Playing a royal golf course in Morocco as a non-member
- 09 October 2026
You do not need to be a member, or to be introduced by one, to play most royal golf courses in Morocco. Six of the eight royal clubs we cover publish visitor green fees or take green-fee bookings online, and Royal Golf Dar Es Salam’s own rules open its courses to anyone who has paid a green fee. What you do need is a booked tee time, proper golf clothing, a caddie (compulsory on every course) and, at Dar Es Salam, a handicap that meets the course limit.
The essentials:
- Membership is not required at most of them. Visitors pay a green fee, published in dirhams on most club websites. The exception is Royal Golf Anfa in Casablanca, where the club says non-member access is strictly controlled.
- Handicap rules exist, but not everywhere. Dar Es Salam asks for a handicap below 18 on the Red course and below 28 on the Blue; the other royal clubs we checked publish no limit.
- The caddie is compulsory. Royal Golf Marrakech and Royal Golf de Cabo Negro require a forecaddie, paid in cash; Dar Es Salam requires one caddie per player on the Red.
Which courses are "royal", and who can play them?
Eight of the courses we cover carry “Royal” in their name: Royal Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat, Royal Golf Marrakech, Royal Golf Anfa in Casablanca, Royal Golf El Jadida, Royal Golf de Fès, Royal Golf de Meknès, the Royal Country Club de Tanger and Royal Golf de Cabo Negro near Tetouan. Some have real history: the Tangier club, founded in 1914, describes itself as the oldest in Morocco, and Royal Golf Marrakech, opened in 1927, calls itself the second oldest and the favourite course of the late King Hassan II.
None of that turns most of them into closed clubs. Dar Es Salam’s internal rules state that access to the courses is reserved for members up to date with their fees and for golfers who have paid a green fee. Royal Golf Marrakech, Cabo Negro and Tangier publish visitor green fees on their own sites, and the pages for Royal Golf El Jadida and Royal Golf de Fès on the Madaëf Golfs website both carry a “book a green fee” button. Royal Golf Anfa is the exception: the club reminded members in October 2025 that non-member access is strictly controlled and charged at guest and visitor rates, without publishing those rates. The differences from a resort course lie elsewhere: stricter rules on the course, compulsory caddies and, at Dar Es Salam, handicap limits.
| Course | Town | 18-hole visitor green fee | Caddie | Handicap rule published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal Golf Dar Es Salam | Rabat | Red 1,200 MAD, Blue 850 MAD (grid labelled “Rates 2025”) | One per player (Red); per player or per team (Blue); one per game (Green); 200 MAD | Below 18 (Red), below 28 (Blue) |
| Royal Golf Marrakech | Marrakech | 1,200 MAD | Compulsory forecaddie: 200 to 300 MAD per caddie, cash | None published |
| Royal Golf de Cabo Negro | Cabo Negro | 750 MAD | Compulsory forecaddie: 200 to 300 MAD per caddie, cash | None published |
| Royal Country Club de Tanger | Tangier | 650 MAD | Not stated | None published |
| Royal Golf El Jadida | El Jadida | Not published (online booking) | Not stated | None published |
| Royal Golf de Fès | Fez | Not published (online booking) | Not stated | None published |
| Royal Golf de Meknès | Meknes | Not published | Not stated | None published |
| Royal Golf Anfa | Casablanca | Not published (non-member access strictly controlled) | Not stated | None published |
Rates read on the clubs’ websites on 9 October 2026. “None published” means we found no limit on the club’s site, not that no limit exists: take your handicap certificate in any case.
What you actually need to play
1. A booked tee time
Dar Es Salam’s rules are explicit: tee-time reservations are mandatory, made at reception, by phone or on the website. Games of four, three and two players have priority when the course is busy, and a single player must let every group through. If you are travelling alone, expect to be paired or to wait.
2. Proper golf clothing
Dar Es Salam requires “appropriate dress, in keeping with the traditions of golf” and lists what is banned. Pack accordingly for every royal club, and check the rules of the others when you book.
| Item | Allowed at Dar Es Salam | Banned at Dar Es Salam |
|---|---|---|
| Clothing | Traditional golf clothing | Jogging suits, tracksuits, jeans, short shorts |
| Shoes | Soft-spike type studs only | Metal spikes |
| Play | Holes in order, one ball | Practising on the course, replaying shots |
| Buggy | Two people per buggy | Driving on greens, aprons and tees |
3. A handicap that fits the course
This is where Dar Es Salam differs from most courses in the country. The Red course requires a handicap below 18 and the Blue below 28; the 9-hole Green course has no published limit. A 24-handicapper can therefore play the Blue but not the Red. Royal Golf Marrakech, Cabo Negro and Tangier publish no maximum handicap on their rates pages. Carry your handicap certificate or your World Handicap System record from your home club anyway.
