Marrakech golf course slope ratings: which course for your handicap
- 22 October 2026
The SSS and Slope of 12 of Marrakech’s 13 golf courses are published. The Royal Moroccan Golf Federation (FRMG) lists them, men’s and ladies’, tee by tee, in its online Course Handicap calculator, and four clubs also print them on their scorecards: Amelkis, Samanah and The Montgomerie (SSS and Slope) and Assoufid (Slope only). Only Atlas Golf, a nine-hole course, is unrated. Two clubs set a written handicap limit: 28 at Fairmont Royal Palm and 35 at Assoufid. Below are the figures, checked on 22 October 2026, and what they mean for your Course Handicap.
Slope, SSS and par: what the numbers mean
Morocco uses the World Handicap System, the same system you play under in the UK and Ireland. Moroccan scorecards still print the French abbreviation SSS (Scratch Score Standard): it is the Course Rating, a figure to one decimal place close to par, which the R&A defines as the expected score for a scratch player. An SSS below par means the course plays easier than par for a scratch golfer; above par, harder.
The Slope Rating, a whole number between 55 and 155 according to the FRMG, measures how much harder the course plays for a bogey golfer than for a scratch golfer. The R&A puts the bogey player at a Handicap Index of about 20.0 for men and 24.0 for women. A course of standard relative difficulty has a Slope of 113, which is also the value the FRMG applies provisionally to a course that has not yet been rated. Above 113, your Course Handicap is higher than your Handicap Index; below it, lower. Each set of tees has its own ratings, and men’s and ladies’ ratings differ.
The formula is the one England Golf publishes for players: Course Handicap = Handicap Index × (Slope ÷ 113) + (Course Rating − par), rounded to a whole number. The FRMG uses the same calculation and gives an example: a man off 14.4 playing the yellow tees at Mohammedia (par 72, SSS 69.9, Slope 140) gets 16 shots. Its online calculator does the sum for every rated Moroccan course once you pick the course, tee, gender and Handicap Index. The FRMG also advises checking the figures with the club.
Marrakech's 13 courses: par, tee lengths, SSS and Slope
This table only shows what the clubs publish (scorecard, course page) and what the FRMG lists (course page, Course Handicap calculator), checked on 22 October 2026. Ratings are shown as SSS / Slope; where the FRMG calculator shows the same figure for men and ladies, we give it once. Lengths are in metres; none of the clubs publish yardages per tee.
| Course | Holes and par | Length by tee | SSS / Slope | Maximum handicap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samanah Golf Club | 18 holes, par 72 | Club card: black 6,735, white 6,342, yellow 6,092, blue 5,696, red 5,190; purple 4,443, orange 2,632 | Card and FRMG: black 76 / 149; white 73 / 143; yellow 72 / 138; blue men 71 / 133, ladies 76 / 141; red 73 / 134 | Not published |
| Amelkis Golf Club | 27 holes (three loops of 9), par 72 on each combination | Blue and Red loops: black 6,564, white 6,089, yellow 5,673, blue 5,176, red 4,662 | Card and FRMG, identical: men’s and ladies’ ratings for all 3 combinations (table below) | Not published |
| Assoufid Golf Club | 18 holes, par 72 | Club card: black 6,440, white 5,957, yellow 5,703, blue 5,483, red 4,966 | FRMG: black 74.6 / 134; white 72.3 / 135.7; yellow 70.7 / 135.4; blue 74.8 / 133.5; red 72.2 / 130.1. The club card prints different Slopes and no SSS: men 133, 131, 129, 127 (black to blue), ladies 135 (blue) and 128 (red) | 35, handicap certificate required |
| Palm Golf Ourika | 18 holes, par 72 | Club card: black 6,619, white 6,181, yellow 5,823, blue 5,399, red 4,784 | FRMG: black 75.4 / 144; white 72.8 / 139; yellow 70.7 / 132; blue 74.9 / 140; red 70.7 / 130 | Not published |
