3rd Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls' Festival

Hannah Turland's bad luck: Wrist

injury AND glandular fever

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Hannah Turland, the Wiltshire teenager who should have won the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship as a 15-year-old at Royal Aberdeen GC last season, has had dreadful luck this winter.

The combination of a wrist injury and, potentially more serious, glandular fever.

She has withdrawn from two of the three 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls' Festival events she had entered.

"I will still play with Hayley Davis in the better-ball pairs event on the Saturday, February 13, but I have scratched from the Murcia Ladies Open (36 holes) and the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open (54 holes)," Hannah told tournament controller Lee Harrington.
Hannah and Hayley won the scratch section of the better-ball pairs at last year's HDA Festival.

Hannah, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, pitching on to the 18th green in the final round of last year's "British," will stay on at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort after the better-ball pairs to give herself a bit of a holiday but she won't be hitting balls, only supporting Hayley and her other friends at the Festival.

Hannah, a member at Tidworth and the Wiltshire county champion, was on the verge of a great win at Royal Aberdeen last season when she was the halfway leader in the "British" by three strokes and four shots ahead of the field after three rounds.

Then, during the final round, she lost a ball at the short 11th and ran up a triple bogey 6. Then she had a triple bogey 8 at the long 12th, followed by bogeys at the 13th and 14th.

Northern Ireland's Danielle McVeigh covered the same holes (11th to 14th) in 16 shots to Hannah's 24 and jumped into the lead which she held to the end to win her first British title.

Fingers crossed that Hannah makes a full recovery from her bout of glandular fever.

LATE ENTRIES ARE BEING ACCEPTED

FOR THE FESTIVAL (Feb 13 to 20)

To download an entry form, which gives you all the competition details, go to the to of the left-hand column on the Home Page of this website. Click on the relevant words, and up it will come.

Murcia is the preferred airport for Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort (about 25min away). John Green is handling villa rentals for competitors.

ENTRIES SO FAR

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.

Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis..

Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Dominic Hewson: Pairs with Alice Hewson.

Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Simon Brierley: Pairs with Daisy Dyer.

Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.

Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.

Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.

Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.

Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Charlotte Humphries: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.

Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Paul Coopey: Pairs with Kam Cheema.

Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.

Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.

Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.

Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

Charlotte Ellis: HDA Ladies Open.

Jess Wilcox: Pairs with Robert Wilcox & Murcia Ladies Open.

Robert Wilcox: Pairs with Jess Wilcox.

Holly Robinson: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

Sheila Brunton: Pairs with Claire Penman & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Claire Penman: Pairs with Sheila Brunton & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.

Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls' Open.Dawn Hincks: Murcia Ladies Open.

Penny Burrows: Pairs with Ian Burrows & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Ian Burrows: Pairs with Penny Burrows.

Rebecca MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open.

Sophie Phillips: Pairs with Sean Stiff & Murcia U-16 Girls' Open.

Sean Stiff: Pairs with Sophie Phillips.

Shula McCarthy: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Gemma McCarthy: Murcia U-16 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

Eadaoin Cronin: Murcia U-16 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

Five-star Spanish resort ... sunshine and golf .. what more could you ask?

Still time to enter the

Hacienda del Alamo

Festival (Feb 13-20)

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
If you want to escape the bad weather in Britain and Ireland, there is still time for you to enter the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls' Festival, sponsored by Glenmuir, at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, near Fuente Alamo in the Spanish south-east region of Murcia.
The Festival, from February 13 to 20, has prize categories for Under-16 girls, Under-18 girls, Ladies and Senior Ladies ... and we are accepting entries from professionals.
Just this week Sean Stiff, professional at the El Soto Golf Club down Malaga way, asked if he could partner his 12-year-old stepdaughter Sophie Phillips, handicap 28, in the curtain-raising better-ball pairs on Saturday, February 13.
The answer: Of course. The more the merrier. Tournament director Lee Harrington and Director of Golf Billy Sim will work out what kind of handicap to give Sean, probably +2.
Sophie, who goes to school, obviously, in Spain, can play in only one of the Under-16 girls' events, the two-rounder on the Monday & Tuesday.
To download an entry form, which gives you all the competition details, go to the top of the left-hand column on the Home Page of this website. Click on the relevant words, and up it will come.
Murcia is the preferred airport for Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort (about 25min away). John Green is handling villa rentals for competitors.

ENTRIES SO FAR
Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Dominic Hewson: Pairs with Alice Hewson.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Simon Brierley: Pairs with Daisy Dyer.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Paul Coopey: Pairs with Kam Cheema.
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.
Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.
Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Charlotte Ellis: HDA Ladies Open.
Jess Wilcox: Pairs with Robert Wilcox & Murcia Ladies Open.
Robert Wilcox: Pairs with Jess Wilcox.
Holly Robinson: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Sheila Brunton: Pairs with Claire Penman & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Claire Penman: Pairs with Sheila Brunton & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls' Open.
Dawn Hincks: Murcia Ladies Open.
Penny Burrows: Pairs with Ian Burrows & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Rebecca MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Sophie Phillips: Pairs with Sean Stiff & Murcia U-16 Girls' Open.
Shula McCarthy: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gemma McCarthy: Murcia U-16 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Eaodin Cronin: Murcia U-16 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

