Top players' guide to early-season

events on 2009 calendar

Dates and venues of early-season competitive opportunities in 2009 for players who are either in the Ladies Golf Union's Vagliano Trophy preliminary squad or feel they are good enough to push themselves into contention with good performances are:



JANUARY

7 to 10: Harder Hall Women's Invitational over 72 holes. Venue: Harder Hall Country Club, Sebring, Florida (opening event on Orange Blossom Tour).

14 to 17: South Atlantic Ladies Amateur over 72 holes. Venue: Oceanside Country Club, Ormond Beach, Florida (2nd event on Orange Blossom Tour).

19 to 24: Ione D Jones/Doherty Championship (match-play). Venue Coral Ridge Country Club, Fort Lauderdale, Florida (3rd event on Orange Blossom Tour).

26 to 30: 63rd Women's International Four-ball. Venue: Orangebrook Coountry Club, Hollywood, Florida (4th event on Orange Blossom Tour).

+All the contact numbers, websites and other details for the 2009 Orange Blossom Tour in Florida are available at the following website: http://www.harderhallwomens.com/obt.html

29 to February 2: Portuguese ladies open amateur championship. Handicap limit 6. Venue: Quinta do Peru Golf Club, near Lisbon. Enter through Portuguese Golf Federation (tel 00351 21412 3780). Website: http://www.fpg.pt/

FEBRUARY

12-13: Murcia Ladies Open over 36 holes. Silver Division players. Venue: Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival, Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, Murcia, south-east Spain.

14: St Valentine's Day pro-am over 18 holes. Venue: Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.

15: Costa Calida Pairs over 18 holes. First nine holes alternate shot, second nine holes better ball. Silver Division players. Venue: Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.

16-17: Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open over 36 holes. Silver Division players. Venue: Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.

++Entry forms for all the Hacienda del Alamo Festival competitions are available by logging on to http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/ or E-mailing the Tournament Controller, Colin Farquharson, at Colin@scottishgolfview.com or phoning him at (+44) 01224 869782

25 to March 1: Spanish women's open amateur championship. Venue: Real Club de Golf de Las Palmas (Gran Canaria Island). Handicap limit: 4.

Enter through the Spanish Golf Federation (telephone 0034 91 555 2692). Website: golfspainfederacion.com or E-mail: rfeg@golfspain.com