| Atlas Golf | 9 holes; par 33 on the club card and in the FRMG calculator (66 over 18 holes), 32 on the FRMG course page | For 9 holes: black 2,380, white 2,326, yellow 2,180, blue 1,953, red 1,779 | Unrated: the FRMG calculator applies the neutral value (SSS equal to par, Slope 113) | Not published |
| Royal Golf Marrakech | 27 holes: Old Course par 72, New Course (9 holes) par 36 | Old Course (FRMG): black 5,871, white 5,681, yellow 5,283, blue 5,002, red 4,694; New Course 3,072 | Old Course, FRMG: men black 71.3 / 134, white 70.4 / 131, yellow 68.3 / 123, blue 66.8 / 121, red 65.2 / 117; ladies black and white 76.5 / 146, yellow 73.9 / 138, blue 72.1 / 132, red 70.4 / 128. New Course unrated | Not published |
| Al Maaden Golf | 18 holes, par 73 (club and FRMG calculator; 72 on the FRMG course page) | FRMG: black 6,568, white 6,298, yellow 5,804, blue 5,396, red 4,725 (the club gives 6,569 m, or 7,184 yards) | FRMG: black 75.1 / 141.7; white 73.3 / 137.3; yellow 70.3 / 136.1; blue men 69 / 135, ladies 73.9 / 136.5; red men 67 / 120, ladies 69.4 / 120.9 | Not published |
| Fairmont Royal Palm | 18 holes, par 72 | FRMG: black 6,608, white 6,087, yellow 5,620, blue 5,198, red 4,708 | FRMG: men black 74.5 / 145, white 72.6 / 134, yellow 69.7 / 127, blue 67.6 / 122, red 65 / 117; ladies black, white and yellow 75.5 / 137, blue 72.9 / 132, red 69.5 / 120 | 28 or better, with a valid golf licence |
| The Montgomerie | 18 holes, par 71 | Club card: whites 6,230 and yellows 5,710 (men), blues 5,320 and reds 4,785 (ladies) | Card: whites 72.5 / 126; yellows 70 / 119; blues 73.2 / 130; reds 69.9 / 120. The FRMG calculator gives different figures, for 5 tees: black 74.5 / 140; white 74.1 / 138; yellow 71.2 / 136; blue 75.3 / 136; red 71.8 / 130 | Not published |
| The Tony Jacklin Marrakech | 18 holes par 72, plus a 9-hole par-3 course (par 27) | Club card: black 6,482, white 6,175, yellow 5,648, blue 5,088, red 4,490; 9 holes: 1,411 (FRMG) | 18 holes, FRMG: black 74.4 / 147; white 73.1 / 140; yellow 70.7 / 133; blue 73.5 / 134; red 69.3 / 126. 9 holes: not published | Not published |
| Noria Golf Club | 18 holes, par 73 | Club card: black 6,489, white 6,080, yellow 5,512, blue 4,989, red 4,607 | FRMG: black 75 / 145; white 73 / 137; yellow men 70.2 / 128, ladies 76 / 136; blue men 67.6 / 122, ladies 72.8 / 130; red men 65.7 / 118, ladies 69.8 / 128 (the SSS-Slope box on the card is blank) | Not published |
| Golf Club Rotana (Palmeraie) | 27 holes: 18 holes par 72, 9 holes par 36 (FRMG) | FRMG course page: 6,200 and 3,309; FRMG calculator (18 holes): white 5,950, yellow 5,487, blue 5,038, red 4,665 | 18 holes, FRMG: white men 72.5 / 139, ladies 72 / 139; yellow 70.2 / 131; blue 73.1 / 131; red 70.6 / 127. 9 holes unrated | Not published |
| Golf Akenza | 18 holes, par 72 (FRMG) | FRMG: black 6,536, white 6,116, yellow 5,774, blue 5,228, red 4,811 | FRMG: black 74.7 / 142; white 72.3 / 134; yellow 70.4 / 132; blue 73.5 / 137; red 70.7 / 130 | Not published |
Three caveats. At Assoufid and The Montgomerie, the club card and the FRMG disagree: the FRMG figures are the ones its calculator uses, but ask for the current table at the first tee. FRMG lengths sometimes differ from the club card (Samanah reds 5,261 against 5,190, Tony Jacklin whites 6,230 against 6,175), and the FRMG course page for Palm Golf Ourika shows 6,232 m off the whites and the same 5,350 m for yellows and blues, while its calculator matches the club card. Finally, the Assoufid and Atlas Golf cards carry no printed date, but their files are named 2022 and 2016. For architects and green fees, see Marrakech golf courses compared.