3rd Hacienda del Alamo

Women, Senior Women

& Girls' Golf Festival

PLAYED OVER THE DAVE THOMAS-DESIGNED
CHAMPIONSHIP COURSE AT THE FIVE-STAR
HACIENDA DEL ALAMO GOLF RESORT, NEAR
FUENTE ALAMO, MURCIA, S-E SPAIN

February 13 to 20, 2010
SPONSORED BY GLENMUIR

ENTRIES SO FAR
Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Dominic Hewson: Pairs with Alice Hewson.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Simon Brierley: Pairs with Daisy Dyer.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Paul Coopey: Pairs with Kam Cheema.
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.
Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.
Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Charlotte Ellis: HDA Ladies Open.
Jess Wilcox: Pairs with Robert Wilcox & Murcia Ladies Open.
Robert Wilcox: Pairs with Jess Wilcox.
Holly Robinson: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Sheila Brunton: Pairs with Claire Penman & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Claire Penman: Pairs with Sheila Brunton & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls' Open.
Dawn Hincks: Murcia Ladies Open.
Penny Burrows: Pairs with Ian Burrows & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Rebecca McLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Sophie Phillips: Pairs with Sean Stiff & Murcian U-16 Girls' Open.

+There is still time to submit your entry. To download an entry form, click on the relevant words at the top of the left-hand column of the Home Page on this website.

3rd Hacienda del Alamo February Festival, sponsored by Glenmuir

Jess Wilcox, after a memorable 2009,

is out to do even better this year

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Jess Wilcox, 18-year-old Blankney Golf Club, Lincolnshire member, is the latest player to file an entry to the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Ladies/Girls' Festival, sponsored by Glenmuir, at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort near Fuente Alamo in the south-east Spanish province of Murcia.
Jess will play with her dad Robert - who plays off scratch - in the curtain-raising, better-ball pairs competition on Saturday, February 13 when members of the Hacienda del Alamo Golf Club will join in the fun.
Then Jess, who has an actual handicap of +0.2, will compete against international players of the calibre of English women's champion Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall) and English girls' champion Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), to name but two, in the Murcia Ladies Open over 36 holes on Monday and Tuesday, February 15 and 16.
Jess will be hoping to build on the excellent 2009 season she had. She reached the quarter-finals of the British girls' championship at West Lancashire Golf Club, finished runner-up to Alex Peters (Notts Ladies) in the Abu Dhabi/Daily Telegraph girls championship and fifth in the Nick Faldo Series Grand Final in Brazil. Midland Ladies champion, Jess also won the EWGA Midlands North Regional championship.
Jess played at La Manga - which is not all that far away from Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort - in December when she just missed out by the narrowest margins for a place in the Final Qualifying Tournament of the Ladies European Tour. She will be 19 in late October.

HDA FESTIVAL ENTRY LIST
Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Jessica Bradley: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.
Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.
Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Charlotte Ellis: HDA Ladies Open.
Jess Wilcox: Pairs with Robert Wilcox & Murcia Ladies Open.

Robert Wilcox: Pairs with Jess Wilcox.

Holly Robinson: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

+We've decided to extend the entry deadline to the end of January so that nobody is disappointed. An entry form can be downloaded by clicking on the relevant words at the top of the left-hand column on the Home Page of this website.

Charlotte Ellis latest international player to enter the 3rd

Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls February Festival

Charlotte Ellis, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, is the latest England international team player to enter next month's Hacienda del Alamo Ladies & Girls Festival, which is sponsored by Glenmuir.

A Minchinhampton Golf Club member, Charlotte hails from Cheltenham, and is a Gloucestershire county player and played for England in the women's home internationals at Irvine Golf Club, Ayrshire last September.

She had her 24th birthday on January 3 and has a handicap of +2.

Charlotte finished ninth in the 2009 EWGA Order of Merit ... joint runner-up in the English stroke-play championship ... a quarter-finalist in the English mid-amateur championship ... and came equal seventh in the British stroke-play at Royal Aberdeen.

She won the Hampshire Rose and was leading amateur at the Roehampton Gold Cup. She won the English mid-amateur in 2006.

She has entered the main event of the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Festival, the 54-hole Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Although she is not in the GB&I Curtis Cup preliminary squad named before Christmas, Charlotte is just the type of "fringe" player who could force herself into the eight-strong team to be announced in late April with strong performances in early-season events such as the HDA Festival.

Lydia Johnston, a junior member of Harleyford Golf Club, has entered the Murcia Under-18 Girls Open and the Hacienda del Alamo Under-18 Girls Open. Lydia, from Marlow, Buckinghamshire, will be 17 years old in May. She has a handicap of 5.8.

STILL TIME TO ENTER THE FESTIVAL
You can download an entry form by clicking on the relevant words at the top of the left hand column on the Home Page of this website.

ENTRY LIST AT JANUARY 7

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Jessica Bradley: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.
Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.
Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.
Charlotte Ellis: HDA Ladies Open.

