Noria Golf Club Review

Father and son duo Kevin and Freddie Paver recently embarked on a memorable holiday to Morocco where they had the chance to play some of the finest golf courses in the country. Moving to Noria Golf Club, the guys review the place for us, which you can access yourself through our travel partners Golfbreaks.

If you want to see more of Freddie's adventures in the game - you can follow him on TikTok.

Noria Golf Club is just 20 minutes away from the centre of Marrakech. It is one of the newest courses in Morocco, only completed in 2014. It is a 7,096 yard par 73 with a good mix of short and long holes. Designed by Steve Forrest, he designed a brilliant course that sits just miles away from the foot of the Atlas Mountains, but also seems to be surrounded by the city in parts. It is an original course and is shown in the shapes of the greens, the famous rectangular lakes, and the minarets in the style of the traditional Moroccan architecture. 

Pre-Round Thoughts

When you enter the course through the big gates, you immediately see holes to your right. As you drive up, you will notice the modern clubhouse, and the minarets that are dotted across the course. They also have some fantastic modern changing facilities and lockers. Once you have made your way into the large pro shop and collected your scorecard and course planner, take some time to hone your skills on the large putting green or driving range. With complimentary range balls, it is a great way to get you ready for the round ahead. From there, you will make your way round the putting green and to the first tee. 

Front 9 Overview

To begin your round, the 1st hole immediately gets you on your toes with many bunkers strategically placed across the hole. It measures 343 yards from the white tees and if you avoid the bunkers, it’s a good opportunity to make par, even if you miss the green on your second shot. 

The 3rd hole is not easy! When teeing off you notice quite a few bunkers dotted around the fairway and the close to the green you get, you’ll notice the further eight that protect it. There is a total of 20 bunkers on the 3rd hole. If you do manage to navigate them all, you have a tricky two tiered green to negotiate. A superb hole.  

As you get the signature 8th hole, you’ll immediately notice why this is so iconic and unusual. The hole is shaped like a runway… so you have a rectangular tee box, running into a rectangular lake which is followed by a rectangular green. Such a strange and unique idea for a golf hole but it looks so good. At 172 yards, once you make the green on this par 3, you have a very a fast green to content with.  

The 9th hole is a great one to finish the front nine with. A 455 yard par 4 that is long and straight, with the clubhouse at the back of the green. It really encourages you to open your shoulders. It has a stream running down the right side that splits the 9th and 18th holes that opens up into a lake. The clubhouse terrace overlooks the 9th green so don’t leave yourself with a tricky putt.

Back 9 Overview

The 11th hole is a split fairway, one of three on the course. It is a par 4, 323 yards. It is reachable for the long hitters but for shorter hitters, it is much easier (and safer) to play straight and then play across to the two tiered green. It’s definitely one to play conservatively. 

The par 4 13th is another split fairway. It’s not one to really take on as the fairway all slopes down into a ditch. Once again, much easier and safer to play straight and then play over the ditch to a raised green. This risk/reward hole is definitely a theme here. 

The 17th is a very tricky one. A 376 yard par 4 with lots of bunkers. It’s a pretty narrow fairway, that if you make safely you are faced with a shot to a green that is surrounded by eight bunkers (another one!). Not only is it tricky to make the green, it's also tricky to hold it. It’s very narrow, meaning you need to throw it in very high to have any chance of staying on.  

And finally, the par 5 18th. To the right of the 9th hole, with the stream running down the left hand side, and it’s not an easy finish. At 512 yards, it’s a great hole to finish on. As with the 9th, you notice the clubhouse in the background when you stand on the tee, which definitely adds a little internal pressure! With strategically placed bunkers along the right and the stream on the left, there’s not much margin for error. With the common theme of rectangular greens and lakes, there is one here. Once again with the clubhouse watching you make that finishing putt, hopefully not for bogey. 

Verdict

Noria Golf Club is a great course that tests your ability in many different aspects. It is suitable for all handicaps (playing off the right tees). There are tricky and easy holes that all together work really well together and make a really great course. With the Atlas Mountains in one direction and the city of Marrakech the other, there is never a bad view. After your round, make sure you enjoy a drink and perhaps a bit to eat on the terrace and put some pressure on the other golfers out there. 

Noria really is a unique golf course and a fantastic addition to any Moroccan golf trip.