Image of Tracey Craik, in action on the Ladies European Tour, by Bethan Cutler, the LET Press Officer.

REMEMBER TRACEY CRAIK? 1984

SCOTTISH GIRLS' CHAMPION

ENTERS HACIENDA DEL ALAMO

WOMEN'S WINTER FESTIVAL

It’s a long time since Tracey Craik, whose Edzell-born father Derek was at the time club professional at Frilford Heath in Oxfordshire, won the Scottish Under-18 girls’ match-play title at Peebles.
Twenty-three years ago, in fact, since Tracey, who was a bit of a runner – a lean and wiry distance specialist rather than a sprinter in her early teens, beat Donna Jackson 3 and 2 in the 1984 final after knocking out Elaine Farquharson – who would win the title the following year – in the semi-finals.
Now Tracey, who was capped for Scotland at girls' international level, is back in the “news” by becoming the seventh professional to enter the Hacienda del Alamo Women’s Winter Golf Festival at the Spanish golf resort in the southeastern province of Murcia.
To be fair to the Scottish, English & Irish lady professionals who have not entered, Tracey will not have far to go to compete in the Festival.
“We live on the club at La Manga – which is just along the road from Hacienda del Alamo. I have been out here for 11 years now,” Tracey told http://www.kirkwoodgolf.co.uk/.
“I have played Hacienda del Alamo a few times, although not recently. I have not played on the Ladies European Tour for a few years now. I’ve got a bit of a dodgy shoulder. Can’t take too many Neurofens! I am still playing golf but this year probably the least since I started.”
Tracey has just completed a three-year, online course for greenkeeping.
“Sportsturf they call it. Quite interesting, especially the soil bit, which surprised me. The reason I did the course was because we (John and Tracey) bought a golf course in France and apart from speaking appalling French (though probably still better than my Spanish), we knew virtually nothing about course maintenance. To prevent them from ‘pulling the wool over our eyes,' I laboured through this course for three years and drove John mad in the process,” she said.
Tracey’s brother Derek junior succeeded their father as pro at Frilford.
“I’m going over to England to the Golf Trade Show at NEC in early February but we will be back at La Manga just after the start of the first week of the Hacienda del Alamo Festival,” said Tracey.

Even later with her entry than Tracey was 17-year-old Dublin girl Caroline Murphy who plays off nine at Grange Golf Club. Caroline is really making a flying visit to the Festival. She will fly to Spain on Sunday, February 10, play the 36-hole tournament on the Monday and Tuesday - and then fly home to Ireland on the Wednesday.

Caroline's golfing CV lists her as the current holder of the Duggan Cup and the Tom Funge Cup so she will be one of the favourites for a lowest net total prize in the opening event of the Festival.
Thanks to the generosity of Aberdeen hotelier Stewart Spence, the leading professional in each of the four individual events at the Festival will be guaranteed a minimum prize of 500 Euros in cash.

Glenmuir are supporting the amateurs' prize lists.
There is less than a week to go now to the deadline for entries (Tuesday, January 15).

Who can enter the Hacienda del Alamo Women's Winter Festival?

Open to Lady professionals and Lady amateurs (maximum handicap 20).

No minimum or maximum age.

Separate prize lists for professionals and amateurs.

No competition entry fees to be paid until you check in with Tournament Controller Colin Farquharson at the Tournament Desk at Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort.

All you have to do to enter is E-mail colin@scottishgolfview with your details, professional or amateur, home club, handicap, date of birth if under 20 years; arrival and departure dates.

Entries so far:

PROFESSIONALS
Tracey CRAIK (Scotland)

Lauren DIGGLE (Wales).
Maria MARTIN LOPEZ (Spain).
Danielle MASTERS (England)
Natasha MORGAN (Wales)
Marian RIORDAN (Ireland).

Lien WILLEMS (Belgium).

AMATEURS

Orla BARRY (Galway) handicap 5.
Lisa BARTON (Coventry) handicap 2
Jane BINNING (Frilford Heath) handicap 2.

Anna CARLING (Vale of Glamorgan) handicap 4.
Sarah CARTY (The Island, Dublin) handicap 4.
Kimberley CROOKS (Saltburn by the Sea) handicap scratch. Age 16/17.
Charlotte DALTON (Ladbrook Park) handicap 3. Age 18.
Cara EASTON (Dalmahoy) handicap 8. Age 15.

Mandy EASTON (Dalmahoy) handicap 5.
Marion GEOGHEGAN (Navan) handicap 13.
Kate EVANS (Frilford Heath) handicap 7.

Rebecca GEE (Wellingborough) handicap 5. Age 16.
Annie GOWING (Frilford Heath) handicap 5.
Gemma JENNINGS (Navan) handicap 12.
Mary McAREE (Navan) handicap 20.
Judy McCAIRNS (Frilford Heath) handicap 9.

Kirsten MacCALLUM (McDonald Ellon) handicap 20. Age 14.
Lauren MacCALLUM (McDonald Ellon) handicap 7. Age 17.

Mary MacLAREN (Wellingborough) handicap 4.

Meghan MacLAREN (Wellingborough) handicap 7. Age 13.

Caroline MURPHY (Grange, Dublin) handicap 9. Age 17.
Emma O’DRISCOLL (Ballybunion). Handicap 5. Age 15.

Emily OGILVY (Auchterarder) handicap +1.
Karen OGILVY (Auchterarder) handicap 16.
Margaret ROONEY (Navan) handicap 20.
Philomena SHEERAN (Navan) handicap 20.

Rhian Wyn THOMAS (Vale of Glamorgan) handicap 1. Age 20.

Michele THOMSON (McDonald Ellon) handicap +1. Age 19.

Jane TURNER (Mortonhall). Handicap 1. Age 18.
Jane WHIRISKEY (Galway). Handicap 13.

ACCOMMODATION

It is much cheaper to share a villa so try to organise something with your golfing friends. Information about how to book accommodation is available by clicking on the words HDA WOMEN'S FESTIVAL near the top of the left hand column of your screen.