First 'locals' enter Hacienda del
=
Alamo February Festival

The first "local" entries for the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo February Festival, sponsored by Glenmuir, have been received as the countdown begins to the closing date of mid-January for entries to the February 13 to 20 bonanza of golf for ladies and girls - and males too if they want to partner them in the opening pairs event on the Saturday.
Marilynn Pearce and her husband Geoff will partner each other in the pairs. Marilynn has enter both the 36-hole (Monday-Tuesday) and three-round (Thursday-Friday-Saturday) senior sections of the Murcia Ladies Open and the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Marilyn and Geoff are Hacienda del Alamo Golf Club members but do not live on the five-star resort near the small town of Fuente Alamo in the Murcia region of south-east Spain.
Ana and Derek are also partnering each other in the pairs before Ana tackles the Murcia Ladies Open followed by the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
They are property owners at the resort and also golf club shareholders
Just a reminder that there are Under-16 and Under-18 girls, Ladies and Senior Ladies prize categories within the two stroke-play events.
If we were to get at least 12 lady professionals to enter, then we would add categories for them. The prize fund for each would be at least 1,000 Euros.
You can download an entry form by clicking on the relevant words at the top of the left hand column on the Home Page of this website.
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort has extensive practice facilities which are as good if not better than anything you will find elsewhere in Spain. The Festival is mainly a fun event but for players of the class of English women's champion Charlie Douglass, English girls' champion Holly Clyburn and Scottish Under-21 champion in 2008 and 2009, Kelsey MacDonald, it is a unique opportunity early in the year to combine competitive play with quality practice.


ENTRIES SO FAR
Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Jessica Bradley: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open,
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Marilynn Pearce: Pairs with Geoff Pearce & Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors), HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Geoff Pearce: Pairs with Marilynn Pearce.
Ana Wright: Pairs with Derek Wright & Murcia Ladies Open, HDA Ladies Open.
Derek Wright: Pairs with Ana Wright.
Lydia Johnston: Murcia U-18 Girls' Open & HDA U-18 Girls' Open.

Worcestershire and Wentworth

champion Dana is

latest entry

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Latest entry to the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort in the south-east Spanish region or Murcia is Dana Greenslade.

Dana knows what to expect of the Dave Thomas-designed course which recently hosted a Stage 2 event in the European Tour Qualifying School process. She played in the second Festival last February when the above image was taken by Cal Carson Golf Agency.

Since then Dana, 18-years-old from Ashford, Middlesex, has had a super year.

She won the Worcestershire women's county championship and also the Wentworth ladies club championship.

Dana, who has an exact handicap of 5.9, has entered the 36-hole Murcia Ladies Open on Monday and Tuesday, February 15-16 and the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open over 54 holes from Thursday to Saturday, February 18 to 20.

We are still very keen to boost the number of entries from senior ladies, particularly all the Irish ones we've had in previous Festivals.

We would also add two categories for lady professionals if we could get a minimum of 12 entries from them.

Remember men and boys can enter with their lady/girl relatives to the better-ball pairs on Saturday, February 13.

To download an entry form, go to the Home Page of this website and click on the appropriate HDA FESTIVAL wording at the top of the left hand column.

Entries will close in mid-January.

WHO HAS ENTERED THE 2010 FESTIVAL SO FAR

Under-16, Under-18, Ladies & Senior categories in all the competitions.

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Sally Watkins: Pairs with Jessica Bradley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley & Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Jessica Bradley: Pairs with Sally Watkins, Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open,
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Entries received so far for the 2010

Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival

(February 13 to 20, 2010)

Under-16, Under-18, Ladies & Senior categories

to all the competitions.

We need a minimum of 12 lady professionals to enter before we can add two events for them to the programme

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Sally Watkins: Pairs with Jessica Bradley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.

Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.

Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.

Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Jessica Bradley: Pairs with Sally Watkins, Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open,

Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.

Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.

Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open

Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Coopey & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Dana Greenslade: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

WANTED: TWELVE LADY PROS TO PLAY IN THE

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO FEBRUARY FESTIVAL

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

We have had one or two tentative inquiries about whether or not there will be competitions in which lady professionals can play at the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival (February 13 to 20).

The answer is "Yes" ... with the proviso that at least 12 lady pros enter. They don't need to enter both events - the Murcia Ladies Open (36 holes over Monday-Tuesday) and the Hacienda del Open Ladies Open (54 holes over Thursday-Friday-Saturday). One will do.

The entry fee for lady professionals is 80 Euros for the two-rounder and 100 Euros for the 54-hole competition.

If the mininum field of 12 is achieved in either event, there will be a guaranteed cash prize fund of at least 1000 Euros for each.

Included in the entry fee is free use of the practice facilities which rank with the best in Spain and a free practice round over the Dave Thomas-designed course.

To download an entry form and read the entry details in full, click on the words 2010 HDA FESTIVAL at the top of the left-hand column on the Home Page of this website.

It's Green for Go for Amber (still only

14) at Hacienda del Alamo Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Royal Cromer Golf Club junior member Amber Ratcliffe will be making her third appearance at the Hacienda del Alamo February Festival in a couple of months' time - and she's still only 14 years old!

Since she played in the 2nd Festival in February this year, Amber has won the Norolk schools championship with a gross one-over-par score. Then she won the English schools Under-16 girls championship at Northants County Golf Club with a brilliant opening round of eight-under-par 67 which smashed the course record by four shots, followed by a one-over-par second round.

Amber also played in the Norfolk county ladies championship for the first time and finished runner-up - and she was still only 13 years of age at the time.

She made her Norfolk county ladies debut at County Week, winning three out of four singles matches.

Amber, pictured above in action at the 2nd Hacienda del Alamo Festival, also won her county Under-16 championship and was selected the EWGA Select Midland Squad. Amber also played for England against Wales in a schools international and won her singles match, helping England to win the match overall.

Last, but certainly not least, because it is a barometer of her golfing progress - Amber has reduced her handicap to 2.6.

