- LET signs new three-year agreement for Lalla Aicha Qualifying School in Marrakech
- This year’s dates confirmed for December 10-20, 2024
The Ladies European Tour has announced that Lalla Aicha Qualifying School will remain in Marrakech, Morocco, for three more years, in 2024, 2025 and 2026. The announcement follows an extremely successful Lalla Aicha Q- School in December, adding to the legacy of seven previous editions which were staged from 2012-2018.
The dates for this year’s Lalla Aicha Qualifying School are December 10-20, 2024. Pre-Qualifying will be played over three rounds from December 10-12 at four venues: Palm Golf Marrakech Ourika, Golf Club Rotana, Noria Golf Club and Samanah Golf by Nicklaus.
The Final Qualifier will then be played over five rounds on December 16-20 at two venues: Royal Golf Marrakech and Al Maaden Golf Marrakech.
As per last year, at the Final Qualifier, the field of competitors will be divided into two groups, playing the two courses alternately for the first four days. After a cut, the fifth and final round will be played at Al Maaden Golf Marrakech.
LET CEO Alexandra Armas said: “We are extremely pleased to be announcing our continued presence in Morocco through Lalla Aicha Qualifying School, which will remain in Marrakech for the next three years. Many of the young players teeing up in the Lalla Meryem Cup at Golf Dar Es Salam in Rabat this week earned their LET cards during Lalla Aicha Q-School in Marrakech in December and they are all excited to be playing in a full Ladies European Tour event in Morocco. We look forward to returning to this magnificent country again in December 2024.”
Nicolas Barraud, President of the Marrakech Golf Association said: “Working with the LET team and welcoming such a large field of talented players is an opportunity for Marrakech Golf Courses to shine internationally. There were 41 countries from all over the world represented last year and hopefully there will be even more in the years to come. This event highlights Marrakech, Morocco, as a fantastic golf destination, and the commitment of six, out of 12, golf courses in the red city showcases the variety and quality of its venues.
“We will also benefit from an agronomy program to maintain and raise our standards in order to offer the best playing conditions for this event and maintain them for our guests all year long.”
Entries will open in August. Full details will be available at this time on the LET website or by contacting the LET Q-School Department on [email protected].
A full list of this year’s dates and locations are as follows:
Pre-Qualifiers:
10-12 December 2024
PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika, Morocco
Golf Club Rotana, Morocco
Noria Golf Club, Morocco
Samanah Golf by Nicklaus
Final Qualifying:
16-20 December 2024
Royal Golf Marrakech, Morocco
Al Maaden Golf Marrakech, Morocco (the final round will be played on this course).
About Lalla Aicha:
The late Lalla Aicha was a member of the Moroccan royal family. She was the sister of King Hassan II and the aunt of the current King Mohammed VI.
Lalla Aicha played a significant role in the development of golf in Morocco and the promotion of the sport among Moroccan women. She is often considered the pioneer of women’s golf in the country.
Thanks to her efforts, Lalla Aicha contributed to the organization of numerous women’s golf tournaments in Morocco, including the Lalla Meryem Cup, an event on the Ladies European Tour named after her niece, Lalla Meryem. This tournament has attracted some of the world’s top women golfers and has helped increase the visibility and reputation of Moroccan golf internationally.
Lalla Aicha was a strong supporter of sports in general and golf in particular. She was an inspiration to many young Moroccan golfers, advocating for gender equality in the sport.
Her legacy lives on through the LET qualifying events that pay tribute to her dedication and commitment to the sport.
About the golf courses:
PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika – Located in the south of Marrakech on the Ourika road in a calm and relaxing environment surrounded by olive and palm trees, PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika is a must from the PalmGolf collection. Conceived and designed in a desert style landscape (with waste bunkers) by Canadian duo Neil Haworth and Stephane Talbot, PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika extends over 6692 meters and is PAR 72. PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika offers a true golfer’s paradise combining performance and pleasure, stunning views at the Atlas Mountains snowy peaks. Managed by Troon Golf, world leader in golf management, PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika offers wonderful practice facilities and superior service on the golf course as well as the clubhouse.
