Marrakech or Agadir is the choice most first-time visitors to Moroccan golf end up making, and it turns on two things: when you are travelling, and how you play. Marrakech has fourteen courses and the most demanding golf in the country; Agadir has four, gentler layouts and a coast that plays twelve months a year. This page settles the question on level and season. If you want the week priced line by line, our budget for a week in Marrakech or Agadir does that separately.
Climate and season: when to play
Climate decides it more often than anything else. Marrakech, inland, has mild winters — 15–20 °C in the day — and very hot summers, often above 40 °C in July and August. The best months run from October to April, with temperatures made for golf. Agadir, on the Atlantic coast, has a maritime climate instead: cooler summers at 25–30 °C and very mild winters around 20 °C. You can play there all year, and summer stays comfortable thanks to the sea breeze.
If you are travelling in summer (June to September), Agadir is the more comfortable of the two. In winter (December to February) Marrakech gives you sunny days, though mornings can be chilly, around 8–10 °C; Agadir stays mild but can be windier. If you feel the heat, take Agadir in summer and Marrakech in spring or autumn. Our month-by-month guide covers the rest of the country.
How demanding the courses are
Marrakech has fourteen courses, with something for every level. Assoufid Golf Club (18 holes, par 72) and Al Maaden Golf (18 holes) are testing, with bunkers and water in play. Royal Golf Marrakech (18 holes, par 72) is older and more approachable — ideal for beginners. Amelkis Golf Club (27 holes) offers three nine-hole loops of varying difficulty, which lets you work your way up through them.
Agadir has fewer courses, but all of them are good ones. Golf du Soleil (18 holes, par 72) is known for a technical routing with water hazards, while Golf des Dunes (27 holes) is more open and more forgiving. Golf de l’Océan (27 holes) has sea views and a more links-like game. If you are a beginner, Agadir will suit you; for variety and challenge, Marrakech is the richer choice.
Green fees and packages
Green fees move with the season and the course. In Marrakech, expect 500 to 900 MAD (£40–71 / €45–80) for eighteen holes in high season, October to April. In summer prices can fall to 300–500 MAD (£24–40 / €27–45). The premium courses, Assoufid or Al Maaden, can reach 1,200 MAD (£95 / €110) in high season. Agadir is generally gentler: 400 to 700 MAD (£32–55 / €35–65) in high season and 250–400 MAD (£20–32 / €22–35) in summer.
Many hotels sell packages that include the green fee and sometimes the caddie or buggy. In Marrakech, the Fairmont Royal Palm gives guests access to its 18-hole course; in Agadir, the Sofitel Agadir Royal Bay Resort has a partnership with Golf du Soleil. Look too at the midweek “unlimited golf” formulas, which are often better value. Prices can differ by 10 to 20 % between booking online and paying at the desk. What the whole week comes to — rounds, nights, transfers, tips — is worked out in our cost of a golf week in Marrakech or Agadir, and round-by-round prices for every city are in the green fee guide.
Facilities, and the days you don’t play
Marrakech is a mature golf destination: the courses have driving ranges, pro shops, restaurants and well-regarded academies. The city is easy to reach, with plenty of hotels close to the courses, and the clubs often run shuttles. Agadir is smaller but its facilities are modern — Golf du Soleil in particular has a large practice ground and a respected academy. The catch is that the choice is limited to four courses, which can wear thin on a longer stay.
For golfers travelling with non-players, Marrakech has the edge: a rich cultural life — medina, gardens, palaces — and plenty of shopping. Agadir is a beach resort, with a long seafront and water sports. If you want a pure golf trip, Marrakech is the better fit; if you want to combine golf with doing very little, Agadir is ideal.
Getting there, and the rest of Morocco
Marrakech is a three-hour flight from Paris, with plenty of direct services, and the airport is ten to thirty minutes from the courses. Agadir is well served too, though flights are sometimes less frequent in low season. From Agadir you can easily reach Essaouira (about two and a half hours), where the Mogador Golf Academy (18 holes, par 72) plays along the shore. From Marrakech you can consider a day out to El Jadida (three hours) for Royal Golf El Jadida (18 holes), or to Rabat (two and a half hours) for Royal Golf Dar Es Salam (18 holes).
With time to spare, combine several cities: a golf circuit can take in Casablanca (Royal Golf Anfa) and Meknès (Royal Golf de Meknès). But for a week, staying in one place is the practical choice. Marrakech lets you change course without changing hotel; Agadir is a good base for exploring Essaouira.
Which one, for which golfer
For beginners and higher handicappers, Agadir is the friendlier choice: the courses are less technical, the fairways wider, and the coastal climate kind. Golf des Dunes suits this profile particularly well. For experienced players who want a challenge, Marrakech has spectacular courses like Assoufid or Al Maaden, with demanding strategy and an exceptional setting.
Travelling as a family, Agadir is the easier of the two, with its beaches and activities. As a couple, Marrakech wins on atmosphere and its riads. On a tight budget, Agadir is the cheaper option, especially in summer. And for the enthusiast who wants to see Moroccan golf in all its variety, Marrakech is unmissable — with the option of pushing on to Rabat or Casablanca for a change of scene.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best month to play golf in Marrakech?
October to April, with mild temperatures of 20–25 °C and little rain. Avoid July and August, when the heat often passes 40 °C. In winter the mornings can be chilly, but the afternoons are pleasant.
Are green fees cheaper in Agadir than in Marrakech?
On the whole, yes, especially in high season. Expect 400–700 MAD (£32–55 / €35–65) in Agadir against 500–900 MAD (£40–71 / €45–80) in Marrakech for comparable courses. In summer prices drop in both cities, but Agadir stays the more affordable.
Can I hire golf equipment locally?
Yes. All the main courses hire out clubs — expect 200–400 MAD a day (£16–32 / €18–35) — as well as trolleys and buggies. Booking ahead is advisable, especially in high season.
Is there a golf course near Essaouira?
Yes. Mogador Golf Academy is fifteen minutes from the medina: an 18-hole, par-72 course by the sea, with fine views and a windy game. It is reachable from Agadir (two and a half hours) or Marrakech (three hours).