Mazagan, El Jadida, and Essaouira: Coastal Golf Worth the Detour

If your idea of golf involves ocean spray on the 16th tee and wind strong enough to change a 7-iron into a 5-iron, Morocco’s Atlantic coast has two courses designed specifically for that experience. Mazagan at El Jadida and Golf de Mogador at Essaouira are both Gary Player designs that use the coastline as a playing partner, not just a backdrop.

Neither course is on the standard Marrakech golf circuit, which is exactly why they are worth the detour.

Mazagan Golf Course, El Jadida

Mazagan is a course serious golfers travel specifically to play. Gary Player designed it on sand dunes along the El Jadida coastline, and at 6,885 metres from the championship tees, it offers a long coastal test. The layout follows the beach, preserving the natural dune formations and using the wind as a design element rather than fighting it.

Holes 15, 16, and 18 run directly alongside the Atlantic, and on a clear day with the surf breaking below the cliffs, they are spectacular. The course management is handled by Troon Golf, and the course is generally kept in very good condition.

Mazagan Beach Resort, the five-star property surrounding the course, is a destination in itself. The resort includes a casino, spa, multiple restaurants, a pool complex, and a wide beach. Non-golfing partners have genuine options here. El Jadida’s Portuguese-era fortified city (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) is a separate drive from the resort and worth a half-day visit.

Golf de Mogador, Essaouira

Mogador is a different beast. Also a Gary Player design, it sits within the Sofitel Essaouira Mogador resort complex on exposed terrain with argan forests and ocean views. The wind at Essaouira is famous (the town is a major windsurfing destination), and it makes Mogador a genuine test of shotmaking. On a calm day, the course is scenic and enjoyable. On a windy day (which is most days from April to November), it demands creativity and patience.

The course spans 300 hectares and features multiple holes with ocean views. Conditions are generally good, though not quite at Mazagan’s Troon-managed level. The Sofitel resort offers spa treatments, a pool, and direct beach access. Essaouira’s medina, one of the most charming small towns in Morocco, is a 15-minute drive from the resort.

Royal Golf El Jadida

Often overlooked in favour of its Mazagan neighbour, Royal Golf El Jadida is a Cabell B. Robinson design spread over 120 hectares with the final three holes offering ocean views. Part of the Pullman Mazagan Royal Golf and Spa hotel, this 18-hole par-72 course winds through eucalyptus forest before opening up to the coast. It is less dramatic than Mazagan but less expensive and less crowded. A good choice for a second round if you are staying in the area for multiple days.

Planning the Detour

From Marrakech, Essaouira is about 2.5 hours by car or about 3 hours by Supratours bus. El Jadida is 3.5 hours via highway, or 1.5 hours south of Casablanca. A practical itinerary: fly into Casablanca, play Mazagan and Royal El Jadida over two days, drive to Essaouira for a round at Mogador and two nights in the medina, then continue to Marrakech for the rest of your trip.

This route gives you three very different golfing experiences (links, coastal parkland, and the Marrakech mountain courses) plus a genuine taste of three distinct Moroccan cities. It is more work than sitting in one Marrakech resort for a week, but it is a far richer trip.