Sports & leisure in Morocco
Golf is very popular in Morocco, partly because King Hassan II was an internationally ranked practitioner of the game. Some of the best-known of the country's 16 golf courses are located at the Royal Dar es Salaam Golf Club in Rabat, which has three courses and annually hosts the internationally renowned Hassan II Trophy. Agadir has three courses: the Agadir Royal Golf Club is a par 36 while the beautiful Dunes Golf Club has three 9-hole par 36 courses (designed by a disciple of Robert Trent Jones). The third course, set around lakes, palm trees and eucalyptus, is the 5 star Golf du Soleil, which is a 27-hole par 72.
The Marrakech Royal Golf Club is an 18-hole par 72 course located at the foot of the Atlas mountains. Marrakech has two other 18-hole courses: the Palmeraie Golf Club, designed by Robert Trent Jones in a setting with views of the Atlas mountains as well as easy access to the Atlantic beaches nearby; and the Amelkis Golf Club.
Other 18-hole courses include Ben Slimane and El Jadida (both near the Atlantic coast), Mohammedia Royal Golf Club (near Casablanca) and the Tangier Royal Golf. Apart from the Hassan II Trophy (see above), the Moroccan Open and Hassan II Challenge are noteworthy tournaments. The Mohammed VI Golf Trophy is held in Dar Essalam Royal Golf course in Rabat at the end of March. Altogether, there are approximately 30 golf courses in the country, including several new ones. A useful golf brochure and information on golfing holidays can be obtained from the Moroccan National Tourist Board.
Course Listing & Directory
AGADIR
Golf Les Dunes
Address: Golf Club Med les Dunes, Agadir
Holes: 27
Metres: N/A
Par: 72
Telephone: 08834690 Fax: 08834649
Set on gently rolling land amid eucalyptus trees. Large expanses of water. Caddies are mandatory. Designed by architect, Cabell Robinson.
Royal Golf Club of Agadir
Address: Km 12 Route Ait Melloul Agadir
Holes: 9
Metres: 3600
Par: 36
Telephone: 1-08 24 12 78
Fairways lined with pines, mimosa and eucalyptus. Large greens. Many deep bunkers. Caddies are mandatory.
Golf du Soleil
Holes: 27
New layout, opened in 1999. 85 hectares. Eucalyptus lined fairways, tamaris, mimosas and palm trees. 3 lakes that bring water in play on 6 holes.
CASABLANCA
Ben Slimane Golf Club
Address: Avenue des FAR BP 83 Ben Slimane
Holes: 9
Metres: 3100
Par: 36
Telephone: 1-03 32 87 93
Water in play highlights almost all of the course - 5 large lakes. Greens are large and wide and guarded by deep bunkers. Set among many tamaris and eucalyptus trees. Caddies are mandatory.
Golf Club of Anfa
Address: Hippodrome d'Anfa-Casablanca
Holes: 9
Metres: 2710
Par: 35
Telephone: (02) 36 53 55 & (02) 36 10 26
Fax: (02) 39 33 74
Set in the heart of Casablanca at the Anfa-Casablanca Racecourse. Shortness of the course is deceptive - imagination and skill required to score well.
EL JADIDA
Royal Golf d'el Jadida
Address: Km 7 Route de Casablanca BP542, El Jadida
Telephone: (03) 35 22 51
El Jadidah Golf Hotel
Telephone: (03) 35 41 41
DAR ES-SALAM
Royal Golf Dar Es-Salam
Address: Dar Es-Salam, Rabat
Red Course
Holes: 18
Metres: 6702
Par: 73
Blue Course
Holes: 18
Metres: 6205
Par: 72
Green Course
Holes: 9
Metres: 2170
Par: 32
Telephone: 1-07 75 58 64
Set in a forest of cork, oak and eucalyptus trees. Gently rolling terrain with some water in play. Robert Trent Jones design. Red course is rated in the top 100 golf courses in the world by GOLF Magazine. Caddies are mandatory.