Golf Club Rotana – Located at the heart of Palmeraie Rotana Resort, the course spans 60 hectares and features undulating fairways dotted with seven glistening lakes. The 18-hole 72-par course has been designed and sculpted by renowned international golf-course architect, Robert Trent Jones Snr. Playing to almost 6214 metres, it ranks among the city’s top golf courses and boasts the peaks of the stunning Atlas Mountains as its backdrop. Golf Club Rotana Palmeraie has won multiple golf awards and hosted several major national and international golf events, including the Resorts Trophy, since 2010.
Noria Golf Club – Located at Domaine de Noria in Marrakech, Noria Golf Club is a par 72, 18-hole golf course that was designed by Steve Forrest from Hills & Forrest International Golf Course architects. The course winds through olive orchards, lavender fields and desert landscapes before making a dynamic, parallel finish along a formal reflecting pool with the snow-capped Atlas Mountains and a dramatic clubhouse providing a stunning backdrop. The central feature is a magnificent traditional “basin” that splits the 9th and 18th holes and stretches away into the distance from the clubhouse to the far side of the site. The noria, a water wheel which is a traditional Moroccan feature, has been incorporated into the golf course on the 15th hole, hence the name, Noria Golf Club.
Samanah Golf by Nicklaus – Samanah Golf Club in Marrakech is a distinguished 18-hole championship course covering 100 hectares, with a par 72 and a length of 6,800 meters. Crafted by Nicklaus Design, it combines Moroccan beauty with top-tier golf architecture. The course, set against the Atlas Mountains, features wide fairways and large greens, suitable for all skill levels. Its design includes strategic bunkers and native flora like olive trees, offering both a challenge and a visual delight. The clubhouse, with its panoramic terraces, overlooks the scenic course and mountains, providing a serene spot for relaxation.
The Royal Golf Marrakech – the favourite of the late His Majesty King Hassan II, the Royal Golf Marrakech is the second oldest course in the Kingdom of Morocco. Some holes are legendary and full of history. Its exceptional vegetation provides a unique setting. Designed by Gustave Golias and Arnaud Massy, it opened to the first players in 1927 with four holes. In 1928, Gustave Golias, golf champion and personal professor of the Pacha of Marrakech, completed the construction of the 9 first holes. In 1933, Golias and the famous Arnaud Massy, the first international player to win the British Open, in 1907, remodelled the course. The Royal Golf Marrakech has 27 holes. The New Course, a nine-hole par-36 course, opened in 2007.
Al Maaden Golf Marrakech – an 18-hole championship course that spans 72 hectares, with a par 72 and a total length of 6,569 meters (7,184 yards). It bears the signature of the famous architect Kyle Phillips who has blended a Moroccan and Scottish touch. At the heart of a hilly natural area, facing the summits of the Atlas Mountains, this course with varied design is suitable for all levels: with overhanging tees, water hazards, greens varied in height, highlighted by typical vegetation: palm trees, cypresses and olive trees. Al Maaden Golf is a real strategic challenge for the players while remaining affordable and fun. The clubhouse is surrounded by contemporary sunny terraces with superb views of the golf and mountains.
About the LET:
The LET inspires women and girls to pursue their passion and realise their potential through the game of golf.
At our core, we aim to build and deliver an extensive competitive schedule of events to enable our strong, energetic, proud and confident players to compete at the highest level, pursue their dreams and lead by example.
Inspiring – our players are inspiring role models to follow and encourage others to pursue their own dreams.
Passionate – we are driven by a passion to perform to our full potential and get better every day. It’s not just about the money or the glory, but a true love for the game.
Committed – we are fiercely committed to continuous improvement and recognise the grit that it takes to achieve long-term goals.
2024 marks the 46th season of golf tournaments since the professional tour was founded in November 1978. This year’s schedule includes 31 events in 20 different countries and a prize fund of at least €34 million.