In the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo February Festival, Amber has entered the Murcia Under-16 Girls Open over 36 holes on the Monday-Tuesday, February 15-16, but she will step up to take on the Ladies in the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open over 54 holes on the Thursday-Friday-Saturday, February 18-19-20.

Even younger than Amber Ratcliffe is another entrant this week from High Ongar, Essex. She's Gabriella Cowley who had her 13th birthday on March 10. She is a member at Chelmsford Golf Club and has a handicap of 6.

Gabriella is to play in the Under-16 Girls Open over 54 holes from February 18 to 20.

There will be scratch and handicap sections in all the events.

We are still crying out for entries from seniors (over 50 years) and lady professionals.

The Lanark-based company Glenmuir, whose sweaters the European Ryder Cup team will be wearing in next year's match at Celtic Manor, is also providing prizes for the third year in a row at the Festival. Hacienda del Alamo Properties are also providing valuable support.

You can download an entry form and more details about the events by clicking on the appropriate wording at the top of the left hand column of the Home Page of this website.

Entries don't close until mid-January but we would like to know if YOU are coming or not!

If you want details about how much it costs to rent accommodation at the five-star Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort during the Festival, send an E-mail to John Green of Hacienda Del Alamo Properties at johngreen@hdagolfproperties.com
The cost per head obviously comes down dramatically if you are prepared to share the accommodation. That's why it makes sense to organise a group of your golfing friends to go with you to the five-star golf resort where the clubhouse is magnificent, the practice facilities brilliant and the Dave Thomas-designed course will bring the best out of you.

FESTIVAL ENTRIES RECEIVED SO FAR

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.

Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Sally Watkins: Pairs with Jessica Bradley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Jessica Bradley: Pairs with Sally Watkins, Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Gabriella Cowley: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Amber Ratcliffe: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Kam Cheema: Pairs with Paul Cooper & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Jenna Birch, left, the Scottish open Under-18 stroke-play champion, with Kelsey MacDonald, the Under-21 champion for the second year in a row. Both girls will be playing at the Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival in February.

Jenna Birch is latest startlet

to enter HDA Festival

By Colin Farquharson

Jenna Birch, 18-year-old member of this year's Lancashire county title-winning team, is the latest outstanding young player to put her name down for the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival, from February 13 to 20, in the sunny south-east Spanish province of Murcia.

Jenna, pictured right, from Fleetwood and a member at Royal Lytham St Annes Golf Club, where she has an actual handicap of 1.9, will partner youngster Amelia Taylor in the better-ball pairs curtain-raising competition alongside the five-star resort's golf-playing villa owners, and then take part in the two-round Murcia Ladies Open on the Monday and Tuesday (February 15-16) and the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open from the Friday to the Saturday (February 18-19-10).

Last year, Jenna was runner-up to girls' champion Hannah Barwood in the Nick Faldo Grand Final in Brazil. Hannah, who also won the English women's championship last year, is also an entrant to the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Festival.

This year, apart from her team triumph with Lancashire, Jenna won the Under-18 years title at the Scottish Under-21 stroke-play championship at Nairn Dunbar. And, guest what? Kelsey MacDonald, winner of the Under-21 title for the second year in a row, is also heading out to Spain for the Festival. So a few happy reunions in store.

Jenna took the game up only five years ago, so she has made rapid progress. She holds the Fleetwood women's course record of 67.

Entries for the Festival, which is sponsored by Glenmuir, don't close until mid-January but don't leave it to the last minute ... you can download an entry from by clicking on the relevant words at the top of the left hand column on the Home Page of this website.

The Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort, with a Dave Thomas-designed course which recently hosted one of the European Tour Qualifying School's Stage 2 eliminators, has excellent practice facilities, including a six-hole Academy course, a two-tier driving range (where you can play off the grass if you wish to, a dedicated bunker practice facility and two large practice greens, one for putting and the other for chipping. There is also another practice putting green in front of the splendid clubhouse.

The nearest airport is Murcia, about 30min away. Alicante Airport is an option but it is well over an hour away from the resort.

E-mail John Green (johngreen@hdagolfproperties.com) if you want details about renting one of the Hacienda del Alamo villas during the Festival. The price per head obviously reduces if you are prepared to share.

It is not totally an all-female festival - boys/men can play in the better-ball pairs event on Saturday, February 13.

We would like more senior ladies to enter, especially from Ireland which provided us with so many entries over the first two Festivals. And competitors from Scotland too are lacking at the moment. Only Curtis Cup team contender Kelsey MacDonald from Nairn Dunbar and the University of Stirling has entered so far from north of the border.

Last, but certainly not least, we are quite prepared to accept entries from lady professionals who would compete for cash prizes in a separate category from the girls and lady amateurs. The more who enter, the bigger the prize fund.

Anyone playing at the forthcoming Ladies European Tour Qualifying School Stage 1 and 2 events at La Manga - which is not all that far away from Hacienda del Alamo - is invited to go along the road to see what HDA has to offer.

Just give director of golf Billy Sim a call on 0034 690295650 when you are out in Spain to fix up a round or use of the practice facilities. Maybe you will like Hacienda del Alamo so much, you'll want to come back for the February Festival!

FESTIVAL ENTRIES RECEIVED SO FAR

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.

Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Sally Watkins: Pairs with Jessica Bradley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open

Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.

Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.

Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.

Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Jessica Bradley: Pairs with Sally Watkins, Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.

Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.

Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).

Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.

Amelia Taylor: Pairs with Jenna Birch, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Jenna Birch: Pairs with Amelia Taylor, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.

