Golf in Morocco during Ramadan: what actually changes
- 09 October 2026
Yes, you can play golf in Morocco during Ramadan: none of the clubs we checked announces a closure for the holy month. The UK Foreign Office says the next Ramadan starts in February 2027, but Morocco’s Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs only confirms the first day the evening before, once the new crescent moon has been sighted. For a golfer, most of the change happens off the course: alcohol is not sold, eating, drinking and smoking in public in daylight should be avoided, and shop and restaurant hours tighten.
Everything below comes from the UK, Irish, French and Belgian travel advice pages, the clubs’ own websites and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) 1991-2020 climate normals, all read on 9 October 2026. Where no source exists, we say so.
When is Ramadan 2027 in Morocco?
Morocco does not publish its Ramadan dates in advance. On the evening of the 29th day of the preceding month, the Ministry of Habous has the crescent moon watched by its regional delegates and by units of the Royal Armed Forces, then announces the first day of fasting. The date is certain only the night before.
The last two starts announced by the ministry give the pattern:
| Year | First day of Ramadan in Morocco | How the date was set |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 (1446 AH) | Sunday 2 March 2025 | Ministry of Habous announcement on the evening of Friday 28 February |
| 2026 (1447 AH) | Thursday 19 February 2026 | Crescent sighted on Wednesday 18 February, announced that evening |
| 2027 (1448 AH) | Expected in February 2027 | UK Foreign Office guidance; exact day announced by the Ministry of Habous the evening before |
We do not quote a precise day for 2027: the dates you will find online are astronomical calculations by private websites, not official announcements, and no official source yet gives a month for 2028. If your trip falls in February or early March 2027, assume it will overlap with Ramadan and plan the golf around it.
One thing that has changed for tee times: Decree No. 2.26.530 of 25 June 2026, published in Official Bulletin No. 7521, moved Morocco back to GMT at 2am on Sunday 20 September 2026 and repealed the 2018 decree on legal time. In February, when the UK is also on GMT, that puts Morocco on the same clock as the UK. Check the local time when you book.
What the official travel advice says
France, Belgium, the UK and Ireland say much the same thing. Here it is, without embellishment:
| Topic | Published advice | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Eating, drinking, smoking | Avoid doing so in public in daylight; the UK also lists chewing gum and swearing | UK (gov.uk), Ireland (DFA), Belgium |
| Alcohol | Cannot be bought, let alone drunk in public, during Ramadan | France (diplomatie.gouv.fr, updated 15/09/2026) |
| Dress | Follow local dress codes; clothing that falls short may cause more offence at this time | UK (gov.uk), France |
| Shops and restaurants | Check opening hours; hotels and restaurants serving during fasting hours may seat you apart from Muslim guests | UK (gov.uk) |
| Tiredness | Fasting causes tiredness, particularly in the later afternoon and early evening | UK (gov.uk) |
| Roads | Driving may be erratic, particularly at dusk as people head home | UK (gov.uk) |
Outside Ramadan too, drinking in the street is illegal: the Foreign Office points out that alcohol is only legal in licensed restaurants and bars, and that drinking anywhere else can lead to arrest.
Is your trip in February or March 2027? We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
On the course: what is published and what is not
On 9 October 2026 we read the official pages of fifteen courses: Royal Golf Marrakech, Al Maaden, Assoufid, Atlas Golf, Fairmont Royal Palm, Amelkis, The Montgomerie, Samanah, PalmGolf Ourika, Golf de l’Océan in Agadir, Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Royal Golf de Cabo Negro, Mogador in Essaouira, Royal Country Club de Tanger and Al Houara. Not one mentions Ramadan: no reduced hours, no closure, no special rate.
So we cannot tell you when the last tee time goes out or whether the clubhouse serves lunch during Ramadan, because no club publishes it. We check it with each club when we prepare your quote, for your exact dates.
What does not move with the calendar are the clubs’ written rules:
- Compulsory caddie at Royal Golf Marrakech and Royal Golf de Cabo Negro since 28 May 2025, paid in cash and charged per caddie, not per player (200 MAD for one or two players, 300 MAD for a fourball, over 18 holes).