Amelkis: SSS and Slope for every tee
Amelkis prints the most complete set of ratings in Marrakech on its scorecard, men’s and ladies’, and the FRMG shows exactly the same figures. Its 27 holes form three loops of nine (Blue, Red and Green), played in pairs. Figures from the card, shown as SSS / Slope with the total length:
| Tee | Blue + Red | Red + Green | Blue + Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black, men | 6,564: 74.5 / 135 | 6,567: 74.2 / 138 | 6,653: 74.6 / 137 |
| White, men | 6,089: 71.9 / 132 | 6,044: 71.4 / 128 | 6,175: 72.1 / 127 |
| Yellow, men | 5,673: 70 / 124 | 5,656: 69.6 / 119 | 5,811: 70.4 / 124 |
| Yellow, ladies | 75.5 / 140 | 75.2 / 135 | 76.1 / 137 |
| Blue, men | 5,176: 67.5 / 119 | 5,162: 69 / 118 | 5,356: 68.2 / 120 |
| Blue, ladies | 72.5 / 133 | 74.4 / 135 | 73.3 / 131 |
| Red, men | 4,662: 64.9 / 114 | 4,678: 64.8 / 109 | 4,808: 65.4 / 114 |
| Red, ladies | 69.6 / 120 | 69.3 / 117 | 70.1 / 121 |
The takeaway: off the yellows, the men’s SSS stays below par 72 (69.6 to 70.4) and the Slope sits between 119 and 124, so a mid-handicapper gets roughly his Handicap Index in shots, sometimes fewer. Red + Green is the gentlest combination from the yellows and reds, and the toughest from the blacks (Slope 138).
Want courses matched to every player’s handicap? We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
Samanah: the tee the club recommends for your handicap
Samanah is the only Marrakech club whose scorecard recommends a tee by playing level and driving distance. The club says it recommends “that your Tee off from the Tee colour matching your level of play, your age and your gender or the length of your Drive”. Distances are in metres.
| Tee | Length | SSS / Slope printed | Players the club recommends it for | Drive distance given |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 6,735 m | 76 / 149 | Professionals | Over 240 m |
| White | 6,342 m | 73 / 143 | Men, handicap 0 to 11.4 | 200 to 220 m |
| Yellow | 6,092 m | 72 / 138 | Men, handicap 11.5 to 26.4 | 180 to 200 m |
| Blue | 5,696 m | 76 / 141 | Men 26.5 to 36; ladies 0 to 15.4 | 160 to 180 m |
| Red | 5,190 m | 73 / 134 | Men 37 to 45; ladies 15.5 to 36 | 140 to 160 m |
| Purple | 4,443 m | Not printed | Men 46 to 53; ladies 37 to 53 | 120 to 140 m |
| Orange | 2,632 m | Not printed | Beginners | Under 120 m |
The card does not say whether these ratings are men’s or ladies’. The FRMG calculator answers it: they are the same for both, except on the blue tees, where 76 / 141 is the ladies’ rating and men play off 71 / 133. With a Slope of 149 off the blacks, Samanah has the highest figure in Marrakech.
What it means for your Course Handicap
Run the numbers and the difference between two courses becomes a number of shots. Our own calculations from the published ratings, cross-checked with the FRMG calculator:
| Player | Course and tee | Par, SSS / Slope | Course Handicap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Man, Handicap Index 18 | Amelkis Red + Green, yellows | 72, 69.6 / 119 | 17 |
| Man, Handicap Index 18 | Amelkis Blue + Green, yellows | 72, 70.4 / 124 | 18 |
| Man, Handicap Index 18 | Fairmont Royal Palm, yellows | 72, 69.7 / 127 | 18 |
| Man, Handicap Index 18 | Assoufid, yellows (FRMG figures) | 72, 70.7 / 135.4 | 20 |
| Man, Handicap Index 18 | The Tony Jacklin Marrakech, yellows | 72, 70.7 / 133 | 20 |
| Man, Handicap Index 18 | Samanah, yellow | 72, 72 / 138 | 22 |
| Man, Handicap Index 8 | Amelkis Red + Green, blacks | 72, 74.2 / 138 | 12 |
| Man, Handicap Index 8 | Samanah, black | 72, 76 / 149 | 15 |
| Woman, Handicap Index 28 | Amelkis Red + Green, reds | 72, 69.3 / 117 | 26 |
| Woman, Handicap Index 28 | Samanah, red | 72, 73 / 134 | 34 |
So an 18-handicapper gets about 17 shots off the yellows at Amelkis and 22 off Samanah’s, which are 280 to 440 metres longer depending on the Amelkis combination. That is not a quality score: a high Slope only says the course punishes the average golfer more than the scratch player.
Which course for your handicap
Beginners and golfers without a handicap
Leave out Fairmont Royal Palm (28 maximum, licence required) and Assoufid (35 maximum, certificate required). Short formats suit you best: Atlas Golf, nine holes from 1,779 m off the reds to 2,380 m off the blacks; the 9-hole par-3 course at The Tony Jacklin Marrakech (1,411 m); the New Course at Royal Golf Marrakech, nine holes par 36. At Samanah, the orange tees (2,632 m over 18 holes) are set aside by the club for beginners. Lessons and first green fees are covered in our guide to beginner golf in Morocco.