HACIENDA DEL ALAMO FEBRUARY FESTVAL

Charlotte Humphries just

keeps on improving

One of the latest entrants to the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo February Festival, supported by Glenmuir, is 15-year-old Burnham & Berrow Golf Club member Charlotte Humphries.
Charlotte, from Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset played in the 2nd Festival last February and has brought her handicap down from 18 to 8 this past season. Going a bit farther back, Charlote has reduced her handicap from 33 in April 2008 to its present figure, which is very good going.
She had the best net score at the English Under-15 girls championship, played at rain-soaked Wiltshire Golf Club in July.
Charlotte has also won three junior competitions are her own club and was a member of the Somerset girls team who won the Inter-County Cup in August when they beat Dorset, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire over two days of match-play.
At the moment Charlotte can only play in the 54-hole Hacienda del Alamo Under-16 girls' open stroke-play tournament on the Thursday-Friday-Saturday (February 18-19-20) but her dad Rob says she will also play in the two-round Murcia Under-16 girls' open on the Monday and Tuesday (February 15-16) if they can make the necessary arrangements.
Another recent entry is Katherine Carragher, a 15-year-old member at John O'Gaunt Golf Club, Bedfordshire.
Hitchin-based Katherine, who has 13 of a handicap, has entered both the Under-16s' stroke-play events.
And, received this evening, an entry from 19-year-old Danielle Anderson, a member of Rochford Hundred Golf Club, handicap 3.6, for the 54-hole Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
There are scratch and handicap prizes in all the categories - Under-16 girls, Under-18 girls, ladies and senior ladies.
+Entry forms and more details about the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Festival events can be downloaded by clicking on the appropriate wording at the top of the left-hand column on this website's Home Page.

FESTIVAL ENTRIES RECEIVED SO FAR

Mary MacLaren: Murcia Ladies Open & Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.
Meghan MacLaren: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open
Hannah Turland: Pairs with Hayley Davis, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open
Alice Hewson: Pairs with Dominic Hewson, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open
Sally Watkins: Pairs with Jessica Bradley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Charlie Douglass: Pairs with Holly Clyburn, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hayley Davis: Pairs with Hannah Turland, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open
Georgia Gilling: HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Daisy Dyer: Pairs with Simon Brierley, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Nicola Callander: Pairs with Ella Ofstedahl & Murcia U-16 Girls Open.
Ella Ofstedahl: Pairs with Nicola Callander.
Holly Clyburn: Pairs with Charlie Douglass & Murcia Ladies Open.
Lucie Walker: Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Hannah Barwood: Pairs with Amy Boulden, Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Jessica Bradley: Pairs with Sally Watkins, Murcia U-18 Girls Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Emma Harris: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Emily Taylor: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Amy Boulden: Pairs with Hannah Barwood, Mucia Ladies Open & HDA U-18 Girls Open.
Dulcie Sverdloff: Pairs with Aaron Sverdloff, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Aaron Sverdloff: Pairs with Dulcie Sverdloff.
Kelsey MacDonald: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Linda Marr: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Linda Wilson: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Gillian Gardiner: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Audrey Lee: Murcia Ladies Open (Seniors) & HDA Ladies Open (Seniors).
Becky Gee: Murcia Ladies Open & HDA Ladies Open.
Hollie Vizard: HDA U-16 Girls Open
Charlotte Humphries: HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Katherine Carragher: Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.
Danielle Anderson: HDA Ladies Open.
Amelia Taylor: Pairs with partner to be arranged, Murcia U-16 Girls Open & HDA U-16 Girls Open.

Alice Hewson with European Tour star Nick Dougherty at

St Andrews and (above right) Alice Hewson the swimmer

All-round sportsgirl Alice Hewson

=

coming back to HdA Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Alice Hewson knows what to expect at the 3rd Hacienda

del Alamo Winter Festival, supported by Glenmuir, in February - she played over

the Dave-Thomas designed course at the five-star resort

in south-east Spain last February.
And Alice, only 12 years old, with a handicap of 12 has packed a lot of sport into the months since then.

Alice's dad Dominic was kind enough to pass on to me what

her school magazine had to say about it:

"Alice Hewson has made her presence felt on the golf course and in the pool this year. The talented 12-year-old, who is a pupil at Berkhamsted School, has been selected for the English Ladies ‘Super Birdies’ Development Squad and she swam in seven events at the British National Swimming Championships in Sheffield.
"Swimming – In July, Alice competed at the National Swimming Championships at Sheffield’s International Olympic Pool in seven different events, winning a well deserved Silver Medal in the 100m Backstroke in an amazing sub-70 second time of 1:09.28, and finishing a creditable ninth in the overall standings.
"Golf - Having discarded her swim-suit, Alice donned her spikes and took on the country’s best young golfers in the England U-13 Championships, and then played in the US Kids World Championships in the US and finally the HSBC Wee Wonders event at St. Andrews where she secured second place with a final round 72.

"In recognition of her achievements, Alice has been selected for the 2009-2010 England Development Squad, which will train at Brocket Hall over the winter and spring. Alice plays her golf at Berkhamsted Golf Club who have supported Alice since she started playing at the age of seven, and has a highly respectable handicap of 8."

Well done, indeed, Alice! Most girls would be in Wonderland if they had had a sporting year like that.
Alice will team up with dad Dominic for the curtain-rising better-ball pairs at the Hacienda del Alamo Festival on Saturday, February 13 when the field will also include the resort's own golfing fraternity, men and ladies, on the day before St Valentine's Day.

