HOW MUCH IT WILL COST
APPROXIMATELY TO PLAY
IN HACIENDA DEL ALAMO
WOMEN'S WINTER FESTIVAL FROM FEBRUARY 10 to 23

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
(Tournament Controller)

I am starting to get feedback from those interested in participating in the inaugural Hacienda del Alamo Women’s Winter Golf Festival at the five-star Murcia golf resort from February 10 to 23, 2008.
Some of the questions I have been fielding, include:
1 Can a lady professional enter with a group of lady amateurs? Answer: Certainly, as long as the lady amateurs have single-figure handicaps. Getting together as a group to travel and enter cuts down the cost per head of renting a villa at Hacienda del Alamo.
2 Does a competitor have to stay at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort to be able to play in the events? Answer: Not necessarily but those not staying a Hacenda del Alamo would have to rent a car or spend money on daily taxi trips.
3 Is there a minimum or maximum age limit? Answer: Definitely not. We have had an inquiry on behalf of a 12-year-old girl (handicap 2) who would travel with her father. No problem there. The only requirement is a single-figure handicap. Lady senior golfers most welcome.
4 Does a competitor have to play in every event? Answer: No. If anyone wants to practise most of the time - or bask in the Murcia sunshine - and perhaps only play in one event a week, that's OK with us.
5 Can competitors come for only one week? Answer: Yes. First or second week only attendance is OK. But the charge for free use of the practice facilities is 55 Euros whether you stay for one week or two.
6 Can a competitor make the trip with her husband/partner/boyfriend? Answer: Yes. The male could caddie if he wanted to. If he wanted to use the golf facilities, he would have to pay the going rate.
7 Which airlines have flights to Murcia Airport (15min away as opposed to Alicante Airprt, 60min)? Answer: Flybe, Easyjet, Monarch, Jet2.com and Ryanair. Airports of departure include: SCOTLAND: Edinburgh, Prestwick. NORTHERN IRELAND: Belfast. ENGLAND: Birmingham, Blackpool, Bristol, East Midlands, Gatwick, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, Southampton. IRELAND: Dublin, Shannon.
8 What’s the approximate all-in cost for one person’s flights, accommodation, practice facilities, tournament entry fees, food and taxis to and from Murcia Airport? Answer:
Very, very difficult to answer that one but an amateur golfer flying from Prestwick could do the fortnight for approximately £482 + food. For a professional from Prestwick, I estimate that £544 + food would cover the fortnight. You could do it for less because these bottom-line figures are based on staying at a Hacienda del Alamo villa for 16 nights.
REMEMBER BUDGET AIRLINE FARES ARE NOT STATIC - THEY TEND TO INCREASE THE NEARER YOU GET TO THE DATE. SO BOOK NOW TO GET THE CHEAPEST PRICES.
There is no outward Ryanair flight from Prestwick on Saturday, February 9 which means the player would have to fly on Friday, February 8 if she wanted to utilise Sunday, February 10 as a practice day for the 36-hole event on the Monday-Tuesday.
That would mean booking villa accommodation for 16 nights. Alternatively, the player would fly out on Sunday, February 10 and skip the practice day. This would reduce the villa accommodation to 14 nights if coming home on Sunday, February 24. That would also reduce the overall costs.
Here are the relevant Ryanair flights from Prestwick:

PRESTWICK-MURCIA

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 8
Dep Prestwick 16.55, Arr Murcia 20.55. Cost: £49.99

SUNDAY, FEBRURY 9
No Prestwick-Murcia flights.

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10
Dep Prestwick 16.55, Arr Murcia 20.55. Cost £19.99

MURCIA-PRESTWICK

SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 24
Dep Murcia 21.20, Arr Prestwick 23.20. Cost £19.99.

