The Story of Golf in Morocco
Morocco is not just a beautiful place to play golf, it is a destination with a genuine golfing heritage, shaped by more than a century of international influence, royal vision, and sporting prestige. For guests who want more than just a holiday, Morocco offers a golf experience layered with history, culture, and strong links to the wider world of the game.
Golf in Morocco began in Tangier in 1914, when the first greens were designed by British architects Cotton & Pennink. That early connection with British golf is important, because it places Morocco within the wider story of how the game spread beyond Scotland and Britain into other parts of the world. The Royal Golf Mohammedia, opened in 1930, also reflected a distinctly British and Scottish golfing tradition, while the Royal Golf Marrakech, established in 1933, helped cement the country’s reputation as a serious golfing destination.
What makes Morocco especially interesting is that its golf history is both local and international at the same time. The game arrived through European influence, but it developed into something uniquely Moroccan, with royal patronage playing a major role in shaping its growth. In the 1970s, King Hassan II launched a major golf development program, including Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, which was designed by Robert Trent Jones Senior – one of the most influential golf course architects in the world. That course remains one of the country’s most important golfing landmarks.
Morocco’s connection with other countries did not stop at course design. The Hassan II Golf Trophy helped put Morocco on the international golf calendar, attracting attention from players and audiences well beyond North Africa. Morocco courses have since hosted tournaments across multiple global tours, including the European Tour, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, and PGA Tour Champions, showing how firmly Morocco has established itself in the international golf scene. A golf holiday in Morocco is not just about playing in a warm climate, it is about experiencing a destination with real global sporting credibility.
Today, that heritage gives Morocco a special appeal for travellers. Golfers can enjoy courses that feel elegant and historic, while also exploring a country that sits at the crossroads of Africa, Europe, and the wider Mediterranean world.
Morocco offers something rare: a destination where the fairways tell a story. From British-designed beginnings to royal expansion and international tournaments, Morocco’s golf scene has grown into one of the most distinctive in the region. That combination of heritage, prestige, and year-round appeal is exactly what makes it such incredible golf destination.
