Token Chick Loves Golf

Most readers probably remember Cheryl Ladd as Kris Munroe, one of the stars of “Charlie’s Angels,” a late ‘70s/early ‘80s TV show featuring gorgeous pistol-packing, crime-solving ladies. But these days, Ladd has traded her pistol for a pitching wedge, and published a book about her love for the game of golf. Token Chick, written with Bob Hellman and released last year, is a woman’s guide to golfing with the boys.

This entertaining book is a summary of the actress’s golfing endeavors over the last two decades. It also contains Ladd’s Token Tips and Token Side Tips sprinkled throughout its 222 pages. Token Tips are sound golfing strategies geared to golfers in general, while Token Side Tips are lighthearted bits of real-life advice gleaned from the author’s golfing experiences and geared toward women golfers.

For example, one Token Tip is on the topic of taking baby steps when learning the game. She writes, “Don’t expect miracles in the beginning. Try to laugh off bad shots and don’t get angry or swing twice as hard the next time. One of the first lessons you learn in golf is self-deprecating humor. So what if you hit a bad shot? You’re going to hit plenty in your life, trust me. My favorite story about this comes from Arnold Palmer. When a reporter asked how he scored a 12 on one hole, Palmer replied, ‘I missed a putt for an 11!’”

The actress and golfer, who served as a Buick Golf Ambassador for several years, also offers her Token Side Tips specifically for women. “Your golf bag should not be a replica of the everyday handbag you carry. You know, the one loaded with junk. Don’t carry too much stuff in your walking bag. Six balls, a few tees, and maybe an energy bar. Also, make sure that you have comfortable golf shoes for the course. The newer styles available are as comfortable as your favorite pair of sneakers. And just as in our regular lives, token chicks, always make sure that your (golf) shoes match your (golf) bag.”

Ladd is a decent golfer in her own right. She has recorded a hole-in-one, and outdistanced former and current NFL players in a longest drive contest. After playing golf with many Hollywood stars, PGA, and LPGA professionals, Ladd knew her golf life was complete after playing a round with the incomparable Arnold Palmer. “When I was a little girl, playing golf certainly wasn’t cool,” Ladd wrote. “But then came Arnie. He wasn’t like other golfers. He was one of us. His fans followed him loyally on their television screens and on the course; they were his army.”

Ladd’s current television stint is with the NBC show “Las Vegas.” Luckily, two of her co-stars—James Caan and Josh Duhamel—are avid golfers. “Josh wanted me to pass along a tip from his sister Ashlee, who was a finalist in the Re/Max World Long Drive Championship. She’s always telling him to ‘shorten your backswing and don’t try to hit it a mile. With a shorter backswing, you’ll hit the ball purer and will hit it a mile without even having to try.’”

All in all, Token Chick is an entertaining read. Cheryl Ladd’s humorous insights and honest opinions present a different look at the game of golf. You will enjoy it whether you’re a guy or a “token chick.” Published by Roundtable Press, the book is available at major bookstores.

The 19th Hole (and a few chip shots)
Oki Golf, a well-established golf company in Washington State, recently acquired two more quality courses—Washington National Golf Club and Trophy Lake Golf & Casting Club—both from Heritage Golf Group. These new acquisitions bring to seven the total number of upscale courses owned and operated under the Oki banner.

“Acquiring Washington National and Trophy Lake is a tremendous step for Oki Golf, both as a brand and as an industry leader in the Northwest,” said Scott Oki, founder and chairman of Oki Golf, and a former Microsoft executive.

Washington National and Trophy Lake join Oki’s portfolio of properties in Washington State that currently includes The Golf Club at Newcastle, The Golf Club at Echo Falls in Snohomish, The Golf Club at Hawks Prairie in Lacey, Indian Summer Golf & Country Club in Olympia and The Plateau Club at Sammamish.

Trophy Lake Golf & Casting near Port Orchard serves two Northwest passions: golf and fishing. The 18-hole, 7,206-yard course offers breathtaking views of Mount Rainier and the Olympic mountain range. It features challenging holes framed by small-growth firs, and numerous water hazards. Trophy Lake also boasts two on-course lakes stocked with Kamloops (Canadian rainbow trout), providing a one-of-a-kind fly-fishing opportunity for guests.

Washington National Golf Club, located in Auburn, showcases an 18-hole, 7,300-yard course designed by noted golf course architects John Fought and Orrin Vincent. Washington National is the home course for the University of Washington men’s and women’s golf teams and features a university and PAC-10 theme throughout the property. In 2003, Washington National had the honor of hosting the NCAA Women’s Golf Championship, the NCAA Men’s West Regional, the ESPN National Golf Challenge, and one of 12 U.S. Open Sectional Qualifiers. The course is dubbed the “Home of the Huskies.”

With spring just around the corner (thank goodness!), it’s time to start getting back into the swing of things. The Seattle Golf Show, which runs March 17-19, will help rekindle that golfing fire. An estimated 15,000 golfers are expected for next month’s three-day show, which takes place at Qwest Field Event Center adjacent to Safeco Field. The show will run from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

And finally, men have taken a bad rap over the years because women claim that men who are lost don’t bother stopping to ask for directions. However, a recent AAA study debunks that popular myth. The AAA study revealed that men who were lost stopped to ask for directions 34 percent of the time and women 37 percent. “Men get lost and seek help at about the same rate women do despite, or perhaps because of, decades of hearing, ‘Honey, just stop and ask for directions,’” said an AAA spokesperson.

Rick Stedman is an avid RVer, golfer and writer who lives in Yakima, Washington. He can be reached at rick.stedman@charter.net