The Michlifen Atlas Pro-Am gains height

The Michlifen Atlas Pro-Am took place during the 3rd weekend of September. The event brought together 17 teams and as many nationalities. This 3rd edition further strengthens the reputation of an exceptional course, designed in the spa town of Ifrane by the legend Jack Nicklaus.

It only came out of the ground in 2018 but its reputation is already building and growing year after year. The journey of Michlifen is perhaps the most beautiful course in Morocco, even if the competition is tough with (among others) the Royal Golf Dar Es Salaam of Rabat, drawn by Robert Trent Jonesand the pearl of Mazagana link imagined by Gary Player.

It is another legend of the game who traced Michlifen, the record man at the 18 Majors, Jack Nicklaus. The course is even a “Signature”: the “Golden Bear” himself visited the site on numerous occasions to refine this unique 18-hole course, the first mountain course in Africa, located at an altitude of 1,600 meters. , in the Middle Atlas, between Fez and Meknes, near the National Park of the city of Ifrane which is nicknamed “the little Switzerland of Morocco”.

Michlifen is indeed a destination like no other, thanks of course to its exceptional route, we will return there, but also thanks to its 5-star Suites & Spa hotel decorated like a luxurious Alpine chalet which offers a warm and friendly atmosphere. Even in winter, when skiing takes precedence over golf, the place is full of customers eager to take advantage of the numerous services and incomparable charm of the hotel.

To benefit from both a first-class course and a prestigious stay, the IMG company, which “manages” the golf part of the premises through a management and marketing agreement, has imagined the creation of a Pro-Am which celebrated its third edition this year. Chris Brownthe operations director of IMG Golf Course Services, is committed to the sustainability of this growing event. “ This Pro-Am helps us grow the reputation of the course. We started three years ago with 12 teams, we hope to increase to 25 in the future.”

A sporty and festive Pro-Am

The service offered by the organizer of the Pro-Am, Clement Rousseautoday director of Fairmont Royal Palm in Marrakech but former golf director in Michlifen, is of the first rank (see package details).

Golf Planet had the chance to participate. From the opening ceremony to the gala evening, where many pros but also many amateurs are rewarded, the stay is a delight. The two major assets of the Pro-Am, beyond its conviviality and its sporting and festive atmosphere, and (this is almost obvious in Morocco) the quality of the gastronomy, are of course the hotel and its various services (the 3,500 m2 Spa is the spearhead) and the course.

“Jack Nicklaus has designed a spectacular, magical, high-end course, with holes like 9, 17 and 18 which are absolutely incredible from a panorama point of viewexplains Clément Rousseau. The golf course opened at the end of 2018 and the Covid crisis slowed down its development. When I arrived, I set about revitalizing the commercial side, in particular by launching this Pro-Am, which, we hope, will help increase the reputation of Michlifen, particularly in France. This year we had a very cosmopolitan clientele (17 nationalities represented, from South Africa to Senegal via Switzerland and Russia). In the future, on hopes to attract more French people or Belgians. »

Cosmopolitan teams

Unlike Marrakech and its 13 courses, or even Agadir, Michlifen is perhaps still a name shrouded in a certain mystery for those who are tempted by a golf vacation in Morocco. Let’s quickly set the scene: with its continental climate, its mountains and its holm oaks, it is a golfing experience completely different from all the jewels of the course that we know in North Africa. As Jack Nicklaus himself explained, “the landscapes of Ifrane and the Michlifen Golf & Country Club are among the most picturesque and sumptuous that can be found for playing golf. With a breathtaking view of the Azrou plain, holes 9, 17 and 18 are those that best allow you to fully appreciate the beauty of the Michlifen landscapes. »

We cannot contradict the man with the six green jackets.

Before going into the detail of these breathtaking holes, we must first salute the extreme quality of the preparation of the course thanks to the work of the super steward’s teams, Alejandro Avila. Departures? Almost similar to greens. They offer a wide range of difficulties and lines of play (6,671 meters from the back tees, 6,055 meters from the whites, 5,467 meters from the yellows, 4,776 meters from the reds).

The wide, undulating, cross-mown fairways, lined with rockeries, are real velvet carpets. At first very welcoming, they seem to narrow more and more, especially at the end of the course where the sequence 13, 15 and 16 require tee shots with great precision. It’s a bit like the local Amen Corner. Even if the danger is still very present on the two finishing holes.

Hole n°9, devilishly beautiful

But the most difficult hole on the course is probably the 9th, a devilish par 3, the first to offer a breathtaking panoramic view and to be completely exposed to the winds. From the raised rear tees it measures 194 meters. On the entire right side, it is the ravine and the assurance of a lost bullet. On the left, an out of bounds taunts you at the foot of the clubhouse. The green, surrounded by two deep bunkers, is only 11 meters wide… Accidents here are legion.

They are also there at 17, a very pretty par 3 of 161 meters where, again, the incredible panoramic view should not make you forget that a ball towards the Azrou plain will force you to replay from the start… With a penalty of course.

Finally, the last hole will force you to make a delicate strategic choice. Play over the ravine to cut this dogleg left par 4 uphill, at the risk of losing big, or choose caution on the right part of the fairway by agreeing to allow yourself a very long second shot towards a green with a tiny double plateau of access…

Michlifen is both luxury, the great outdoors, a sporting challenge and a pleasure for the eyes. It’s certainly a name that deserves to be known, even if the place can seem isolated for vacations.

“It is a place very well served by air transportunderlines Clément Rousseau. There are regular flights from France to Fez, an hour’s drive away. Shuttles welcome customers there. There are all the advantages of the hotel, its activities, its restaurants, so there is this Nicklaus ‘Signature’, there is even an academy, for those who want to progress during their stay… It is an ideal destination for groups of golfers but also for families. »

And therefore for Pro-Am enthusiasts. The 4th edition should be maintained in September 2025. In the meantime, you can already be tempted by the Michlifen adventure. We advise you to go there from February to October. And why not in summer, when you can enjoy a land of light without suffering from the heat.

©Nissam Visuals/Michlifen