Magical Morocco

A short fight three and half hour flight from London safely delivers me into Marrakech, Morocco situated in the North West corner of Africa and about the same size as California in the USA.

Arrival day gave me a few hours to kill, so I took advantage of this and went to Al Maaden golf course to get a feel for the golf club and managed to sneak in a quick nine holes before sunset where the golfer in me was quickly replaced by the inner photographer (in training).  Al Maaden is unique, it has art and statures dotted around the course, and with the sun setting caused great hilarity as one pose after another overtook my appreciating of art replacing it with mad sense of artistic fun.  But the golf course itself didn’t really float my boat as I played that nine holes.  

With reservation, I did play the same course again the next day in a competition, and starting on the tenth hole gave me a whole new perspective and appreciating for the golf course.  In my opinion the back nine is the stronger of the two, there were more interesting holes and of course the quirky statues and art continued weaving themselves into the relatively flat landscape.  The art took on a whole new form when it was in play as it was on a few of the hotels as water hazards.  The irrigating system was fed by a series of aggressive straight lined abstract ponds, as if drawn by a computer aided picasso, challenging my obsession with symmetry with the lines of the ponds not parallel or seemingly giving any consequence to the course, but again I’m glad to say I was wrong, after a while I understood Al Maaden, a traditionally designed course playing with the eye and playing with ones sense of what a golf course could be by adding a unique touches.

Sadly I only got to play that one course in Marrakech, as the next day I was on a bus to the capital of Morocco, Rabat, to play Dar Essalam.  Rabat has a totally different feel to that of Marrakech.  Staying in the View Hotel in the centre of Rabat, it was a shame we didn’t have more tI'me to explore this inviting city as you stood on the hotel balcony taking in everything that you would expect from Morocco with extreme curiosity.

Dar Essalam was a treat as an established parkland course and a typical Robert Trent Jones designed course, with narrow entrances to the greens and strategic water placement sitting in harmony amongst the cork trees.  There was obviously some kind of nut tree too as the caddies took great delight in filling their pockets and spitting the shells during the round in Hansel and Gretel style back to the club house.  Playing just nine holes on the Red course was enough to see what delights this course could offer, shade from the trees on some tight in places fairways to inviting sloping greens added to the beautiful mosaic pattern clubhouse serving traditional food pretty much had me begging to go back for more to share with their friendly membership.

Next stop, Meknes. One of the four Imperial cities Meknes lies in the North of the country with narrow winding streets and Imposing ornate gates as you enter they walled city wondering if the bus can get down those narrow streets noting some buildings carried the scars of less skilful drivers.  It was a bit of a maze, but eventually we popped out in to a relatively open area and parked up.  I didn’t notice at this stage we were actually outside Royal Meknes Golf Club whose Impressive entrance moulded into the walled back drop.  Through a wide gateway and down some cobbled streets bought us to the ‘clubhouse’ where we were scurried away to the first tee. 

Playing this flat course with limited interest at first glance as a golf course did not deter from its old world charm as you meander around the course taking in the walled city casting a quizzical eye over those high dominating walls wondering what they might say if they could talk.  Bearing in mind the nine holes were set in walls of the Royal Palace, it was Impressive to see the course itself, didn’t at all feel closed in.

Caddies are paid a set fee, this seems to be regardless of how many holes you play, but be mindful they wont be afraid to tell you if they want more citing holes in their shoes and chancing their arm at every opportunity, the thing to do is relax and embrace the culture with smile at these harmless friendly rogues, just trying to earn more money for their families.  At Meknes, you must have a caddy, you might get a pull trolley and the caddy will happily pull this alongside you offering help, whether you need it or not, but always with a cheeky, friendly smile.

A drive to Michlifen for a quick lunch, quick in Morocco is still slow.  But the food was great, and I began to wonder if their focus was just as much about food as golf, naturally I wanted both and soon we were playing off the tenth at this new resort course in the Atlas Mountains in the late sunshine and enjoying this Nicklaus course as the sun began to set.  A Nicklaus signature course means the main man himself visited and planned this course on the back of a beer mat - actually I’m sure it was in a monogrammed notebook but the thought of hI'm scribbling notes and drawing on the back of a beermat appeals to my sense of humour.  He did a great job, nice wide fairways with bunkers aplenty and the best greens yet, slick as anything as you strike a gently nudge and a jaw dropping moment takes over as the ball goes careering past the hole, leaving the return putt just as long, if not longer than the first!  But get up to the 18th and 9th holes and not even Mr Nicklaus himself could tear your eyes away from the most amazing view, extra special that day closed and produces extraordinary colours, that lit up the sky.

Staying in the on-site five star hotel that night was a pleasure as I rattled around a suite made for a family trying to make sure I got to see, let along enjoy every square inch - I failed!  But what a room with views over the golf course and onto the far reaching views of the mountains.   This place has it all, great golf, a beautiful hotel and amazing food, despite its remote location, it is worth considering adding whilst travelling in Morocco.

The final day of touring bought me to Medina, firstly a trip into the old city to learn a bit about the history, then into the souk.  

The souk was amazing, with the emphasis being on maze!  I'mages os an isolated island within a busy metropolis full of rabbit warren narrow paths snaking through tall sand coloured buildings, to be replaced occasionally by white, perfectly formed temples taunting the interested visitor to peer through ornately decorated geometric pattered arches with contrasting colourfully dressed people adding that splash of colour to make the scene perfectly Moroccan.

Turn down another street and another scene appeared with olives, dates, and nuts filled to the brI'm inside brightly coloured pots.  Another turn revealed the leather or tanners quarter, as an offensive smell overpowers your nose yet your eyes feast on the brightly coloured leather handbags, purses, slippers and belts displayed all the way up the steep walls.

Tap tap tap, and another street showcases working metal shapers, a broad selection of metal articles carefully pattern punched to produce pieces of art.  Lace and material decorated to the nth degree with gold thick braids, clothes and of course souvenirs were all present in other streets.  It is fair to say, you can get lost in this Souk, so unless you plan to take a rather long length of silk ribbon, get a guide!

Sadly all good things have to come to an end, and with my mind full of great food, good golf, colour explosions I left for Marrakech to get my flight back to the UK the following day.

Sarah Forrest is a freelance journalist and consultant for global golf travel, specialising in female and high net worth golf travel.

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