Marrakesh is Morocco’s fourth-largest city and one of its most historic; it has for centuries been renowned for its heaving souk, its elegant palaces and its intricate berber carpets.
One of the city’s more recent attractions is its collection of golf courses. There are in fact almost 150 holes dotted around the outskirts of the city.
There is so much golf, in fact, that it is extremely hard to know where you should play. Even on a week-long trip here you would have to choose carefully in order to play the best courses – and there is a good deal of variation in quality.
There is also a pleasing amount of variety to the style of courses – with the common theme the backdrop of the usually snow-capped Atlas Mountains.
The courses are helpfully grouped together in two pockets, the weather is superb all-year-round, the accessibility is excellent and the value for money exceptional.
Golf in Morocco: Assoufid
It has, as you will discover later on, a good deal of competition, but Assoufid is in this golfer’s opinion the best course in Marrakesh.
It what is an impressive debut as a course designer, it was laid out skilfully across a gently undulating site by European Tour player-turned-architect Niall Cameron.
Assoufid opened in 2014, and as is standard in Marrakesh you play towards snow-covered Atlas Mountains on the front nine before the shaaba – a natural dry river that meanders the length of the course – becomes a feature on many holes.
Only on the par-5 8th, where Scotsman Cameron had to cut into it a hill to get the dog-leg to work was much earth moved. The rest of the ‘construction’ was, as Assoufid’s director of golf Guy Maxwell, another Scotsman, says “was like laying a carpet”.
One of the most impressive aspects of Assoufid is that while it is exacting enough to host a pro tournament, it is also forgiving for the higher handicapper as a result of the lack of rough and water; you’ll always find unique ball here.
Advertisement
Assoufid has generally flat greens, other than a valley in the 15th green, but some of the deeper bunkers in the city.
I especially loved the par-5 14th, with trees in the middle a la Woburn Marquess’ 7th. Oh, and there will be no course in Marrakesh in better condition.
Golf in Morocco: Palm Ourika
Palm Ourika is one of the city’s new courses, having been open for two years, and is the closest course to the Atlas Mountains, so you get a great view of them from the 10th tee.
Amelkis was designed by Cabell Robinson and has hosted the Ladies European Tour. There are three loops of nine and while there is nothing spectacular about any of them it is perfectly pleasant, with dramatic waterside holes to finish the nines.
You can expect lush fairways, large sandy waste areas and the odd tall palm tree, but also has some fun in the form of semi-blind tee shots with ‘barber pole’ guidance.
We really liked the 5th, with its cool rollercoaster-like fairway that could be on a Scottish links. It is a hole that fits into the terrain beautifully.
Other highlights include the dog-leg right 7th, that plays all round a turquoise lake, and the 17th, which plays to a table-top green surrounded by a moat of sand.
Golf in Morocco: Royal Palm
It was predictable that a course attached to a high-end resort such as Royal Palm would be beautifully manicured (and indeed it was along with Assoufid the best)… but it is a lot more than that.
It is also laced with architectural nuance, injected into this impressive resort by American designer Cabell Robinson.
Advertisement
There are interesting features throughout, such as the double green that links the 8th – the largest and funkiest on the course – with the 12th, which in contrast is a flat surface.
So, while even mis-hit approaches to this par 4 and 3 respectively might find short grass, but you could very easily face the prospect of a 40ft putt over a knuckle.
In addition to double greens, it has sporty par 4s, benched greens, and split fairways, as well as dramatic holes based around water features that are more common to resorts.
The 14th is also terrific, a short par 4 that turns right to left and allows you to have a crack at the green or lay up and still face a wedged approach to a slightly elevated, angled green.
There are no houses to spoil the enjoyment either.
Golf in Morocco: Noria
Noria was another huge surprise of the trip. I’d never read anything positive about it before arriving but it was such good fun and the square water features and square greens sum up its distinctive nature.
The Jacklin was designed by the former Ryder Cup captain. It is surrounded by residences and the pick of the holes is probably the 10th, with water to left of the wide fairway, and a sandy waste area on the right.