Handicap 20 to 36
Amelkis off the yellows (5,656 to 5,811 m, Slope 119 to 124) is still the gentlest choice: you play close to your Handicap Index. The Old Course at Royal Golf Marrakech is short (5,283 m off the yellows, SSS 68.3, Slope 123): a man off 28 gets 27 shots there. Samanah recommends its yellows up to 26.4 and its blues (5,696 m) from 26.5 to 36. At Assoufid the yellows measure 5,703 m (FRMG Slope 135.4), within the 35 limit. Above 28, cross off Fairmont Royal Palm. Ladies will find the red tees covered in our page on women’s golf in Marrakech.
Handicap 10 to 20
The whites open up the whole city: 5,957 m at Assoufid, 6,044 to 6,175 m at Amelkis (Slope 127 to 132), 6,181 m at Palm Golf Ourika (Slope 139). Samanah puts players from 11.5 to 26.4 on the yellows (6,092 m), which keeps the course playable. Fairmont Royal Palm is open to you with a valid golf licence: off its yellows (5,620 m, Slope 127), a man off 18 gets 18 shots.
Single-figure handicaps
Play the back tees on the courses with the highest Slope: Samanah off the blacks (6,735 m, 149) or whites (6,342 m, 143), The Tony Jacklin Marrakech off the blacks (6,482 m, Slope 147), Noria (6,489 m, par 73, Slope 145) and Fairmont Royal Palm (6,608 m, Slope 145) off the blacks, and Palm Golf Ourika at 6,619 m (Slope 144). Al Maaden, a par 73, rates 141.7 off the blacks, Amelkis 135 to 138.
Before you travel: four checks
- Proof of handicap. A valid golf licence at Fairmont Royal Palm, a handicap certificate at Assoufid’s reception. The other clubs publish no rule, but pack your handicap card or app record anyway.
- Your shots. The FRMG calculator gives the figure for every rated course; at Assoufid and The Montgomerie, where the club card differs, ask for the current Course Handicap table at the first tee, as the FRMG advises.
- The right tee. At Samanah, follow the club’s chart; elsewhere, start from the lengths in the table above.
- The caddie. An FRMG circular of 29 May 2025 makes a caddie compulsory on every course. Prices and practice club by club: handicap, dress code and caddies in Morocco.
If your fourball mixes an 8-handicapper and a 30-handicapper, the week is built course by course, with the right tee for each player. Tell us your handicaps on our page about golf holidays in Marrakech.
Send us each player’s handicap and we will pick the courses. We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
Frequently asked questions
What is the slope rating at Royal Golf Marrakech?
The club’s website does not give it, but the FRMG publishes it in its Course Handicap calculator. On the Old Course (par 72, 5,871 metres off the blacks), the men’s Slope runs from 134 off the blacks to 117 off the reds, with 123 off the yellows (SSS 68.3); the ladies’ Slope runs from 146 off the blacks and whites to 128 off the reds. The nine-hole New Course is unrated.
Which Marrakech golf courses publish their SSS and Slope?
The FRMG publishes SSS and Slope for 12 of the 13 courses in its online calculator; only Atlas Golf is unrated. On their own scorecards, Amelkis, Samanah and The Montgomerie print SSS and Slope, and Assoufid the Slope only.
Which Marrakech course has the highest slope rating?
Samanah, with a Slope of 149 off the blacks (6,735 metres, SSS 76). Next come The Tony Jacklin Marrakech off the blacks (147), Royal Golf Marrakech off the ladies’ blacks and whites (146), then Noria and Fairmont Royal Palm off the men’s blacks (145).
What handicap do you need to play golf in Marrakech?
Two clubs set a written limit: Fairmont Royal Palm, 28 or better with a valid golf licence, and Assoufid, 35 maximum with a handicap certificate. The other eleven courses publish no maximum.
How do I work out my Course Handicap in Morocco?
The FRMG uses the World Handicap System formula: Handicap Index multiplied by Slope divided by 113, plus SSS minus par, rounded to a whole number. A man off 18 gets 17 shots off the yellows at Amelkis (Red + Green) and 22 off Samanah’s. The FRMG’s online calculator does the sum for every rated course.
Plan your golf trip in Morocco
Courses, dates, number of players: tell us what you have in mind and we come back with a proposal. We answer in English.
- Quick reply by email or WhatsApp
- Free quote, no obligation, no online payment
- We reply in English or French