EL JADIDA
Golf Club of El Jadida
Address: Km 7 route de Casablanca, El Jadida
Holes: 18
Metres: 6274
Par: 72
Telephone: 1-1-03 35 22 51
Backs onto the Atlantic ocean. Lush greens with fairways lined with cypress and pine trees and rose and jasmine flowers. Caddies are mandatory.
FES
Fes Royal Golf Club
Address: Route d'Ifrane-Imouzzer-Ain Chegag
Holes: 9
Metres: 3168
Par: 37
Telephone: 1-07 76 38 49
Countryside olive grove setting with mountain views. Undulating fairways and sloping greens. Large lake in play on three holes. Greens well guarded by many bunkers including one of 1200 square metres. Caddies are mandatory.
MARRAKECH
La Palmeraie Golf Course
Address: Les Jardins de la Palmeraie, Circuit de la Palmeraie, BP 1488, Marrakech
Holes: 18
Metres: 6214
Par: 72
Telephone: 1-04 30 10 10
By any criteria an outstanding course. Designed by Robert Trent Jones, this classical US-style course with its seven lakes is an ideal place for holiday golfers of all abilities, offering a gentle start and a tough finish with some adventures in between. The clubhouse has a restaurant and bar, lessons can be arranged, and clubs can be rented.
Club Amelkis
Address: Km 12, Route de Ouarzazate, Marrakech Holes: 18
Metres: 6657
Par: 72
Telephone: (212-4) 44 92 84 and 40 30 46
Possibly the most visually striking course in Morocco, this is a typical Cabell B Robinson creation, (6,657m, par 72). Punctuated by palm groves and water traps, golfers of all levels cannot fail to be enthralled.
Royal Marrakech Golf Club
Address: BP 634, Ancienne route de Ouarzazate, Marrakech
Holes: 18
Metres: 6200
Par: 72
Telephone: 1-04 44 43 41
The Atlas mountains provide a background to this course that will offer you a test of your shot making skills. Magnificent setting among eucalyptus, orage and cypress. Caddies are mandatory.
MEKNES
Golf Club of Meknes
Address: Bab Belkari Jnane Lbahraoui Meknes
Holes: 9
Metres: 2707
Par: 36
Telephone: 1-05 53 07 53 Fax: 05) 55 05 04
Set in the heart of the imperial city of the Sultan Moulay Ismaïl. Floodlights allow night play. Caddies are mandatory.
MOHAMMEDIA
Mohammedia Golf Club
Address: BP 12 Mohammedia
Holes: 18
Metres: 5917
Par: 72
Telephone: 1 - 03 32 46 56
Situated on the coast to the south of the capitol city of Rabat.
QUARZAZATE
Golf Club of Warzazate
Address: BP 83, Ouarzazate
Holes: 9
Metres: 3150
Par: 36
Telephone: 1 - 02 88 26 53
TANGIER
Royal Golf Club of Tangier
Address: BP 41, Tangier
Holes: 18
Metres: 5545
Par: 70
Telephone: 1-09 94 44 84
The course wanders through Cypress, pine and eucalyptus tgrees while crossing a small hill. Built in 1917.
TETOUAN
Cabo Negro Golf Club
Address: BP 696 G Tetouan
Holes: 18
Telephone: 1-09 97 83 03
Nine hole course designed by Hawtree & Sons. Greens guarded by dense shrubbery. Some water in play. Caddies are mandatory.
Morocco’s Plan Azure Resorts & Golf
As part of Morocco’s Plan Azure tourism initiative, six new coastal resorts are now being developed and most will include at least one new 18-hole golf course. The Mediterrania-Saidia Resort will have three new 18-hole golf courses with the first ready to play by early 2007.
Sahara Tours
Many tour companies in Morocco (mainly based out of Marrakech) offer Sahara overland tours in custom Land Rovers or even on camel back; overnight stays in Moroccan tents are also quite popular.
FISHING
There are many opportunities for fishing in the quiet waters of the rivers and lakes throughout the country and well as deep sea fishing.
Trout can be fished in the wadis and more challenging in the gorges. Pike, black bass, perch, roach, carp, eels and barbels are plentiful in the lakes (the season generally being from May - June according to species).
