When you think about overseas golf destinations most people will think of Spain, Portugal, Florida and Dubai but you might be a little surprised to hear that Morocco is an astonishing country for golf. Morocco is one of the great undiscovered golfing destinations with 18 golf courses at present and a target to construct more than 30. Adjacent to the North Atlantic and boasting over 300 days of sunshine a year with perfect year round golfing weather and only a three hour flight from London, Morocco is an ideal place to visit for golf enthusiasts.

The golf courses in Morocco are very easy to get on to and even on a busy day a round will not take more than 4 hours. The greens are beautifully manicured and the fees are very reasonable with most courses charging around £25 a round. In some cases caddies are compulsory as well but are also very reasonable at around £5-6 a time.

Golf has become very popular in Morocco over the last decade or so and is increasing in popularity all the time. The courses are dotted around the country so where ever you are it is not too difficult to find somewhere to play, however the most popular place for golf is Marrakech.

Marrakech – Golf has been played in Marrakesh since the 1920’s when the first golf course was built, The Marrakech Royal Golf Club. Situated less than three miles from the city centre this is a very popular course. Set in a dense forest of cypress, eucalyptus and palm trees and overlooked by the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. The course is pretty flat and offers an interesting and challenging round of golf and the club house offers a bar serving light snacks and refreshments. The most recent addition to the courses around Marrakesh is the Amelkis Golf Club. This course is probably the most visually striking course in Morocco with wide expansive fairways, lakes and fountains, large sloping greens and unique waste bunkers. Although the greens are large they are very testing, put your approach in the wrong position and you could easily end up four putting! There is also a fantastic Kasbah style clubhouse with a terrace overlooking the course and the Atlas Mountains. One of the other great courses in Marrakesh is the Palmeraie Golf Club. This 18 hole masterpiece is the creation of Robert Trent Jones, a truly great American course designer. The course is located in a lush oasis spread over 77 hectares and found 15 minutes north of Marrakech. Set amongst thousands of palm trees and interspersed with seven lakes, the start of the round is gentle and eases you in to a tough finish. The luxurious Moorish style clubhouse is a bit of a centrepiece to the whole complex and is a fabulous place to enjoy that post round drink and take in the views beyond the course itself.

Aside from the many courses in and around Marrakech there is excellent choice in other areas of Morocco too. The Royal Dar es Salaam Golf Club in Rabat is home to the annual Hassan II Trophy which has become popular tournament amongst many of the top names in golf. The complex here consists of 45 holes laid out amongst cypress, palm, eucalyptus and cork-oak trees. This is another Robert Trent Jones designed course in Morocco and is made up of 2 18 courses, the Red Course and the Blue Course as well as the 9 hole Green Course. The splendid clubhouse offers amazing facilities including changing facilities, a swimming pool and a French restaurant. There are also great practice facilities with a driving range and putting green. In Agadir there are many courses to choose from but perhaps the best of these is the awesome Golf du Soleil. This a five-star golfing facility consisting of 27-holes set around lakes, palm trees and eucalyptus. This is also the newest addition to golf in Agadir and was opened in 1999 and designed by Fernando Muella. The beautiful settings allow golfers of all abilities to enjoy the views and landscaping even if your round is not going exactly to plan. With many other facilities here including a golf school, driving range, putting green and a clubhouse with marvellous terraces this is a most for those visiting Agadir.

Golf in Morocco is varied and with prices so reasonable it is something everyone can enjoy on a visit here. With tourism continuing to grow and a large focus of Moroccan tourism aimed at the golfer facilities and courses are only going to improve further from what is already a great standard and choice.