Then Alice will play in the Under-16 girls' section of the 36-hole Murcia Open on the Monday and Tuesday (February 15-16) followed by the Hacienda del Alamo Open over 54 holes on the Thursday-Friday-Saturday (February 18-19-20).

LATE NEWS: Hollie Vizard, a member of Pleasington Golf Club, Blackburn, has entered the Hacienda del Alamo Open Under-16 girls' section over the three rounds. Hollie will celebrate her 15th birthday on December 11 and has nine of a handicap.

Welcome to the Festival, Hollie!

Entry forms for the Festival which runs from February the 13th to the 20th are available by clicking on appropriate wording at the top of the left hand column of the Home Page on this website. If you still have any queries, E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Kelsey MacDonald out to impress Curtis Cup selectors with Hacienda del Alamo Festival performances. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency (click to enlarge).

Kelsey Macdonald is fifth Curtis Cup squad player to enter

Hacienda del Alamo

February Festival

Dulcie & Daisy bid

for girls' titles, and

welcome to four

seniors from Lancs

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

Scottish Under-21 champion for the past two years, Kelsey MacDonald, Stirling University & Nairn Dunbar Golf Club, has become the FIFTH member of the GB&I Curtis Cup squad to enter the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival, supported by Glenmuir, at the five-star golf resort in the Spanish south-east province of Murcia.

Kelsey, flying from Prestwick to Murcia Airport, won't arrive in time for a free practice round for the 36-hole Murcia Open on the Monday and Tuesday (February 15-16) but she will be fully tuned up over the Dave Thomas-designed course which hosted a European Tour Qualifying School Stage 2 event last weekend by the time she plays in the 54-hole Hacienda del Alamo Open on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday (February 18-19-20).

Other Curtis Cup players who have entered are English amateur champion Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall), English girls champion Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa), Amy Boulden (Maesdu) and last year's English women's title-winner, Hannah Barwood (Knowle).

The Curtis Cup selectors will be keeping a close watch on the form of the competitors at the Festival because they have to name their team of eight to tackle the Americans at Essex County Club, Massachusetts from June 11 to 13 on Sunday, April 25 and British & Irish domestic season has hardly begun by then. Hence the importance of playing in early-year golf tournaments such as the Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival.

Dulcie Sverdloff from Southend, Essex and a member of Balards Gore Golf Club has entered the Under-16 girls' sections for the 36-hole and 54-hole competitions at the Festival.

Dulcie will play with her dad Aaron in the better-ball pairs which rings up the Festival curtain on Saturday, February 13

Dulcie is the current East Region Under-15 champion and was runner-up to Daisy Dyer in the Under-18s' section of that event at Newmarket Golf Club earleir this year. Daisy has also entered the Festival (Dulcie, left, and Daisy are pictured above).

Good news too that we have also received our first entries for the seniors' sections which run in conjuction with the Under-16s, the Under-18s and the ladies' events at both the individual stroke-play competitions.

For some reason senior entries have been slow to come in this year but perhaps the example of Linda Marr, Gillian Gardiner and Audrey Lee - all members of Fleetwood Golf Club, Lancashire - and Linda Wilson (Ashton & Lea GC) will stir many more over-50s to go out to the Festival.

Entry forms are available by clicking on the appropriate words at the top of the left-hand column of this website's Home Page.

If you have any queries, E-mail Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Entries will close in mid-January.

Incidentally, we are quite prepared to run lady professional categories at the Festival if they are interested.

Those who are WPGA-trained and working at clubs might consider going out to Hacienda del Alamo with a party of lady club members. The practice facilities, including a six-hole academy course, a two-tiered driving range, where it is possible to play off grass, a dedicated bunker practice facility and two big practice greens, one for putting and the other for chipping.

3rd HACIENDA DEL ALAMO WOMEN'S/GIRLS'

GOLF FESTIVAL, FEBRUARY 13 to 20, 2010

=========================================================

Emma (13) is first Isle of Man

player ever to enter Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Emma Harris, who will be 14 years old on January 8, is "different" from any other entry we've ever had for the Hacienda del Alamo Winter Festival at the five-star resort in the Murcia province of south-east Spain.

Emma is the first entry from the Isle of Man we've ever had since the Festival teed off in February 2008.

Her mum Caron told me:
"Emma is the current Isle of Man Ladies Golf Champion, a title she has won twice, first when she was 12 years old and the youngest ever winner of the title.

"The Isle of Man has eight 18-hole courses and one nine- hole course, so we are really lucky to have so many on a small island. They are all in beautiful settings with some stunning scenery.