Bonitos, sea perch, mullet, chad and sea bream are abundant in the Oceans. Several ports are equipped for deep sea fishing, for example Sakhla in the Sahara and Mohammedia near Casablanca, where you can go out and fish for tuna, swordfish, marlin, grouper and barracudas.
Moroccan National Fisheries Office - BP 20300, Casablanca, Tel: +(212) 2 240551 Fax: +(212) 2 242305
AERIAL SPORTS
There are several aeroclubs in Morocco where you can indulge in Aviation, parachuting, ULM, gliding, deltaplane, parachute gliding and hot air ballooning.
Royal Moroccan Federation for Light Aviation & Aerial Sports Rabat Tel: +(212) 7 708347 Fax: +(212) 7 706958
MOTORSPORTS
Morocco plays host to some of the greatest international competitions; including the Paris-Dakar and Atlas Rallies. There are thousands of kilometres of tracks giving enthusiasts a wide selection of challenges. You can choose from tiny "quad" to the heavy long chassis four wheel drive, with or without driver. Contact a travel agent or a car hire company.
"The Friendship Raid" is open to motor bikes and found wheel drives, running from Tangier to Rabat and crossing the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara. It is not against the clock and it is an ideal opportunity to meet and get to know other like-minded people.
For more information contact: A.O.I. 67 rue Nationale, 60800, Crépy en Volois , France Tel: +(33) 1 4459 1041 Fax: +(33) 1 4459 0576
HIKING & TREKKING
In Morocco, the four mountain ranges including the ATLAS chain and the RIF mountain range, provide an excellent opportunity for those who enjoy trekking, hiking and climbing. All of them are accessible to people in good physical condition. Perhaps the most popular is Le Deren, in the High Atlas. Certain peaks of the High Atlas remain snow-capped throughout the year.
Of all the mountain sports practiced in Morocco, trekking (on foot or by ski) is one of the best ways to appreciate this vast and little-visited area. The mountains are beautiful and wild, yet they are well organised for hikers with qualified guides, a good network of refuges for night stopovers, hire of pack mules and cross country bikes
A list of refuges can be obtained from The Moroccan National Tourist Office or The Club Alpin Français, BP. 6178 Casablanca 01 Tel: +(212) 2 27 00 90 Fax: +(212) 2 29 72 92
Royal Moroccan Ski & Mountaineering Federation, Parc de la Lique, Arabe, BP 15899, Casablanca Tel: +(212) 2 203798 Fax: +(212) 2 474979
SURFING
In Morocco, those who love to surf can endlessly indulge their pleasure. They can be carried along by the Atlantic waves or the trade winds, slide on the snowy slopes of the Atlas mountains or the dunes of the south.
Royal Moroccan Surfing Federation: - Casablanca Tel: +(212) 2 259530 Fax: +(212) 2 236385
WATER SPORTS
Every kind of water sport is catered for on the Atlantic and Mediterranean coast - Most the hotels on the coastline offer a wide range of water sports: surfing, windsurfing, sailing & yachting, canoeing, rowing, waterskiing, scuba diving and deep sea fishing.
Royal Moroccan Sailboat Federation Rabat Tel:- +(212) 7 670956
Royal Moroccan Yacht Club Rabat: +(212) 7 720264 Mohammedia Tel: +(212) 3 322331
Royal Moroccan Water Skiing & Jetski Federation Casablanca Tel +(212) 2 274938 Fax: +(212) 2 474979
HORSE RIDING
Morocco is an ideal country for horse lovers. The main riding centres can be found in Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Meknes, Fez, Oujda, Ouirgane and Tangier.
TENNIS
In Morocco, tennis is played on clay courts. Challenging and exciting play can be found at all major resorts where tennis is a very popular sport.
Skiing in Morocco
You can ski in the High Atlas from January to March. Alpine skiing is best at Oukaimeden, 70 km south of Marrakech, otherwise go to Mischliffen in the Middle Atlas on the doorstep of Meknes and Fez. These resorts are equipped with good rental equipment and several ski lifts. Fans of cross-country skiing also have a wide choice: the massifs in the Rif, the Middle and High Atlas all offer exciting itineraries.
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