Want a tee time on a royal course without the paperwork? We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
The caddie: compulsory on every course
A federal circular of 29 May 2025 from the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation makes a caddie compulsory on every course in Morocco. Royal Golf Marrakech and Royal Golf de Cabo Negro have required a forecaddie since 28 May 2025, citing a note from the federation. The fee is per caddie, not per player: 200 MAD for a one- or two-ball, 250 MAD for a three-ball and 300 MAD for a fourball over 18 holes, paid in cash directly to the caddie. At Dar Es Salam, one caddie per player is mandatory on the Red course, one per player or per team of two or more on the Blue, and one per game on the Green; the club’s grid lists a caddie at 200 MAD for 18 holes.
So a fourball at Royal Golf Marrakech pays one forecaddie 300 MAD, or 75 MAD each, while the same four on the Red at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam need four caddies. Bring dirhams in small notes. No club we checked publishes a tip amount; our guide on handicap, dress code and caddies sets out the rules club by club.
What a royal green fee costs
Among the royal clubs that publish a rate, the 18-hole visitor green fee runs from 650 MAD at Tangier to 1,200 MAD at Royal Golf Marrakech and on the Red course at Dar Es Salam. Dar Es Salam’s grid is still labelled “Rates 2025”, so confirm the price when you book. Add the caddie, and a buggy if you want one: 450 MAD at Royal Golf Marrakech, 400 MAD at Cabo Negro and Dar Es Salam, and 300 MAD at Tangier.
For a society or a fourball, the caddie rule changes the maths more than the green fee does. Four players on the Blue at Dar Es Salam pay 4 x 850 MAD in green fees, and the rules allow one caddie per player or one per team of two or more. Ask the club which option applies to your group when you book. For the wider picture, from the cheapest courses to the most expensive, see our guide to green fees in Morocco.
Local etiquette worth knowing
- Mondays. Dar Es Salam is closed on Mondays. In Tangier, the course is open only until 3pm on Mondays; from Tuesday to Sunday the club opens from 9am to 6pm.
- Ramadan. Ireland’s Department of Foreign Affairs advises visitors not to eat, drink or smoke in public during daylight hours in Ramadan. On the course, keep water and snacks discreet.
- Playing alone. Two-, three- and four-balls have priority at Dar Es Salam; a single player gives way to everyone.
- Buggies. At Dar Es Salam, two people per buggy at most, and the club can restrict buggies in bad weather.
If you would rather skip the protocol
Not every Moroccan course works this way. Many resort courses in Marrakech publish no handicap limit, and their rate cards still list the caddie as an extra: “on request” at Al Maaden, a separate fee at The Montgomerie. If a member of your group has no official handicap, plan the Dar Es Salam Red course out and choose the Blue, the Green or a resort course instead. In the north, Royal Golf de Cabo Negro still requires its forecaddie, while the Royal Country Club de Tanger publishes no caddie rule. If you would rather we handled bookings, caddies and the order of the courses, see our golf holidays in Marrakech.
Royal courses, resort courses or a mix of both? We build the trip to measure: courses, tee times, accommodation and transfers.
Frequently asked questions
Do you have to be a member to play a royal golf course in Morocco?
Not at most of them. Six of the eight royal clubs we cover take visitors on a paid green fee, and Dar Es Salam’s rules open the courses to members and to golfers who have paid a green fee. Royal Golf Anfa in Casablanca strictly controls non-member access. You do need a booked tee time.
Do I need a handicap certificate?
At Royal Golf Dar Es Salam, yes in practice: the Red course requires a handicap below 18 and the Blue below 28. The other royal clubs we checked publish no limit, but carry your certificate anyway.
What should I wear on a royal course?
Traditional golf clothing and soft-spike shoes. Dar Es Salam bans jogging suits, tracksuits, jeans, short shorts and metal spikes.
Is a caddie compulsory?
At Royal Golf Marrakech and Royal Golf de Cabo Negro, a forecaddie has been compulsory since 28 May 2025, at 200 to 300 MAD per caddie in cash. At Dar Es Salam, one caddie per player is required on the Red course.
How much is a green fee on a royal course?
From 650 MAD at the Royal Country Club de Tanger to 1,200 MAD at Royal Golf Marrakech and on the Red at Dar Es Salam, for 18 holes at the visitor rates shown on 9 October 2026, before caddie and buggy.
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