Assoufid Golf Club

The verdict

Assoufid opened in October 2014 as the first solo design from Niall Cameron, a Scot who played the European Tour and was head professional at Turnberry and Royal St George's. He routed a par 72 of about 6,440 metres through undulating semi desert, letting the dunes, scrub, olive trees and cacti frame the holes rather than bulldozing them flat. The result feels found rather than built.

The Atlas Mountains sit on the southern horizon for much of the round, the conditioning is excellent for a low water course, and the clubhouse and restaurant are quietly stylish. It has collected World Golf Awards as Morocco's and Africa's best course, and for a Marrakech golf break it is the layout most visitors rank first.

The holes worth the trip

The desert framing is the appeal. Fairways thread between sandy waste and native planting, so accuracy off the tee matters more than raw length, and the greens are fair but firm. There is little water in play, which keeps the desert character pure.

Several holes open toward the mountains, and the light in the late afternoon, with the Atlas peaks catching the sun, is the photograph everyone takes home. Early tee times reward you with cool air and the cleanest views before the haze builds.

It is a walkable, strategic course rather than a brute, which suits the Marrakech visitor who is also there for the souks, the food and the spa. Take a buggy in high summer heat and play early or late.

Where to stay nearby

Most golfers base themselves in Marrakech itself, in a riad in the medina or one of the resort hotels in the Hivernage and Palmeraie districts, all within easy reach of the course.

Marrakech pairs naturally with the coast at Agadir or Essaouira for a longer Moroccan golf trip, and Assoufid sits comfortably at the top of a Marrakech itinerary alongside the city's other layouts.

Looking for a base? See our recommended hotels and resorts near Assoufid Golf Club.