- Five different venues in Marrakech, Morocco and one in India
- Final round to be played at Al Maaden Golf Marrakech, Morocco
The Ladies European Tour has announced the dates for its Qualifying School, which will be named “Lalla Aicha Qualifying School”.
Thanks to a new agreement between the LET and Marrakech’s Golf Association, the Q-School is returning to the Red City, adding to the legacy of seven previous editions of Lalla Aicha Q- School staged from 2012-2018.
Professional and amateur golfers from all over the world will compete through eight rounds for a life-changing place on the LET in 2024.
There will be five venues in the city of Marrakech and one additional pre-qualifying venue in India.
Three of the five venues in Marrakech – Palm Golf Marrakech Ourika, Palmeraie Rotana and Noria Golf Club, will host Pre-Qualifying over three rounds from December 10-12.
There will also once again be a Pre-Qualifier in Asia at the Ridge and Valley course at Classic Golf and Country Club in India with three rounds taking place on November 8-10.
Royal Golf Marrakech and Al Maaden Golf Marrakech will then host the Final Qualifier on 16-20 December 2023.
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: “All six venues on our Lalla Aicha Qualifying School schedule will provide players with a true test of golf and will ensure that those who are successful at the Final Stage will be ready to compete on the LET in 2024.
“It is wonderful to have Classic Golf and Country Club continuing as a venue, to give the opportunity for players in the Asia-Pacific region to pre-qualify closer to home.
“It is also incredibly exciting to have five different venues in Marrakech, Morocco. We know from previous editions of Q-School that the courses in Marrakech are exceptional and will provide a superb experience for all players.”
Nicolas Barraud, President of the Marrakech Golf Association said: “The Marrakech Golf Association is delighted to once again host the LET Lalla Aicha Qualifying School in the dynamic city of Marrakech. This year, the event will take place across five stunning venues, showcasing the diversity and excellence of Marrakech’s golf courses. With 12 golf courses available, Marrakech has established itself as the golf capital of Morocco, attracting a growing number of golf enthusiasts each year. In addition to world-class golf, visitors can enjoy a wide range of accommodations, rich culture, exquisite gastronomy, and a vibrant nightlife.”
The LET last visited Marrakech for Lalla Aicha Tour School in December 2018, when Bronte Law took the honours before becoming one of the leading players on Europe’s victorious Solheim Cup team. The LET first visited Marrakech for Lalla Aicha Tour School in 2012, when Ariya Jutanugarn won the trophy. She earned her first professional title at the Lalla Meryem Cup in Morocco three months later and then went on to top the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings.
Entries will open at the beginning of 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
8-10 November 2023
Classic Golf and Country Club, India
10-12 December 2023
PalmGolf Marrakech Ourika, Morocco
Palmeraie Rotana, Morocco
Noria Golf Club, Morocco
Final Qualifying
16-20 December 2023
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.
Palmeraie 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.
Classic Golf and Country Club – South Asia’s first ever 27-hole Signature Gofl Course designed by the legendary Golden Bear Jack Nicklaus, Classic Golf & Country Club is the cynosure of the golfing community at the foothills of the Aravallis in the National Capital Region. It comprises an 18-hole Signature championship course – ‘Ridge and Valley’ – and a 9-hole executive course – ‘Canyon’ – spread over an expanse of 1.2 square kilometres. One of the best golf resorts near Delhi, the retreat is only 37 kilometres from the heart of India’s national capital and just 20 kilometres from the millennium city of Gurgaon.
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.