- At least one caddie per group at Fairmont Royal Palm, 200 MAD in cash, plus a valid golf licence and a handicap of 28 or better.
- Tee-time booking compulsory at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, which is closed on Mondays.
- Caddies and buggies to be booked 24 hours ahead at Atlas Golf.
The club-by-club detail is in our guide to handicap, dress code and caddies.
The weather in February and March
If Ramadan 2027 does fall in February, it lands in mild weather. WMO 1991-2020 normals for Marrakech and Agadir:
| Station | Average high, February | Average high, March | Average low, February | Days with 1 mm of rain or more, February |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marrakech | 20.7 °C | 23.6 °C | 7.6 °C | 3.7 |
| Agadir | 22.0 °C | 23.4 °C | 10.1 °C | 2.7 |
Heat is not the issue: the WMO records no days at 35 °C or above in Marrakech in February. Early starts are cool, with an average low of 7.6 °C, so pack a jumper for the first tee. For the rest of the season, see our guide on when to play golf in Morocco.
How we would run a golf day during Ramadan
None of the official advice is written with golf in mind. This is how we apply it to a typical day, without promising anything a club has not published.
The morning round
You need water on a golf course, even at 20 °C. Drink what you need, discreetly, and not in a show on the first tee or outside the clubhouse. If your caddie is Muslim, they are probably fasting from dawn to sunset, and the Foreign Office notes that tiredness peaks in the late afternoon. A morning tee time is kinder to everyone, your own back nine included.
Lunch
No club publishes its restaurant hours during Ramadan, and the Foreign Office warns that venues serving during fasting hours may seat visitors separately. Do not count on a clubhouse lunch until it has been confirmed; it is one of the points we check before the itinerary is fixed.
The drive back and the evening
The trickiest part of the day is the road, not the course. The Foreign Office warns of erratic driving at dusk, when everyone is heading home to break the fast. If you hire a car, be back before sunset. And in the evening, the French government says alcohol cannot be bought during Ramadan: if the post-round pint is part of the trip for your four, pick other dates.
Which base to choose during Ramadan?
Ramadan does not change the map. Marrakech groups its courses around the city, which keeps the evening drives short. Agadir is a little warmer in February (an average high of 22.0 °C against 20.7 °C) with fewer wet days.
What does change is the choice of accommodation. A hotel or villa with its own catering makes you independent of town restaurant hours during the day.
How we plan a trip that overlaps with Ramadan
- We treat February and early March 2027 dates as overlapping with Ramadan until the Ministry of Habous has announced the first day.
- When we prepare the quote, we ask each club for its tee-time window and restaurant opening for your dates.
- We place the rounds in the morning and the transfers before sunset.
That checking is part of every one of our golf holidays in Marrakech.
Not sure about travelling during Ramadan? We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Are golf courses open during Ramadan in Morocco?
None of the fifteen clubs whose official pages we read on 9 October 2026 announces a closure or reduced hours for Ramadan. None publishes Ramadan hours either, so we have each club confirm them when we prepare your quote.
When is Ramadan 2027 in Morocco?
The UK Foreign Office says the next Ramadan starts in February 2027. The exact day is announced by Morocco’s Ministry of Habous the evening before, after the crescent moon has been sighted. In 2026 the first day was Thursday 19 February.
Can you drink alcohol in Morocco during Ramadan?
According to the French government’s travel advice, alcohol cannot be bought during Ramadan, let alone drunk in public. Outside Ramadan, the UK Foreign Office says alcohol is only legal in licensed restaurants and bars.
Can I drink water on the course?
No club rule forbids it. Official advice is to avoid eating, drinking or smoking in public in daylight, so drink what you need on the course, discreetly, and avoid doing so in front of the clubhouse.
Is it safe to drive in the evening during Ramadan?
The UK Foreign Office warns that driving may be erratic at dusk, when people are heading home to break the fast. We schedule transfers before sunset or leave the driving to a chauffeur.
Do green fees change during Ramadan?
None of the clubs we checked publishes a Ramadan rate. The normal rate card applies, and the caddie stays compulsory, as it is the rest of the year.
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