I have just hit my drive on the first tee at Royal Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Morocco. After having teased me with a distinct ”click” and nice and steady rise, the ball regains its usual trajectory out to the right. Another slice. I long for Bogart's coarse voice, repeating that classic line: Take a Mulligan.
Five courses – Five distinct experiences
When you visit a country where golf is fairly young, the courses are often very similar. A standard design is made, and then you stamp out the courses, cookie-cutter style, one indistinguishable from the next. Not so in Morocco. During a few intensive days we tried five different courses in four cities, and all of the courses were completely different experiences. Positive experiences. We agree with Bogart: Play it again. We'll be back.
First out – Royal Dar es Salam
We start in the capital Rabat. The club Dar es Salaam has the prefix “Royal”, since it was here that King Hassan II played his rounds. The course was built already in 1923, long before Hassan II returned to power in the former French protectorate. But it was Hassan that popularized golf in Morocco. The atmosphere at the club is also somewhat “royal”. Here you won't find any charter tourists, this is where the Moroccan elite and invited guests play. This is also the only Moroccan stop on the European Tour, the Hassan II Trophy that is played around March each year. But the course is open to the public, book a tee time and pay the not too expensive green fee, and play a round. We played “Parcours Rouge”, the red course, which is the best one, and the one that the European Tour tournament is played on. The course maintains a high standard. Some calls it the best course in Africa, but we wouldn't go quite that far. Most of the holes are fairly narrow, and are lined by fully grown Eucalyptus trees. The atmosphere is quiet and calm, you often feel like you are the only group on the course. The course is pretty flat, and at first may seem rather easy. But that is not the case. It is long (6427 meters), the fairways are narrow, and the greens are well guarded by bunkers. The layout is good for all levels of golfers. Even the low handicappers in our group got challenged, even though I myself managed to finish my round without losing a single ball. The back nine opens up a bit, with a lake that borders four holes. The ninth hole, a par 3, is played to an island, a welcome feature after a few hours “in the woods”. More water awaits you on the following holes, but water doesn't really come into play too much. As it should be on a “royal” course, the club house has all the amenities. The food as well as the service is first class all the way, as soon as you set your patience dial in the Morocco position. It doesn't pay to be in a hurry. Play golf at your own pace, but make sure that you have no pressing engagements for the rest of the afternoon. Enjoy the food and the surroundings, turn off your cell phone, and sit back with a cocktail in your hand.
Marrakech
Don't you know we're riding on the Marrakech Express They're taking me to Marrakech All on board that train Those are the words of the famous Crosby, Stills & Nash song ”Marrakech Express” from 1969. Forty years later I sit in the back of a minibus for the five hour long highway ride to Marrakech. “Express” is not what first comes to mind. Times change. Marrakech nowadays is a modern city of more than a million, complete with an international airport. If you are heading here, the best way is definitely by air. Distances are long in Morocco, and the roads are of varying quality. But in Marrakech you still find the old medina, with its large central plaza Djemaa el Fna. Here you'll find snake charmers and jugglers, food stalls and dancing boys, all surrounded by hotels and cafes on one side and the Marrakech souk, the traditional African market, on the other. Or so I hear. We didn't have time to visit the medina, we were here to play golf.
Amelkis Golf Club
In Marrakech you'll find several nice golf clubs, like Palmeraie GC and Marrakech Royal GC. But this time we chose Amelkis GC. Amelkis is a modern style golf course, with plenty of both water and bunkers. One of the low handicappers in our group somewhat snidely called it a typical “Florida course”, maybe because he knew that it was designed by the American Cabell Robinson. And while it does remind you of courses you find in Florida, we didn't see that as a negative. Quite the contrary, the course was varied, in excellent condition, possibly with the exception of the greens that were a bit bumpy. The course is pretty easy, we didn't manage to lose a single ball, but not boring. The back nine is most beautiful, with a lot of water and more interesting holes. The course is suited to all levels of golfers, and is an excellent choice for a golf vacation. After your morning round, a nice lunch choice is the outside restaurant with a view of the 18th green. The food is excellent, but be careful with you wine choice. When we ordered some unspecified red wine, we were surprised when the bill came with a charge of 45 euro for a bottle of Moroccan wine. In other words, check the wine list before you order. After the golf round at Amelkis, we actually made it to the medina. But instead of mixing with regular people, we went to the Mamounia Hotel, inside the wall of the medina, but in a world of its own. This is where Winston Churchill invited Roosevelt for a couple of days of R&R during WWII, where Alfred Hitchcock filmed, and where celebrities like Charlie Chaplin and The Rolling Stones stayed when they were in the neighborhood. The hotel has just been completely renovated for USD 176 million, and it shows. The utmost of luxury everywhere. Treat yourself to a walk in the hotel and beautiful garden, it is free, as opposed to the rooms that start around 700 USD a night. But for that you get excellent service, the hotel has four employees per room.
