SEBRING, Florida – In a blast from the past, if you ask any red-blooded, American male sports fan who their favorite female golfer was in the 1980s, two names immediately come to mind: Laura Baugh and Jan Stephenson.
Both ladies had sex appeal that extended beyond swinging a golf club and both generated positive publicity off-the -course that benefited the LPGA and their respective careers.
Among a group of talented LPGA ladies that included Nancy Lopez, Pat Bradley, Beth Daniel, Donna Caponi, Julie Inkster, Judy Rankin, JoAnne Carner, Patty Sheehan, Jane Blalock Cindy Rarick, Amy Alcot, Hollis Stacey the popularity of women’s professional golf for about 20 years starting in the late 70s was off the charts. Many refer to this era as the “glory days” of women’s pro golf where the scoring was low; the personalities appealing; charisma and sex appeal that connected with golf galleries and TV audiences and the tales of on-and-off-the-course drama were plentiful and juicy.
In 1999, Laura Baugh revealed the trials and tribulations of her life story in a book titled “Out of the Rough: An Intimate Portrait of Laura Baugh and her Sobering Journey.” The book details her rise as a star on the LPGA, her struggle with alcoholism and her journey toward recovery.
Typically, golf books don’t do well unless your name is Tiger Woods. A book published in 2013 titled “Tiger Woods: An Unauthorized Biography” is a comprehensive investigation into his life revealing the complex reality of a carefully crafted public image, from childhood prodigy, to golf legend and personal scandals. That book made it to No. 1 on New York Times Bestseller List and the basis for an HBO documentary called “Tiger.”
Renowned writer James Patterson, who has authored over 200 books, penned a biography in 2024 titled “Tiger, Tiger: His Life As It’s Never Been Told Before.” It was an instant New York Times Bestseller.
This week LPGA Hall of Famer, entrepreneur and philanthropist Jan Stephenson announced that she has a compelling life story to tell and has 27 chapters completed in a soon-to-be released book that might be titled “Uphill, Against the Wind.”
Award winning golf writer Tony Leodora, Host for GolfTalk Live radio show and Host for Traveling Golfer television show, has know Stephenson for 30 years, has taken on the assignment and promises to deliver a blockbuster. They have been working together weekly for several months in-person and by Zoom chronicling her LPGA golf career which began in 1974 and includes 41 worldwide wins, 16 LPGA tiles and 3 major championships.
“I thought I knew Jan pretty well, before starting this project,” says Leodora from his home/office in Venice, Florida. “But every interview session has been a jaw-dropping look into an incredibly successful, yet often tragic journey down the golf trail. Jan’s resilience, in the face of so many obstacles, has been amazing. It will make for a compelling page-turner that is part-golf and part-harsh realities of life.”
Stephenson was born in Australia and tums 74 in December and the book will be filled with many fascinating as well as shocking tales. In the prime of her career in the late 80s she dated Donald Trump for one year and her relationship with him included a marriage proposal in 1976. Also POTUS 47 has agreed to write the Forward.
Among the many nuggets:
* For winning the 1983 U.S. Women’s Open she earned $37,500, and her boyfriend-later-husband spent it all
* She won the 1981 Canadian Open and received a huge bonus
* LPGA Rookie of the Year in 1974
* World Golf Hall of Fame induction 2019
* Breast cancer survivor
* Brain tumor survivor
* Poster Girl tuned Queen of the Golf Universe
* Controversy with Korean golf community predicting that the LPGA has a potential Asian problem
* What really happened with the famed golf balls in the bathtub photo shoot
* Why she sold a glass trophy for more money that she won for finishing in first-place
* Legacy of the Jan Stephenson Foundation
In the 1970s and 1980s Jan Stephenson’s meteoric career as a professional female golfer is unmatched as she brought glamour, sex appeal and worldwide attention to the LPGA. Jan Stephenson’s biography could be a blockbuster: golf, sex appeal, playing golf with Presidents of many countries, her lifelong relationship with United States President Donald Trump, overcoming life-threatening health battles, mystery, suspense, philanthropy through the Jan Stephenson Foundation and whole lot more is coming soon.