"Castletown is a championship links course. Emma's home club is Peel where she has two of a handicap.
"She is a member of EWGA's Select Squad. She has received training with EWGA for the past three years, for which we are very grateful. Emma is a member of the Lancashire Girls Golf Association, who have some very good players.
"Emma travel's regularly off the Island to take part in events. She has done so since she was eight. Emma's brother George, who has just turned 15, plays off of five and is a member of the Isle of Man's junior squad.
"This year Emma has taken part in many off-island events (both 18 and 36 hole ). Some are:-
Island Games in Aland - joint sixth out of 55 lady competitors after four rounds of stroke-play.
English Girls Championship (three-day event ) - joint fourth.
St Andrews Junior Ladies Open (U23s) - third out of 63 competitiors, played over the Strathtyrum, Eden and Old Course.
Northern Girls U18s Championship (one-day 36-hole event ) - second place scratch score out of 52 competitors.
Faldo Series U16s winner at Notts Golf Club.
Isle of Man Ladies Champion for the second year. This event begins with 36 holes of strokeplay and then continues with match-play, and is played over a week.
"The Isle of Man is very supportive of its sportsmen and women and Emma is a Sports Aid Receipient. This gives her help towards her travel costs. Without this it would be very hard to be able to afford to compete off Island.
"Entering the Hacienda Del Alamo Festival, will be the first Spanish event Emma has played in."
Emma Harris has put her name down for the Murcia Under-16 girls' tournament over 36 holes on the Monday and Tuesday (February 15-16) of the Festival and also the Hacienda del Alamo Under-16 girls' event over 54 holes, again over the Dave Thomas-designed course, from the Thursday to the Saturday (February 18-19-20).

Another 13-year-old to enter the Festival this week is Nicola Callander from Welwyn, Hertfordshire. She plays off 10 at Mill Green Golf Club.

Nicola is going over to Spain earlier than Emma and playing in the curtain-raising pairs event at Hacienda del Alamo on Saturday, February 13. Nicola will partner Ella Ofstedahl in the competition in which girls/women can be partnered by males!

A free practice round is included in the entry fee for the Festival which will have scratch and handicap prizes in all its sections - Under-16 girls, Under-18 girls, ladies, senior ladies (age 50 and over on January 1).

If enough lady professionals told us they would like to play, then we would create separate categories for them in all the Festival events.

Players like English women's champion Charlie Douglass, English girls' champion Holly Clyburn, Hayley Davis and Hannah Turland will be out to impress the GB&I selectors who will be naming the Curtis Cup team of eight near the end of April.

It's also a have-fun week but it is also an ideal place to get your golf game into gear for the 2010 season. The practice facilities at Hacienda del Alamo are five-star with a two-tier driving range - you can play off grass if you wish - a six-hole Academy course, a dedicated bunker practice facility and big practice greens for putting and also chipping.

Entry forms for the 2010 Festival are available by clicking on the appropriate words at the top of the left hand column of the Home Page of this website. If you still have some queries, E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

+Glenmuir are supporting the Hacienda del Alamo February Festival for the third year in a row, for which the tournament organisers, director of golf Billy Sim and his right-hand man, Lee Harrington, are very grateful. Nice to have something in common with the European Ryder Cup team!

Hacienda del Alamo February Festival - it's for seniors too!

Hannah Barwood, last year's English women's amateur champion and a member of the GB&I Curtis Cup preliminary squad for next year's match at Essex County Club, Massachusetts. Image by Cal Carson Golf Agency. Click to enlarge.

Hannah Barwood joins the stars on parade at Spanish February Festival

Last year's English women's amateur champion Hannah Barwood (Knowle) is the latest member of Britain & Ireland's 2010 Curtis Cup squad to put her name down for the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Women 's/Girls' Festival at the five-star Spanish golf resort from February 13 to 20.

Hannah will be partnering another Curtis Cup squad player, teenage Welsh international Amy Bould (Maesdu) in the pairs event on Saturday, February 13.

Then Hannah will be taking on the likes of the current English amateur title-holder, Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall), English girls champion Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) and rising stars Hayley Davis (Ferndown) and Hannah Turland (Tidworth), in the two-round Murcia Ladies & Girls Open on Monday and Tuesday, February 15 and 16, followed by the 54-hole (for the first time) Hacienda del Alamo Ladies & Girls' Open from Thursday to Saturday, February 18 to 20.

With so view events - none of them in Britain or Ireland - before the Curtis Cup team is announced in late April, there is no doubt that the selectors will be taking a close look at the results achieved in the Hacienda del Alamo Festival competitions.

WHERE HAVE ALL THE SENIORS GONE?

One section of the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Festival which is under-subscribed at the moment are the Senior events for the over-50s.

They too can play in the pairs event - with a male partner if they wish - on the Saturday eve of St Valentine's Day - and also in the Murcia Ladies and Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Opens.

At the 2009 Festival, Curtis Cup captain Mary McKenna was among the trophy winners as a senior.

Entry forms are available by clicking on the appropriate wording at the top of the left hand column on this website's Home Page.

If you need help with renting villa accommodation at the Resort during the period of the Festival, simply send off an E-mail to John Green and he will give you a quote for your requirements. The more who share a villa, obviously the price per head reduces.

John's E-mail address is:

johngreen@hdagolfproperties.com

Any other queries? E-mail them to Colin@scottishgolfview.com

Rising star from Essex Daisy Dyer enters

Hacienda del Alamo Festival

Essex teenager Daisy Dyer is the latest high-profile player to enter the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Women's & Girls' Golf Festival at the five-star Murcia Golf Resort from February 13 to 20.

Here's what the English Women's Golf Association website had to say about Daisy, pictured right by Cal Carson Golf Agency, earlier in the summer:

Essex teenager Daisy Dyer set a new course record on her way to a six-shot victory in the inaugural EWGA East Region girls’ championship at The Links, Newmarket.

Daisy, from Chigwell, shot a three under par 69 in the first round, followed by a two-over 74. Her morning score is a new course record following alterations lengthening the course.

