Herstory
The Sukiyaki That Started It All
On a cloudy late October day in the PNW, a group of Riverbend ladies teed off for just another Fall season round of golf. Sometime during the round Sheila Locke started talking about how good a Sukiyaki dinner would be after playing on that cool day. Sheila then offered to cook dinner for everyone who was playing. Fast forward a few hours, Mary Ryan, Angela Hobbs, Laura Risher, Elana Bryant, and Susan Stahl, crammed into Sheila’s townhouse and experienced, some for the first time, an authentic Sukiyaki dinner. This dinner would become a tradition for the next two years.
Soggy Rounds & Southern Plans
Following another dinner at Kathy Landino’s after a drenching, sloppy round at Druids Glen, it was here the idea of going south, away from the soggy PNW to golf, came to be.
Vegas Here We Come!
In November, six Riverbend ladies converged in Las Vegas for a week of golf. Angela, Mary, Dino, T.Le, and Cathy Coleman made the trip lead by Sheila. Thus, the Sukiyaki Open in the southwest desert was born.
From Six to Twelve: Vegas, Sukiyaki, and Sisterhood
Returning to Las Vegas, the group doubled in size to 12. Joining the madness now was Traci W, and a contingent of Boeing/BEGA members, Dodie, Larinda, Marci, Beth, Mary Gleason, and Vicki Hutsko. Prior to making this trip, a last round of golf back home, followed by another Sukiyaki Dinner, now for 12 was enjoyed at Dodie’s home.
Sukiyaki in the Desert: The Mesquite Migration
The group grew to 16, moving northward to Mesquite, with a stop at Coyote Springs halfway to Mesquite from Vegas. Of course, the week before, the now traditional round of golf followed by dinner prepared by Sukiyaki Master Sheila was enjoyed at Dodie’s huge kitchen. For the first timers in this group, WOLF CREEK presented its teeth. Conestoga (making a return in 2021), Oasis Palmer and Canyons all became a favorite for most, if not all. Here also, the Quota Stableford competition was introduced and we started tracking winners.
| 1st Place | 2nd Place | |
|---|---|---|
| Overall | Cherie McDaniels | Traci Williams |
Sukiyaki Takes Scottsdale
The group took on Scottsdale with 20 participants. Playing Lookout Mountain, Dove Valley, Rancho Manana, Legend Trails, and Desert Canyon. It was clear, this fall trip is now an event. There were more logistical hurdles bringing a group there this time of year. Let’s go back to Mesquite, where the courses are 3-4 minutes away.
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Teresa Miller | Andrea Brown |
| Flight 2 | Marci Hickok | Fran Smith |
The Sukiyaki Surge: 40 Strong in Mesquite
Sukiyaki returns to Mesquite. 20 more ladies joined up, growing the field to 40! This time rotating two new course to the mix with Falcon Ridge and Casablanca. What now makes Sukiyaki even more successful, is the fact the EVERYBODY cashed, some big winner, some not so much, but nobody went home empty handed unless they left it at the casinos
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Allison Webb | Patty Chandler |
| Flight 2 | Porsche Everson | Leslie Savinsky |
| Flight 3 | Ana Rimkus | Stephanie Ticknor |
| Flight 4 | Larinda Morson | Eipan Sandhu |
Masks, Bunkers & a Champion
Sukiyaki grows again, as we prepared
for 60 players. The pandemic couldn’t stop
Sukiyaki, slow it down a little, maybe. 47
ladies made the trip, and successfully
navigated all restrictions, social distancing,
masking and whatever it took to conduct a
safe tournament. Despite the challenges, the
trip succeeded to give all a well-deserved
break from being in our own form of
isolation. Sand Hollow in Utah proved to be
worth making the trip north from Mesquite.
Our group became even more infamous with
the course, with one of our group’s power
cart ending up halfway in a bunker!
We presented our first CHAMPION’S
award, to local Oasis member, Allison Webb.
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Andrea Browne | Ana Rimkus |
| Flight 2 | Dodie Fitzsimmons | Anna Clark |
| Flight 3 | Fran Smith | Joan Malone |
| Flight 4 | Kathy Hopp | Marci Hickok |
Crystal, Copper Rock, and a Cause
Sukiyaki grows again, now 80 players! Another stellar week of warm and sunny weather greeted our growing event! This year adding a second trip to Utah, we landed at Copper Rock, home now to a stop from the Symetra Tour! Our first effort to fundraise, we brought in $1,500.00 benefitting the FIRST TEE GREATER SEATTLE.2022 we’re looking to push that higher! Sukiyaki officially awarded an overall Runner-Up crystal.
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Andrea Browne | Florida Digregorio |
| Flight 2 | Caren Althauser | Ana Rimkus |
| Flight 3 | Maggie Sharkey | Porsche Everson |
| Flight 4 | Joan Malone | Beth Hunter |
| Flight 5 | Brenda Allred | Vicki Hutsko |
Rain, Records & Raising More
The 11th Annual Sukiyaki with the biggest field 82. The week started out as we've become accustomed to, sunny and warm. By the middle of week were treated with PNW style stormy wind and rain! Luckily it was only a part of one day but the raingear made a first appearance in a Sukiyaki Event! Our SECOND effort to fundraise, we brought in $2.700.00 benefitting the FIRST TEE GREATER SEATTLE. In 2022 the Seattle Chapter saw nearly 2800 kids over the three seasons of instruction across a dozen golf courses in the Seattle/Puget.
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Sarah Braendel | Andrea Brown |
| Flight 2 | Monika Larson | Allison Webb |
| Flight 3 | Patty Williams | Kyoungsook Cho |
| Flight 4 | Susie Luby | Beth Madden |
| Flight 5 | Tracy Gordon | Beth Hunter |
| Flight 6 | April Okazaki | Laurie Briggs |
From Frost to Fairways
The 12th Annual Sukiyaki now up to 96 players and landing three days in St George. Another first, a frost delay on day one at The Ledges! The chill quickly warmed up to a perfect clear blue-sky day. We wrapped things up returning to Wolf Creek in Mesquite which showed out its beauty amongst many lost balls! The fund raising again broke previous years totals with $4,400.00 for the FIRST TEE GREATER SEATTLE program.
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Dino Landino | Kim Ponti (tie) |
| Flight 2 | Ana Rimkus | Beth Madden |
| Flight 3 | Caren Althauser | Tami Latham |
| Flight 4 | Tracy Gordon | Larinda Morson |
| Flight 5 | June Hall | Sandy Morris |
| Flight 6 | Eipan Sandhu | Jane Czapwieski |
Gusts, Greens & Great Times
The 13th Annual Sukiyaki crew teed it up across five fantastic courses in San Diego. We kicked things off at Steel Canyon Ranch/Vineyard, and Canyon/Ranch, tackled Maderas, and soaked up the beauty of Aviara. We wrapped it all up at The Grand. The wind was formitable adding a little drama and a lot of laughter to the week. Again, our generous ladies raised $3,900.00 for the FIRST TEE GREATER SEATTLE program.
| Flight | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| Flight 1 | Debra Marsten | Sunny Ryu |
| Flight 2 | Kyoungsook Cho | Allison Webb |
| Flight 3 | Susie Luby | Sandra Latham |
| Flight 4 | Stacey Clawson | Jennifer Thompson |
| Flight 5 | Tami Greene | Diane Clavin |
| Flight 6 | Laura Jaurequi | Jennifer Adach-Mineo |