Strangely, golfers have been travelling to Morocco for years, though not in the kind of numbers that it perhaps deserves. With a fabulous climate – it gets a good couple of months of hot sun more a year than Mediterranean Europe - wonderful food, surprisingly good local wine, and a rich culture that is a heady mishmesh of European, African and Middle Eastern influences, visiting here is akin to playing golf in paradise; Spain and Portugal are clearly much bigger markets yet those who do make the pilgrimage across the Strait of Gibraltar often get a truly memorable experience.
For years, the only course in the Red City was the Royal Golf Club, built in the 1920s, where you are met by a very traditional, flat, some might say boring course (though now extended to 27 holes) and the obligatory use of a local caddie with limited language skills but also good knowledge. Then in the 1990s came the Palmeraie, designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior, and Amelkis, courtesy of veteran US designer Cabell B. Robinson. Both provided enjoyable rounds though little to really set the pulses racing.
A rather grand vision, led in part by the boom of low-cost airlines mainly from the UK (it’s just a 3-hour flight from London), saw many more courses planned. These were mainly in the flat, fertile lands in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains south of the city, with Assoufid (a private development) and Samanah (Jack Nicklaus designed) leading the way. The economic crash of 2008, though, tempered ambitions somewhat.
Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av Golf Asia.
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Denne historien er fra March 2022-utgaven av Golf Asia.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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PLAYING ALONG THE LINES
ClearPath Alignment now adorns the latest TaylorMade TP5 and TP5x Stripe golf balls.
NG CONTINUES TO BLAZE A TRAIL
Sydnie Ng's victory in the Singapore Junior Masters B Division Girls boosts her potential.
DESCENTE ON THE ASCENT
Descente and FILA Golf gives the renovated The Shop at Laguna National Golf Resort Club a trendy boost.
DIVINE PLEASURES FOR A CAUSE
Christian media ministry TWR Asia finds charitable connections through golf.
TO "D" OR NOT TO "D"?
If you chose “D”, you are right and you would be joining millions of people around the world who are choosing “D” as the one necessary supplement they must include in their daily diet.
QUOTIDIAN LUXURY
Audi's new Q4 e-tron offers everyday comfort and performance through sustainable rides.
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER
Join us as we take a front row seat at Le Mans, one of the greatest races in the world, followed by an exclusive tour of Ferrari's automated factory in Maranello, Italy.
CELEBRATING THE MODERN WOMAN
Patek Philippe's Twenty-4 collection has come a long way since its inception at the turn of the millennium, and this year's anniversary edition is a sign of the times.
THE PRIVILEGE OF MEMBERSHIP
Dragon Golf International offers its members in Singapore with access to top courses around the world. Founder and Managing Director Neil Douglas talks about why it may be the answer to the future of golf travel.
THE LURE OF THE LAKESIDE
Banyan Group's massive new undertaking in Phuket rides on soaring international demand for homes on the island