BLACKBOOK U R B A N P R
BLACKBOOK U R B A N P R I M E R Shadows dance across Assoufid Golf Club beneath the gaze of the Atlas Mountains Teeing Off MARRAKECH MARVELS A handful of headlining courses are turning the Moroccan desert city into a top golfing destination. BRIAN NOONE surveys the scene ASSOUFID GOLF CLUB The magnificent 18-hole layout winds through undulating barren scrubland 30 minutes southwest of the medina revealing horizonbending views of the snowcapped Atlas Mountains. Designed by European Tour veteran Niall Cameron and unveiled in October 2014, the course was named Morocco’s best at the 2015 World Golf Awards and features a smart mix of risk and reward for golfers of all abilities. Measuring 6,440 metres from the tips, the holes incorporate the surrounding desert – which is in play – and is pleasantly concluded by the indoor-outdoor La Colline restaurant, where French dishes pair with panoramic views for postround rejuvenation. assoufid.com SAMANAH COUNTRY CLUB Another notable track set southwest of Marrakech, the design, vintage 2008, is pure Jack Nicklaus: stunningly beautiful, provocatively unpredictable and challenging for both mind and muscles with an emphasis on the former thanks in part to no fewer than seven holes where water hazards are very much in play. Stretching 6,800 metres, the par-72 layout is joined by an expansive golf academy and some 600 villas and flats spread across 300 hectares of majestic desert splendour basking in the glow of the towering Atlas peaks. samanah.com ROYAL PALM GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB The 6,608m layout – Samanah’s near neighbour – is similarly aquatic with equally mesmerising mountain views and a pioneering approach to sustainable course architecture. The wide Bermuda grass fairways are complemented by generous greens, mature olive trees and rosemary bushes and flowering plants, but even excellent players can be caught out by the beauty and the beast yin-yang, such as the demandingly long 455m 15th. domaineroyalpalm.com AMELKIS MARRAKECH The memorable 27 holes at Amelkis were designed by Cabell B Robinson, right hand man to master architect Robert Trent Jones for nearly 20 years. Featuring numerous water hazards and abundant, sprawling bunkers, the The palm-fringed Royal Palm Golf & Country Club FROM TOP: © ASSOUFID GOLF CLUB, © ROYAL PALM GOLF & COUNTRY CLUB 42 DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM CONTACT PLATINUM CARD SERVICE FOR BOOKINGS
The chic interiors at Saké on Flinders Lane CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: KEVIN MURRAY, JACQUES SIERPINSKI/HEMIS.FR/LAIF, NICOLE ENGLAND, © MAGIC MOUNTAIN SALOON, ALAN KEOHANE, © AL MAADEN GOLF RESORT, © SAMANAH GOLF CLUB Palmeraie’s bunker-lined 15th Cloudless skies above Al Maaden Golf Resort course demands precision and rewards considered shotmaking. Joined by a golf academy and kasbah-style clubhouse, the course can be played alongside nearby Royal Golf Club, Morocco’s oldest course, as well as Al Maaden. golfamelkis. com PALMERAIE GOLF CLUB Lush and laden with undulating greens and water on nearly every hole, the Robert Trent Jones Sr design, opened in 1992, has ripened into a grand golf destination with challenges for all abilities from four tees and 27 holes that provoke and challenge at every turn. Nongolfing family members can find equally ample amusement in Palmeraie Village, complete with ten restaurants and bars and a state-of-the-art 5,200sq m spa. palmgolfclubmarrakech. com AL MAADEN GOLF RESORT The 6,429m course is all bunkers and water Sculptural bunkers at Al Maaden and striking mountain views, a jewel box of a layout that emphasises linksstyle shots with rolling fairways and spacious greens. Designed by Kyle Phillips – responsible for The Grove in London, the remodel of Paris’s Golf De Morfontaine and Yas Links in Abu Dhabi – its sculptural aesthetic is well suited to its big-sky setting, a course, like so many in the Red City, that merits a few rounds to enjoy its intricacies. almaaden.com EYRIE IN THE ATLAS Just 60 kilometres from Marrakech but a world away from the boisterous medina, Kasbah du Toubkal is perched in the serene High Atlas, 1,820 metres above sea level, overlooking the picturesque villages of the Imlil Valley. With just 14 rooms, the hideaway is all about getting away and is a paragon of integrating with both the surrounding community and environment. kasbahdutoubkal.com Local Favourites NOSHING FOR NIGHT OWLS Put down that kebab, suggests CARRIE HUTCHINSON. Melbourne’s fascination with staying up late now extends to the dining scene T here was a time when late-night dining in Melbourne involved one of two things: bowls of congee and plates of suckling pig at Supper Inn, or a Greek feast at the 24-hour institution Stalactites. Thankfully, for those whose tastebuds beg to stray in different directions, a new breed of restaurateurs is keeping the hot plates burning past the witching hour. Stroll along Flinders Lane after the theatre, for instance, and you’ll discover diners tucking in at stylish newcomer Saké (sakerestaurant.com.au). “We decided to offer late-night options that generate interest and a following, particularly with our loyal customers, rather than just extend the all-day menu,” says Martin Heierling, group culinary director at Urban Purveyor, owner of Saké. “Our chicken yakitori already has » Tomato and zucchini salad at the mod Magic Mountain Saloon DEPARTURES-INTERNATIONAL.COM 43
