In Morocco, golf is a more than just a sport . . . it’s tradition!
For a little over a century, golf courses have been cropping up across the country. There are currently 37 that invite you to indulge your passion under ideal conditions against beautiful backdrops and with access to the most modern infrastructure.
In the north, the Mediterranean looms on the horizon as you drive your ball. In Tetouan, Lixus and Tangier, you will walk through the shade of pine and fir trees and skirt paths bordered by flowers.
On the Atlantic coast and in the interior, the golf experience is quite different. This is where sports and culture intermingle. In Meknes, you can enjoy the course, which abuts the walls of the city, day and night thanks to its spotlights. Morocco’s links mesh harmoniously with the surrounding natural setting. To up your game, try the spectacular course in Mazagan, which presents serious challenges to the most experienced golfers.
In Marrakesh, the scenery is something else: its bunkers, fairways and greens unfurl to the Atlas foothills. These jagged horizons are sometimes broken by the lovely sights of a palm grove.
Finally, in the extreme south, Agadir is home to sumptuous courses. Bask in the sun amidst the dunes and fall under the spell of the surrounding vegetation as you practice your favourite hobby in what surely must be heaven on earth.
The first greens, which appeared in Tangier in 1914, were designed by the famous British architects Cotton & Pennink. In 1930, the second golf course of the Kingdom was born: the Royal Golf of Mohammedia: still very British and in the purest Scottish tradition. Three years earlier in 1927, the Marrakech Pacha imagined the Royal Golf of Marrakech, which was finally established in 1933.
These three courses represented in the 30’s the very essence of golfing in Morocco and it took time for new golf courses to be built. In the early 1970’s Morocco started a large scale golf program, inspired by the visionary late King, Hassan II. He launched the largest golf course in the Kingdom, the Dar Es Salam Golf Course: 45 holes designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior. While the prestigious Hassan II Golf Trophy was used as a powerful advertising medium internationally to put Morocco’s golf offering on the map.
Golf in Morocco has been developing ever since, to become a full fledged tourism niche product with famous golf destinations. Today, 38 golf courses are spread out onto the entire Moroccan territory and amateurs will soon be able to walk the greens of about 45 golf courses throughout the country by 2020.
It’s about a lot more than simply golfing . . .
From the North to the South, experiencing golf in Morocco depends on whether Golfers want to discover sunny beach resorts, to experience the game at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, the Mediterranean or the cities famous for their history and culture.
Morocco is offering golf amateurs and professionals multiple landscapes. Golfing in Morocco is part of a much wider tourism offering. As a matter of fact, a wide range of hotels is offering various activities related to wellbeing, nature and adventure, water sports…
The Moroccan open sky offers very good connections to and between the major tourist destinations. Thus making Morocco an ideal golf break destination. Located less than three hours flight away from the major European capitals, Morocco offers nice weather and pleasant temperatures throughout the year together with golf courses designed by the most famous international architects.
Players will enjoy a high diversity of golf courses, in terms of landscape as well as playing techniques. Other advantages are the highly competitive green fees as well as the low caddies’ fees.
More new courses and hotels on the way . . .
Building on its strong foundation, the Moroccan golf offering will strongly develop by 2020, supported by the country’s ambitious strategy, targeting European, American and Asian markets.
The market is indeed growing 2.5 times faster than the overall tourist market. Taking into account this dramatic growth, Morocco is committed to significantly improve its golf offering in the coming years.
About half a dozen new golf courses are being built and should be ready by 2020, offering new touristic destinations. As a matter of fact, apart from Saidia on the Mediterranean and Mazagan, Mogador Lixus and Taghazout on the Atlantic (first resorts delivered within the framework of the Azur plan), new golf courses will open at Marchica and Oued Chbika.
More golf courses in Morocco, but also significantly more hotel beds will be available throughout the country with new four and five stars hotels along the sublime Moroccan coastal areas.
View more information on Golf in Morocco in this comprehensive guide . . .
