Bleu at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam

The Bleu Course at Royal Golf Dar Es Salam occupies a distinctive position within Morocco's most celebrated golf complex, located in the forested grounds of the former royal estate just outside Rabat. Robert Trent Jones designed the course as part of a larger development commissioned by King Hassan II in the early 1970s, creating a championship layout that would complement the property's existing Red Course. The design takes advantage of the site's natural cork oak forest, with fairways carved through mature woodland that provides both definition and shelter from coastal winds.

Jones employed his characteristic strategic architecture here, incorporating substantial bunkering, elevated greens, and water hazards that demand precise approach play. The routing moves through gently rolling terrain, with the cork oaks creating natural corridors that frame shots and add a Mediterranean character uncommon in North African golf. The course measures over 6,600 meters from the championship tees and has hosted numerous professional events, including stops on the European Tour's early calendar.

The Royal Golf Dar Es Salam complex serves as both a public facility and a venue for royal functions, reflecting Morocco's effort to develop golf as part of its sporting infrastructure. The clubhouse and grounds maintain formal gardens and traditional Moroccan architectural elements. The Bleu Course, while perhaps less internationally recognized than its Red counterpart, offers a thorough examination of Jones's design principles adapted to North African conditions, where the interplay of forest, water, and strategic hazards defines the challenge.