Marrakech vs Dubai for golf: weather, green fees and rules
- 09 October 2026
Dubai is the warmer choice in midwinter, Marrakech the milder one in spring and late autumn, and the two charge for golf in very different ways. In January, Dubai averages 24.4 °C in the afternoon against 19.1 °C in Marrakech; by April it reaches 33.7 °C while Marrakech sits at 25.7 °C. The Dubai Golf clubs we checked do not print green fees on their websites and include a shared cart in the fee; Marrakech clubs publish their rates, and a caddie is compulsory on every course.
Everything below comes from the clubs’ own websites and from World Meteorological Organization normals, checked on 9 October 2026. Dubai prices are in UAE dirhams (AED) and Marrakech prices in Moroccan dirhams (MAD). We do not convert either currency.
What the Dubai clubs publish, and what they do not
We looked at the three clubs operated by Dubai Golf, each on its official page:
- Emirates Golf Club, Majlis Course: established in 1988 as the first grass course in the Middle East, and home of the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. Ernie Els holds the course record, 61, set on 27 January 1994.
- Jumeirah Golf Estates, Earth Course: designed by Greg Norman, host of the DP World Tour Championship.
- Dubai Creek Golf & Yacht Club, Championship Course.
None of the three shows a green fee amount. Each sends visitors to the club’s Viya app to “search rates and tee times”. What they do state is how the fee works: it includes shared golf cart hire (except during a “walking season” set by the club) and range access for an hour before play, and peak rates apply on Friday, Saturday, Sunday and public holidays. Emirates Golf Club also lists equipment hire: AED 255 for a set of clubs for 18 holes, AED 90 for shoes, with prices including 5% VAT.
So we cannot honestly put a Dubai green fee next to a Marrakech one. If price is your deciding factor, get a quote for your exact dates in the app and compare it with the Marrakech figures below.
What Marrakech publishes
Eight Marrakech clubs publish a current 18-hole visitor rate, between 600 and 1,350 MAD: The Tony Jacklin Marrakech 600, Atlas Golf 650, The Montgomerie 700, Amelkis Golf Club 950, Samanah 1,100, Royal Golf Marrakech 1,200, Assoufid 1,300 and Al Maaden 1,350. At Al Maaden, the high-season rate runs from 5 September 2026 to 30 June 2027, falling to 840 MAD from 1 July to 4 September 2027. Fairmont Royal Palm and PalmGolf Ourika had not published their 2026-27 grids on 9 October 2026.
Unlike Dubai, a buggy is extra in Marrakech, 350 to 450 MAD for 18 holes where a price is published, and a caddie is compulsory on every course under a Royal Moroccan Golf Federation circular of 29 May 2025; two clubs publish theirs as compulsory: the Royal Golf Marrakech since 28 May 2025 (200 to 300 MAD per caddie depending on the number of players, in cash) and Fairmont Royal Palm (at least one per group, 200 MAD in cash). Assoufid lists a caddie at 250 MAD (“on request” on its rate card); Atlas Golf publishes a caddie rate of 120 MAD.
Comparing a Dubai golf week with Marrakech? We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
The rules side by side
| Club | Green fee on the website | Cart | Caddie | Handicap rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emirates Golf Club (Dubai) | Not shown, via app | Shared cart included | Not mentioned | Certificate mandatory; 28 men, 36 ladies |
| Jumeirah Golf Estates (Dubai) | Not shown, via app | Shared cart included | Not mentioned | No certificate required, but play to 28 men, 36 ladies |
| Dubai Creek (Dubai) | Not shown, via app | Shared cart included | Not mentioned | No certificate required, but play to 28 men, 36 ladies |
| Royal Golf Marrakech | 1,200 MAD | 450 MAD extra | Compulsory, 200 to 300 MAD | None published |
| Fairmont Royal Palm (Marrakech) | 2026-27 not yet published | Not published for 2026-27 | One per group, 200 MAD | Valid licence, 28 or better |
| Assoufid (Marrakech) | 1,300 MAD | 450 MAD extra | 250 MAD | Certificate, 35 maximum |
On dress, the three Dubai clubs require a collared golf top and soft spikes and ban denim, cargo shorts and gym wear.
