Amelkis golf course, near Marrakech. One of the venues for the Morocco Family Golf Festival in October.

Senior moments to remember lie ahead at

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Morocco Family Golf Festival in October

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Colin@scottishgolfview.com

The prospect of the Morocco Family Golf Festival - five competitive rounds over four courses at Marrakech - seems to be tickling the fancy of the senior golfer - over-55 for males, over-50 for ladies.

Latest to sign up for the October 9 to 16 Festival which will have prize categories for every golfing member of the family, from under-16 boys and girls, under-18 boys and girls, ladies, men, senior ladies and senior men - are
Neville Hill, who plays off 14 at Cams Hall Estate Golf Club, Fareham, near Portsmouth in Hampshire

AND

Robert Lane, who has an exact handicap of 12.6 at Saffron Malden Golf Club, Essex.

Mr Lane will be travelling with a party of eight people, whose entry forms are not yet to hand. They don't necessarily have to be golfers, of course. The trip is open to non-golfers at a reduced price.

I hear that a group of West of Scotland senior lady golfers are contemplating the trip. Why is there such enthusiasm, do you think? Well, Morocco is not your everyday destination for a holiday, nor a golfing holiday at that. We've all been golfing in Portugal or Spain but not many of us can claim to have touched down in Morocco.

I have, at Agadir, where I took a party of golf writers and Ada O'Sullivan's Great Britain & Ireland squad three or four years ago. From memory it was a mid-winter trip but the weather in Morocco was just right - not too hot, but very pleasant for shirtsleeve golf and drinks on the balcony type of thing.

Mohamed Fakir, the same Morocco travel specialist agent who is organising the Morocco Family Golf Festival, set that trip up and he tells me there is one little difference between golf on Agadir's courses and those at Marrakech.

Apparently, the hiring of golf caddies at Marrakech is mandatory. It is part of the local economy. We're not talking about caddies costing a lot of money as at the Old Course or Gleneagles, etc. A little money goes a long way in a country like Morocco.

So you could add another possibly new golfing experience as one of the Morocco Family Golf Festival attractions - playing with a caddie at your side for the first time!

If you want to find out all the details about the Festival, click on the relevant words at the top of the left hand column on this website or on www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk
But I can tell you that there is a choice of several airports in the UK for flights to Marrakech on Saturday, October 9. Mohammed Fakir will do the booking for you. All you have to do is tell him your preferred departure point.

On Sunday, October 10, there's a getting-to-know-you better-ball pairs - name your own partner or let the Tournament Director (that's Colin Farquharson) be your matchmaker.

On Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday there will be a four-round Stableford competition, at the end of which you get to discard your worst points round. Prizes will be awarded for the best 54-hole points totals.

Wednesday is a leisure day when you will be given the chance to join a conducted tour of Marrakech, including its famous market square where snake charmers, dancers, conjurers and other entertainers vie for your attention.

We'll have a Gala prizegiving dinner on the Friday night and then we'll all fly home on the Saturday, October 16, wishing we could stay for another week!

It's a package deal. The price you pay covers the flights, the hotel, most of the meals, the guided tour and, of course, the golf. Also the transfers to and from the airport and the golf courses.