Heading to the coast
After the desert heat of Marrakech it was nice to take the “Express” to the coast and the charming art community town of Essaouira. A new freeway that is currently under construction might make Essaouira into a “suburb” of Marrakech, but right now it is a bumpy ride of about three hours. In earlier times, Essaouira was an important harbor, with goods coming via Marrakech from as far away as Timbuktu, with destinations in Europe and the New World. Nowadays the town is kind of an arts center with plenty of galleries. It is also known as “the Woodstock of Morroco” due to the yearly music festival that attracts artists from all over the world. Jimi Hendrix was one of the artists that put Essaouira on the map. The pace is slow, the climate is just right, and the beach is long and well protected from wind and waves by the island of Mogador. You will also find an old medina with many arts and craft stores. All of this we learned at breakfast from a group of tourists, part of an art club, visiting town. We didn't have a chance to see the town, because we were here to play
The world's best free golf course
A couple of miles south of Essaouira you find Golf de Mogador, a brand new resort and golf course, designed by Gary Player. At the moment, most of it resembles a giant construction site, but the first of two planned golf courses is completely finished. And the greenfee was right within our budget – free. But you have to hurry, the offer is only valid until the end of October 2009. After that, the price will be 30 euro until the construction of the hotel is finished, then 70 euro. We'll say it right up front. This was definitely the best of the five courses we played on this trip. The layout was both interesting and challenging, without being to difficult for a mid-level golfer. Even the low handicappers appreciated the course, a real challenge from the black tees. In short, a course for everyone. The course was in wonderful condition (due to the efforts of 80 maintenance workers), especially considering that the course had just opened. The course is right next to the Atlantic, with many holes having magnificent ocean views. Hole 17 is uphill all the way, and when you get to the green at the top, you have a wonderful view of the town of Essaouira and the island of Mogador. The only minor problem were the last two holes, 17 with a blind tee shot, and 18 with a blind approach. Too bad on an otherwise near perfect design. Under construction is a second, 18 hole course. This course is said to be even more spectacular, climbing even higher, with even more fantastic views. The hotel is also feverishly being worked on, and also started is the construction of a small, Provence-style village adjacent to the hotel. The village will be open to everyone, not just the golf guests. It all promises to be a magnificent resort. You can get to Essaouira from Agadir in about 2.5 hours by car.
American Mall, Las Vegas, or Ireland?
Last out this time around was Mazagan Resort, a mega-project designed by the somewhat controversial Sol Kerzner (Sun City), Dubai World (Jumeirah Golf Estates) and, again, Gary Player. 350 million dollars has been invested so far, and the whole thing is due to be completed in the fall of 2009. When we arrived in mid-October, the hotel had been open for one day! Mazagan is located just north of the town of El Jadida, along the Atlantic a few hours south of Casablanca. When you drive over the hill and get your first glimpse of the hotel, your first impression is that you must be in the wrong place. From a distance, it looks like a big American shopping mall, complete with a giant parking lot out front (who drives here?). Once inside, your impression changes, and now you are reminded of Las Vegas. Five hundred guest rooms, marble everywhere, large open space, buffet restaurants, and a large casino. You almost need a compass to find your way around. My room was in “Sector 7” I was told, and I had somehow ended up in “Sector 1” in the hunt for my room. It felt like a science fiction movie. Once on the golf course, yet another impression – now it feels like Ireland, just warmer. Maybe it was the thick fog rolling in from the Atlantic that reinforced the feeling. A bit later when we had climbed to higher ground at hole 13 and got a full view of the course, it again reminded us of an Irish links course, not unlike Dooks. Half the holes run along the ocean, with a definite links character. The other half is more like a typical park course. Exactly what the final feel of the course will be we will see in a few years, when trees and golf villas are all in place. The course is fairly long, but not especially difficult, at least not when the wind is not blowing. Most fairways are wide and open, with not too many bunkers. It is for the most part easy to find the ball even when you miss the fairway, the only complication is the succulent Icicle plant that covers large portions of the rough. The ball looks like it is playable, but don't be fooled. The leaves of the Icicle plant are “succulent”, which for a golfer translates to “like chewing gum”. A low handicapper in our group looked mighty surprised when he looked up to follow the ball flight after a fine shot, only to seconds later find the ball still at his feet. Mazagan Resort is definitely a course that can stand playing more than once. And the hotel turned out to be quite nice once you learned how to find your way around. Many fine restaurants to choose from, a nice pool area, and what seems like an endless beach just below the hotel.
Bonus course – Royal El Jadida
The early bird catches the bonus round, and we managed to squeeze in an extra round of golf at Royal El Jadida, a couple of miles south of Mazagan Resort. El Jadida is a charming coastal course just north of town. It starts out as a forest course with several quite interesting holes, many doglegs where you have to think and play strategically, not just bang it out there with the driver. After a few holes the course opens up with a number of water hazards. The holes forces you to choose your clubs carefully, without being overly difficult. The back nine start out with several holes around a beautiful lake. Hole 12 punishes the slicer, but if you hit it straight you are rewarded with a short approach. But the green is well guarded by bunkers. The three finishing holes run along the Atlantic. Hole 16 is the signature hole, with a wonderful view of the ocean behind the green. Adjacent to the course is Hotel Sofitel, built in a Mediterranean style. If you can afford it, book one of the two story suites with a view of the town of El Jadida from the tennis court size balconies. The regular rooms are also quite nice, and prices are reasonable. A good way to spend a golf vacation. Unfortunately the greens were not in very good condition when we visited in October 2009. They claim to be working on the problem, but check online reviews before you go.
Morocco as a golf destination
So what overall impression did we come away with? As a whole, Morocco is a very nice choice for a golf trip. All of the courses we played were definitely worth the visit. The hotels were all very good. The only, minor complaint was the price of alcohol. A bit of a downer to face a bill of 30 dollars after a few after-golf beers. We don't recommend that you travel around as much as we did. The roads are of varying quality, and traffic is sometimes quite heavy. Your best option is probably a pre-packaged golf vacation to one of the towns, and then letting the golf host guide you to the courses.
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