Not so many years thinking about Spain as a golf destination, it was rather paradoxical. In the same way today, citing Morocco as the destination of so-called “green gold” raises many a sense of disbelief and skepticism.

Morocco is a land that generally hates or loves. It is a country of enormous contrasts in that mix, increasingly so these days I have seen, the most traditional of an ancient kingdom with more modern European or abject poverty to enormous wealth.

Some time ago I have been evaluating and Morocco as a golf destination and therefore without hesitation I dared to investigate a little and visit some of their fields and golf hotels invited by the Moroccan tourist office. I begin this journey without too many prior expectations. I have traveled x morocco before. I envy the purity of the environment and its landscape or its exoticism, but I must admit that I too, to do anything, I imagined it as a golf destination.

It was too many years since I came to Morocco and the previous times had always been for the “back door”, the border of Ceuta. Arrive at Casablanca airport direct flight from Malaga is unusually comfortable. It has nothing to envy the Mohamed V (as if it was going to call an airport here) to the majority of Spanish airports. Of course there are details that remind one that is in Morocco … 10 passport control desks but no policeman in or boys to pick you up and take your luggage.

Of the three areas that divide golf in Morocco, the triangle north Rabat, Fez, Casablanca as the most “cultural” and monumental, south of Agadir and the center of Marrakech, I will focus on the latter that one I have known.

Marrakech has for many years with 3 clearly defined areas … Palmeraie (next to the hotel of the same name), Royal Golf and Amelkis. The first is a completely flat area between palms would call this music style as any Spanish countryside perfectly appropriate. Royal Golf course is a more settled and Amelkis is a broad field that already denotes the tendency of all current projects in the area as far as golf is concerned (without limitation lease yards, streets and huge greens, clubhouse spectacular). Two of them have a new 9 holes to add to its current 18 and Amelkis develops and another 9 to reach 36 holes.

Sumémosle a stunning course designed by Jack Nickalaus (about 100 hectares and surrounded by luxury villas from 600 thousand euros) to about 20 minutes south, completed and opened in October: “Samanah” another of Kyle Phillips on so many Riads acres and surrounded by super-luxury hotels and 2 “Al Maad” (end of year), another in draft Greg Norman and one more running of the old resort of Fadesa: “Atlas Golf” (all draft Fadesa have been purchased by a Moroccan construction company, including Saidia near Melilla). Thus, only Marrakech will feature approximately 8 to 10 magnificent 18-hole courses next year.

The challenges of the Maghreb to establish itself as a golf destination are not few. Morocco continues large gaps for the golfer’s usual profile for the Spanish Central Europe and more “traditional”. The pseudo-democracy of the country, the need to speak French, religion, or the average quality of service … are still barriers to the Maghreb as a destination choice and the “feeling” of security, although I do not think that is less than the of Spain, it did not seem in the eyes of a European.

But do not forget that perhaps with Turkey, Morocco is the most European and Arab countries that the new generation of Moroccans, particularly in Rabat and Casablanca, has much more in common with us than we think. The number of Moroccan players round and at 70 thousand, the first pillar on which is built an attractive offer and although the majority is certainly a wealthy elite (as in the case of Morocco is very wealthy), golf grow in Morocco in fees has grown in Spain in the last 20 years or more. It remains to be seen whether this development will make the same mistakes of those who have sinned in Spain but do not forget that the cost of building a golf course “American style” and keep it, this is much less than you would have any another point of Europe, above, that staff costs are about 15% higher than here, although certainly it is not always reflected (yet) on prices in the Moroccan golf.

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