Golf in Tangier and Tetouan: Morocco's oldest club and two coasts

Most golfers head south to Marrakech and Agadir. The north is the better-kept secret: green hills, two seas, Spain visible across the Strait of Gibraltar on a clear day, and summers far cooler than inland Morocco.

The courses

Royal Country Club de Tanger. Golf has been played here since 1914, which makes it the oldest club in Morocco and one of the oldest in Africa. It became the Royal Country Club in the late 1960s, when it was extended to 18 holes with design work by the Cotton & Pennink firm. It's a tree-lined, rolling parkland a few kilometres from the city centre, shorter than modern courses (par 70) but full of character.

Al Houara. About 20 kilometres down the coast road towards Asilah, Al Houara has a championship 18 and a 9-hole course between a protected forest and the Atlantic, designed by Graham Marsh. The Hilton Tangier Al Houara Resort is next door, so you can stay and play.

Royal Golf Cabo Negro. Near Martil and Tetouan on the Mediterranean, Cabo Negro dates from the early 1970s: a tree-lined par 72 a short walk from the sea, with the Rif Mountains behind.

Why the north works

• Cooler summers. June to September is pleasant here when Marrakech is too hot for golf.
• Two seas. Play the Atlantic and the Mediterranean in the same trip.
• The best day trip in Morocco. Chefchaouen, the blue city of the Rif, is a full day out with a private driver. Closer to Tangier, Cap Spartel, the Caves of Hercules and the murals of Asilah fit around a morning round.
• Easy arrival. Tangier has direct flights from the UK and Europe, and the ferry from Tarifa takes about an hour.

A sample week

1. Arrive in Tangier and spend the evening in the kasbah.
2. Royal Country Club de Tanger.
3. Al Houara, then sunset in Asilah.
4. A full day in Chefchaouen.
5. Royal Golf Cabo Negro, with lunch by the sea at Martil or M'diq.

Ready to price it? Plan your Tangier and Tetouan trip. This is where Breaks.Golf started, and we know these clubs well.