The weather: warmth versus comfort
World Meteorological Organization normals for 1991-2020, Dubai International Airport station and Marrakech station, average daily highs and lows:
| Month | Dubai: high | Dubai: low | Marrakech: high | Marrakech: low |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| October | 35.9 °C | 25.4 °C | 28.5 °C | 15.7 °C |
| November | 30.7 °C | 21.1 °C | 23.1 °C | 10.7 °C |
| December | 26.5 °C | 17.3 °C | 20.1 °C | 7.3 °C |
| January | 24.4 °C | 15.3 °C | 19.1 °C | 5.9 °C |
| February | 26.1 °C | 16.4 °C | 20.7 °C | 7.6 °C |
| March | 28.9 °C | 18.6 °C | 23.6 °C | 10.3 °C |
| April | 33.7 °C | 22.3 °C | 25.7 °C | 12.4 °C |
| July | 41.5 °C | 31.2 °C | 37.7 °C | 20.6 °C |
Two things stand out. From December to February, Dubai is 5.3 to 6.4 °C warmer in the afternoon, which is its strongest argument. Marrakech mornings are cool in those months, with average lows of 6 to 8 °C, so an early tee time calls for a layer. In October, November, March and April the picture flips: Dubai is between 29 and 36 °C in the afternoon, Marrakech between 23 and 29 °C. Both are very hot in July.
Courses with a tournament story
Two of the three Dubai courses above are tournament venues: the Majlis for the Hero Dubai Desert Classic, the Earth Course for the DP World Tour Championship. Marrakech has its own: Samanah Golf Club, a Nicklaus Design course, was the first course in Africa to host a PGA Tour Champions event. The Royal Golf Marrakech says it has welcomed players since 1927, on a layout by Gustave Golias and Arnaud Massy. Al Maaden and Akenza are by Kyle Phillips, The Montgomerie by Colin Montgomerie, Amelkis and Fairmont Royal Palm by Cabell B. Robinson. Our page Marrakech golf courses compared puts the thirteen courses on our site in one table.
Which one, for which golfer
Dubai makes more sense if you travel between December and February and warmth is everything, if you prefer a cart included in the fee, or if you want to play courses that host DP World Tour events. Be ready to price your round in the app rather than from a published grid, and to pay peak rates at weekends.
Marrakech makes more sense for October-November and March-April trips, when its afternoons sit in the twenties, for golfers who like to walk with a caddie, and for anyone who wants to see the rates before booking. Two practical points for UK golfers: your passport must be valid for at least three months after arrival in Morocco, and Ramadan, next starting in February 2027 according to the Foreign Office, is a time when eating, drinking or smoking in public in daytime can cause offence.
If Marrakech suits your dates, our golf holidays in Marrakech pair the right courses with your handicaps and arrange tee times, accommodation and transfers. Weighing up Europe too? See Marrakech or the Algarve.
Give us your dates and handicaps, and we will suggest the Marrakech courses to play. We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dubai warmer than Marrakech for winter golf?
Yes, from December to February. WMO 1991-2020 normals give an average January high of 24.4 °C in Dubai against 19.1 °C in Marrakech. By April, Dubai reaches 33.7 °C and Marrakech 25.7 °C.
How much is a green fee in Dubai?
Emirates Golf Club, Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Creek do not show green fee amounts on their websites; rates are given in the club’s app for each date. The fee includes a shared cart, and peak rates apply from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays.
Is golf cheaper in Marrakech than in Dubai?
We cannot say from published figures, because the Dubai clubs do not publish theirs. In Marrakech, 18 holes cost 600 to 1,350 MAD at the clubs with a current rate, with the caddie, compulsory on every course, and any buggy on top.
Do I need a handicap certificate in Dubai and Marrakech?
At Emirates Golf Club, yes, with a maximum of 28 for men and 36 for ladies; Jumeirah Golf Estates and Dubai Creek ask golfers to play to that standard without a certificate. In Marrakech, Fairmont Royal Palm required a licence and 28 or better (club website offline on 16 October 2026), and Assoufid a certificate and 35 maximum.
When does Marrakech make more sense than Dubai?
In October, November, March and April, when Marrakech afternoons average 23 to 29 °C and Dubai’s 29 to 36 °C, and whenever you want published rates and a caddie-led round.
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