Rabat, Morocco — Representing a unique concept of togetherness in the world of international golf, the 48th edition of the Hassan II Golf Trophy has opened in Rabat, Morocco, with participants from Sweden, Denmark, The United States of America, Australia and hosts Morocco, among other countries.
The trophy was coined in 1971 in the Kingdom of Morocco under the reign of His Late Majesty King Hassan II who was enthusiastic about golf as a sport.
Since then, the trophy has seen the participation of the world's big names in the game, including Nick Price who won in 1995 at the peak of his career when he was referred to as the world's number one in golf.
In an interview during the tournament at the Royal Golf Dar Es Salaam in Rabat, Olivier Edmond, Technical Director of the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation said “growing the sport of golf entails among other things, introducing it to children in schools to help change the perception that it is only for special people in society.”
The 48th Hassan II Golf Tournament is being held simultaneously with the 27th Lalla Meryem Cup, a popular stage of the Ladies European Tour (LET), featuring the elite of women’s golf from Europe.
Mr Edmond said the federation already has children coming part time to play golf because it has partnered with schools to promote the sport.
"There are partnerships between the federation and schools which have been working very well. We have part time kids coming to the golf course as well as part time coaches that are going to the schools to teach golf so that people can understand that it is a sport like any other and not just for a certain class as it has been perceived for a long time," He explains.
He says, "kids love it because it's fun and easy to play. If you see during this tournament where kids are playing, already there are a few hundreds here and they will be able to play in different places."
He added that through this engagement, the teachers' understanding about the game of golf has been changed as they now understand that everyone can play the game.
Mr Edmond said the federation shares the vision of the Royal Family to promote good habits in children as they play golf, and that other federations from other countries are welcome to partner.
Meanwhile, Mr Edmond says the Royal Moroccan Golf Federation is ready to partner with other countries to help grow the sport to high level standings. He added that golf had the potential to enhance tourism industries and can have huge benefits for countries.
Mr Edmond said one way golf can grow is by introducing the sport to school learners to develop high interest in the sport. The federation has already been engaging learners in golf, an initiative that has seen at least 6000 children being introduced to the sport every year, since 2022.
