Morocco, Where Great Climate Meets Top-Notch Courses
All Square 4min read •
29 Jan 2018
The cities along Morocco’s coast, Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, have long been the centre of golf in the country; Royal Tangiers Golf Club dates back to 1917. The great promoter of the game was King Hassan II, who was a true golf fanatic. The King even convinced Butch Harmon to come to the country to serve as his private tutor for two years.
In the early Seventies, the King established a competition in his own name, the Hassan II Trophy. Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, hands-down the finest layout in Morocco, still plays annual host to the event.
It seems only a matter of time before players from Europe take notice of the great climate and top-notch but affordable courses that Morocco offers.
Assoufid Golf Club
A golf course of unrivalled beauty, Assoufid Golf Club is home to one of the finest layouts in Morocco. Designed by Scottish golf professional Niall Cameron, Assoufid is unlike any other golf course in Marrakech, using the unique undulating terrain to great effect. The eco-friendly 18-hole layout, flanked by date palms, cacti, and olive trees, winds its way through the desert. It can’t but help stop you in your tracks with incredible views of the snow-capped High Atlas Mountains. A testing par-72 championship golf course, Assoufid’s imaginative design has resulted in a golf course that is sure to provide all levels of golfers with a challenging and rewarding golfing experience.
King Hassan II developed a passion for golf soon after his coronation and began having courses built at every one of his residences. Coming upon a most promising 1100-acre estate outside Rabat, Morocco’s capital city, the King created a sprawling 45-acre golf complex called Royal Golf Dar Es Salam. Wanting nothing but the best, he brought in Robert Trent Jones to design the layout. Just two years later, in 1971, US Open champ Orville Moody would win the first ever Trophy Hassan II competition on the Rouge Course. With plenty of length from the tips, the Rouge certainly puts players through their paces. Jones uses water in his course subtly and to great effect, an excellent example being the 500-yard, par 3 9th.
A Gary Player design, Mazagan Golf Club is the longest layout in Morocco. It is also among the finest. Inspired by Player’s links triumphs, the par 72 runs alongside the beach, following the contours of the dunes and natural features of the land. The course was designed with focus on respecting this environment. The result is a layout which has conserved the natural character of the land while offering wonderful sea views. This provides a unique challenge to champion golfers. However, it has several tees, making it accessible to all levels of player.
Taghazout is located just 15 minutes north of Agadir and set in the heart of the Taghazout Bay resort. The course serves up several spectacular holes, set amidst Argan trees, with the stunning Atlantic Ocean as a backdrop. Designed by Kyle Phillips, every hole presents golfers with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean. A complete range of facilities is available for visitors. The clubhouse, from its elevated position, commands a dramatic cliff-top setting and stunning views over the magnificent bay of Taghazout as well as excellent views to the 18th green. Meanwhile, the 150-room Hyatt Place Taghazout Bay Hotel, located adjacent to the Golf Club, offers first class accommodation for golf and spa breaks.
Mogador Golf Course lies just 3 km from the old town of Essaouira. The majestic Gary Player design is sandwiched sand dunes and the Atlantic Ocean.
Meandering its way through dense forest, the course opened for play in 2010. Mogador has some of the best par-3’s in Morocco, especially the 11th which carves its way through the sand dunes. The resort also boasts some fantastic facilities, as well as a renowned teaching academy, “The Mogador Golf Academy”.
Opened for play in 2008, Samanah Country Club is Jack Nicklaus’ first design in Morocco.
The course is in south Marrakech, just next to the Royal Palm Golf Club and it is surrounded by enormous residential estates featuring luxury facilities. Stretching 6675 meters from the back tees, the course features generously proportioned fairways, with plenty of room for error off the tee. Offering desert golf, with the mountains as the backdrop, Samanah is a beautiful destination to enjoy a round.
Samanah Country Club also has great practice facilities and is often the meeting point of national elite teams.