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 25
Dept Murcia 21.20. Arr Prestwick 23.20. Cost £19.99

ACCOMMODATION AT HACIENDA DEL ALAMO GOLF RESORT
(See http://www.clubmurcia.com/)
1 Bed, 1 Bath Villa: from 35 Euros per day (two adults sharing: 18 Euros each per day).
2 Bed, 2 Bath Villa: from 50 Euros per day (four adults sharing: 13 Euros each per day).
3 Bed, 3 Bath Villa: from 65 Euros per day (six adults sharing: 11 Euros each per day).
4 Bed, 4 Bath Villa: from 100 Euros per day (eight adults sharing: 13 Euros each per day).

If flying to Murcia on Friday, February 8 and returning Sunday, February 24: 16 nights at 50 Euros per night for 2 Bed, 2 Bath villa. Cost 800 Euros (four adults sharing: 200
Euros each),

SUMMARY OF PRECEDING INFO

FLIGHTS: £69.98 or 95 Euros.
ACCOMMODATION: 200 Euros.
RANGE, PRACTICE FEE: 55 Euros.
AMATEUR ENTRY FEES: 305 (for six events)
PROFESSIONAL ENTRY FEES: 390 Euros (for six events)
FOOD: ???

POSSIBLE ALL-IN COST FOR 16 NIGHT STAY (excluding food)

AMATEUR PLAYER: 655 Euros (£482 approx).
PROFESSIONAL: 740 Euros (£544 approx).

If you have any queries you feel would be best answered by the Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort staff, there is a toll free telephone number from UK and Ireland: 08000 820000

A brief recap on the Hacienda del Alamo Women’s Winter Festival programme (open to lady professionals and lady amateurs with single-figure handicaps)

SUNDAY, FEB 10. Free practice round over Hacienda del Alamo championship course.
MONDAY, FEB 11. First round of 36-hole stroke-play tournament. Entry fee: professionals – 70 Euros; amateurs – 55 Euros.
TUESDAY, FEB 12. Second round of 36-hole tournament.
WEDNESDAY, FEB 13. Free day. Possibility of 18-hole competition at another course.
THURSDAY, FEB 14. One-round competition. Entry fee: professionals 55 Euros; amateurs: 42 Euros.
FRIDAY, FEB 15. Free day.
SATURDAY, FEB 16. One-round team event (field to include some invited guests).
Entry fee: professionals 70 Euros; amateurs – 55 Euros.
SUNDAY, FEB 17. Free practice round over Hacienda del Alamo championship course.
FEB 18 to 23: Same as first week’s programme.

ADDITIONAL CHARGE
A payment of 55 Euros per head will entitle each competitor to two free practice rounds over the championship course, free balls on the driving range and use of the short-game practice facilities for the 14 days. This one-off charge will be payable at the Tournament Desk when checking in on Sunday, February 10 or Sunday, February 17.

PRIZES.
There will be two prize lists – one for the professionals (cash) and one for the amateurs (vouchers). If enough senior players enter, there will be senior prizes.

ACCOMMODATION
It will be a lot cheaper for an individual if she gets together with fellow-players to make a booking for four, five or six sharing a villa at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.
Log on to http://www.clubmurcia.com/ and scroll down the home page. In the left-hand column you will see HOTELS & RENTALS. Click on “Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort” and you will see the rental accommodation choices.
Alternatively, http://www.hmrental.com/ and http://www.stvmanagement.com/ are primary Hacienda del Alamo accommodation contacts.
http://www.hdagolf.com/ is the general Hacienda del Alamo website.
http://www.clubdegolfhda.com/ is the Hacienda del Alamo golf wite.
Hacienda del Alamo’s Golf Desk for E-mails is golfers@hdagolf.com.
The REFERENCE to be quoted when making bookings at competitors’ rates is: MWLT.hda.

NOTIFY ENTRIES BY E-MAIL TO COLIN FARQUHARSON
Notification of entry to tournaments, certainly the 36-hole competitions, should be E-mailed in advance to Tournament Controller, Colin Farquharson at Colin@scottishgolfview.com, giving names of competitors, whether amateur or professional, handicaps where appropriate and contact telephone number.