Rabat- The “Michlifen Golf and Country Club” in Ifrane is the first golf course designed by an international golf champion in North Africa.
King Mohammed VI’s younger brother, Prince Moulay Rachid, inaugurated the Michlifen Golf and Country Club on Monday in the mountain town of Ifrane, 60 kilometers south of Fez.
The club, nestled in the heart of the Middle Atlas at an altitude of 1,650 meters, covers an area of 100 hectares and boasts scenic views of natural landscapes.
Jack Nicklaus, an American former professional golfer who has created prestigious golf courses worldwide, designed the 18-hole course “in total harmony” with Ifrane’s nature and landscape, according to the golf club’s website.
The Michlifen golf club course is Nicklaus’ first in North Africa. Nicklaus said that he did not give the site a “signature hole” aesthetically representative of the golf course.
“I am one who does not single out holes, and I certainly don’t believe in a signature hole. When I have been given the mandate to create 18 equally spectacular holes. But when assessing these breathtaking views at Michlifen, they are truly taken into full breadth at Holes 9, 17 and 18.”
The club also offers a luxury resort a few minutes away from the golf course which is part of the “Michlifen Resort & Golf.”
The resort comprises a hotel with five-star rooms and suites; three restaurants that serve Moroccan, French, Oriental, and Mediterranean cuisine; and a 3,500 square meter spa.
Nicklaus described the site as “one of the most scenic, beautiful vistas you will find for a golf experience.”
The Michlifen Golf and Country Club is equipped with state-of-the-art learning technology and is managed by professional and international golf specialists within “the strictest international” standards.
The club’s inauguration was attended by the minister of youth and sports, Rachid Talbi Alami; Hamou Ouheli, the secretary of state to the minister of agriculture, maritime fisheries, rural development, water, and forests; and the governor of Fez prefecture, Essaid Zniber.