It is summed up by the 9th and 18th that parallel to each other heading back to the clubhouse. A 4ft-wide moat – again very linear and straight – runs between the holes then flows into a rectangle of water between the square greens.
Along with Assoufid and Royal Palm, it is one of my must plays for a trip to Marrakesh.
Our travel editor’s guide to golf in Morocco continues on the next page, including the capital’s showstopper…
Golf in Morocco: Samanah
Samanah was built in 2008 by Nicklaus Design and this course of wide fairways, greenside swales and well-bunkered greens has hosted the Ladies European Tour.
Advertisement
After an open front nine, the second half steps up the pace and is nicely defined by trees while a pond also plays a key role. That is especially true on the 16th and the par-3 17th, played almost all the way over water.
Golf in Morocco: Royal Marrakesh
Royal Marrakesh lies in the eastern outskirts of Marrakesh and is its pedigree course having been founded in 1927.
It has 27 holes – 18 on the Old (re-designed by Arnaud Massy, the first foreign player to win The Open) and nine on the New (2008) – that play across a gently undulating site that is populated by dense corridors of mature trees.
In extremely good condition, the greens are quite large with subtle undulations as opposed to humps and hollows.
English architect Jonathan Davison is undertaking a bunker renovation here and it has much potential so could be a real attraction once he has finished his work.
The famous American architect Robert Trent Jones Snr designed Palm Golf and this 27-hole course north of the centre sprawls over 120 hectares including 11 lakes.
The first 18 holes form what is definitely the main course, routed in two loops either side of the clubhouse and hotel.
The first two holes follow the hotel on the left then you turn to play around a lake on the right. Water is regularly in play, such as on the short, risk-reward par-4 3rd, and there are some nice green complexes here, with knuckles and bumps providing interest.
The second nine ends with a scorecard-wrecking 17th next to villas – the closest you get to any property – which plays almost totally over water apart from a 20ft landing zone in front of the green and with a bunker to the left.
Advertisement
The Montgomerie was designed by the Scotsman in association with European Golf Design. It is a fine technical course with some exacting holes, such as the 5th, with lots of drive bunkers and an upturned green.
The extra nine, to the left of the main course’s 4th, is characterised by open terrain with dry lakes acting like quarries.
Golf in Morocco: Al Maaden
Al Maaden was designed by Kyle Phillips and arguably the safest pair of hands in golf course architecture has not disappointed here either. We expect it to mature into one of Marrakesh’s finest.
Part of a high-end development with a chic clubhouse, residences and a Park Hyatt hotel, it sprawls over a flat site with only shrubs for shelter from breezes. Water plays an intriguing part on the closing hole, with a lake divided up by walls to produce a unique quilt-like effect.
Golf in Morocco: Travel essentials for your trip
Accommodation
There are two perfect bases, in the north and south. Royal Palm in the south west is a luxury resort with lots of amenities so is perfect for families. The rooms are swish and the food high quality. In the north, Palmeraie Palace sits to the 2nd of Palm Golf and is aptly named given its grand, ornate decor.
Price point
This is a big advantage of Marrakesh compared to other year-round venues outside Europe. Getting there is amazingly cheap; book early enough and you can make the four-hour flight for comfortably under £120 return. Then you can find a deal that gets you excellent accommodation and lots of high-quality golf for something like £300.
When to go
In summary, from mid June to mid September it is probably too hot for all but the most devoted sun worshipper. The two months either side of that period are glorious – perfect weather that allows you to play golf comfortably and also swim in a warm pool – and then December to February is ‘just’ dry and warm.
Advertisement
The journey
Around three hours from the UK (with a tail wind you can do it in under three from a southerly airport) will take you to Marrakesh Menara.
You can fly to this sparkling airport from Liverpool, Stansted and Luton – and return flights are very cheap. Once there, you might want to hire a car – but plot your courses on a map to see how much travelling is required, because we have more experience than most of driving abroad but had to have our wits about us in Marrakesh. So if you’re not confident, stick to taxis.
Area guide: Central Algarve, Portugal
