European regions, although this can be partially explained by a significant number of male expatriate members being joined by their partners and family. * North African courses operate relatively large cart fleets, with 40-50 golf carts on average, with rental fees of around €25 per round. The 2008 Golf Benchmark Survey includes three new regional reports on China, South America and North Africa, plus a comparative report on Europe, the Middle East and Africa. Golf courses submitted key data from 2007 financial results to the overall Golf Benchmark Survey. The survey is designed to help golf course owners and operators compare their own business against high, average and low performers in their geographic markets. From: Cybergoilf
Trump Turnberry has announced the opening of its new 12-hole golf course at Donald Trump’s South Ayrshire resort in Scotland. The par-three course, featuring holes from 70 to 206 yards, is promised to offer “something completely different while maintaining the same commitment to quality”. At £120 for 12 holes, ‘Trump’s Twelve’ is priced at a premium by short-course standards, positioning it as an extension of the Turnberry experience rather than simply an alternative to the resort’s practice facilities. “Trump Turnberry continues to set the standard for world-class golf,” Eric Trump, Executive Vice President of The Trump Organisation said. “The Ailsa and King Robert the Bruce are recognised among the finest championship courses anywhere, and Trump’s Twelve completes an exceptional collection.” Built on land previously occupied by the Arran Course, Trump’s Twelve was designed by Turnberry's in-house team, led by Director of Golf Courses and Estates Allan Patterson. It combines undulating greens, natural wasteland areas and carefully positioned water features, creating a short-course layout for golfers of all abilities. The course’s official opening on August 10 comes after recent enhancements to Turnberry’s Ailsa course and the development of the resort’s PGA-certified Golf Academy and practice facilities. “This new course is another example of our long-term investment in the transformation of Turnberry and our ambition to create unforgettable golfing experiences for every guest who visits the resort,” Trump said. Artificial grass tee-lines ensure every hole has the option of a premium teeing area regardless of the conditions. Turnberry General Manager Nic Oldham said the course is “another exciting addition” to what is believed to be one of the finest golfing experiences anywhere in the world. “Complementing the Ailsa and King Robert the Bruce, this course is every bit as enjoyable for families, Academy guests and experienced players looking to sharpen an important part of their game. It reflects our continued commitment to providing outstanding experiences for every golfer who visits Turnberry." Trump’s Twelve will also serve as an integral part of the Trump Turnberry Golf Academy, providing an ideal environment for beginners taking their first steps into the game, juniors developing their skills and accomplished golfers refining their wedge play, distance control and scoring. "This is a fantastic addition to the academy. Short-game performance is where golfers save shots, and Trump's Twelve gives us an outstanding environment that simply wasn't available before. Whether someone is picking up a club for the first time or preparing for tournament golf, the course allows us to coach every aspect of scoring in realistic playing conditions.” Turnberry Golf Academy Manager Alistair Kyle said. "It will become a key part of our coaching programmes, junior development, family experiences and academy packages while also offering tremendous enjoyment for guests simply looking to play a memorable round."