The record was one of a string of achievements for Daisy, 18, who is a member of EWGA’s Select South East Squad. It was the first time she had broken 70 in competition and, as this was her last junior event, it meant she signed off in style.

“I am really pleased, I really wanted to win this,” she said.Her win also marked an impressive return from injury after she sprained her wrist at the British girls’ championship. “Just two days ago I thought I would have to withdraw,” said Daisy.

More details and an entry form for the Hacienda del Alamo Festival can be obtained by clicking on the relevant words at the top of the left hand column on this website's Home Page.

Among the early entrants are English women's champion Charlie Douglass, English girls' champion Holly Clyburn and British women's stroke-play championship runner-up Hannah Turland.

They all played in this year's Festival - and went on to have super seasons.

The Curtis Cup selectors will be studying the results from the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo Festival because they are picking the team of eight for the United States match before the end of April.

Charlie Douglass (left) and Hayley Davis, Festival top-notchers in 2009 ... and bidding for repeat performances in 2010.

Douglass, Clyburn, Turland, Davis ... the stars are

heading back to the Hacienda del Alamo Festival

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
The line-up for the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo February Festival already contains two champions.
English women's amateur champion Charlie Douglass (Brocket Hall, Hertfordshire) will be there again at the five-star Murcia resort.
In February this year, the 20-year-old left-hander paved the way for a stellar 2009 season by winning the two main 36-hole ladies' events at the Festival.
This year, Charlie is going for a three-timer.
She intends warming up for the main events - the 36-hole Murcia Ladies Open on Monday-Tuesday, February 15-16 and the Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open over 54 holes on Thursday-Friday-Saturday, February 18-19-20 - by taking part in the better-ball pairs competition on Saturday, February 13.
And her partner will be English girls champion Holly Clyburn (Woodhall Spa) who is meantime in Brazil for the Nick Faldo Series Grand Final and will be moving on to Houston, Texas to be one of England's mixed team of four for The Spirit tournament at Whispering Pines from November 4 to 7.
Holly's younger sister India will be taking part in at least one of the Under-16 girls' events.
Hannah Turland, the 15-year-old Hampshire women's champion who all but won the British women's open amateur stroke-play championship at Royal Aberdeen in August, also had a successful 2009 HDA Festival in February and she is looking for more of the same come February 2010.
The big change is that Hannah, who plays out of the Tidworth club, is sidestepping the Under-16 and Under-18 girls' events to take on the "big girls" in the 36-hole and 54-hole main events.
The big incentive to do well early in the year for Charlie, Holly, Hannah and others chasing a place in the Curtis Cup team for America from June 11 to 13 is that the GB&I selectors will be naming their team of eight to play the United States at Essex County Golf Club, Massachusetts in late April at the conclusion of the Helen Holm Trophy Scottish women's open amateur stroke-play at Troon.
Discounting the "Helen Holm," there are only four "windows of opportunity" to impress the selectors with quality performances against strong oppositions:
1 The Orange Blossom Tour in Florida in January.
2 The Portuguese women's open amateur championship at Oceanico O'Connor on the Algarve (January 28-31).
3 The Hacienda del Alamo Festival (February 13-20).
4 The Spanish women's open amateur championship at Playa de Pals, Girona (March 3-7).

+Entries for the 2010 Hacienda del Alamo February Festival will close in mid-January. Entry forms and details of the events are available by clicking on the heading at the top of the left hand column on this website's Home Page.

+If enough lady professionals were prepared to enter, a special category for them would be introduced at the 36-hole Murcia Ladies Open and the 54-hole Hacienda del Alamo Ladies Open.

2009 HDA Festival foursomes handicap and scratch winners, Campbell Thompson & Cara Gruber, Hannah Turland & Hayley Davis with Director of Golf Billy Sim

Charlie Douglass, Hayley Davis and Mary McKenna in front of the Festival scoreboard in February after being presented with their trophies (images by Cal Carson Golf Agency, click to enlarge).

Dates fixed for 2010 Hacienda

del Alamo Girls' & Women's

Winter Festival in Spain

By COLIN FARQUHARSON

The dates of the 3rd Hacienda del Alamo Girls' & Women's Winter Golf Festival have been agreed with the five-star Spanish golf resort's Director of Golf, Billy Sim.

The dates in February 2010 have been tailored to coincide with the mid-term school holidays in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

Instead of the "long weekend" concept utilised earlier this year, the 2010 Festival will start on Saturday, February 13 and the go-home day will be Sunday, February 21. You can, of course, stay on as long as you like.

The first weekend events will be practice-round opportunities - a better-ball foursomes (mixed gender pairs allowed) followed by a St Valentine's Day Scramble, again teams including males will be permitted.

Some fine tuning has to be done yet but the two stroke-play events for Under-16s, Under-18s, adult women and seniors will be played between Monday, February 15 and Saturday, February 20.

We are considering having one 54-hole tournament and one 36-hole event, instead of two two-rounders as we have had in the 2008 and 2009 Festivals. A straw poll of some of the lower handicap competitors this past February suggested that they would prefer a 54-hole tournament to a second 36-holer.

Wednesday, February 17 has been pencilled in as a rest day, or one to go shopping at La Manga or the city of Murcia or even sight-seeing.

Entries will not be accepted until we have firmed up the arrangements for the competitions but we have been under pressure to publish the dates for the 2010 Festival because, apparently, flights to Murcia Airport (less than half-an-hour from Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort) for next February can be obtained now at a cheaper rate than will be the case later in the year.