By Brandon Tucker,

Staff Writer
Morocco is a dynamic country on the north coast of Africa full of diversity and rich history, not to mention warm sunshine and even a little golf. As a golf destination, it's not as developed as Spain and Portugal, with only about a dozen clubs. But the game has been a popular pastime of the Royal Family for years, and for the golf courses Morocco does have, the quality is quite remarkable.It's also a golf destination that stands to grow in coming years thanks to added outside interest in real estate and vacation homes, as well as a government that continues to work on growing the middle class.

Morocco is a favorite holiday spot for the French, who travel by two-hour direct flights from Paris to resort towns like Marrakesh and Agadir. It's also convenient for the French because Moroccans are usually bilingual in French and Arabic and most signage is in French, though the majority of larger hotels are able to cater to English-speaking guests.
Morocco's capital, Rabat, is about an hour's drive from Casablanca. There is one golf club here, Royal Dar es Salam, where King Hassan II enjoyed the game so much he founded a tournament, the King Hassan II Trophy, which has been contested here since 1971.

royal-dar-es-salam-red-course-no9.jpgMorocco's

largest and most cosmopolitan city, Casablanca

offers limited golf with a couple nine-hole courses

and Royal Golf D'Anfa's Mohammadia 18-hole

course just outside the city. A longer drive away is

the five-star resort and coastal golf club Royal

El Jadida at the Sofitel luxury resort property.
The country's most popular holiday town is the

vibrant Marrakesh, which has a population of just

over 1 million. You'll find three golf courses here and also year-round golf weather, with winter highs in the 60s.
Agadir, on the coast, features a handful of upscale resorts and golf courses, like Soleil Golf Club and Royal Agadir Golf Club. It's also closer to the Sahara, where you can take in desert and camel tours.