Sister links golf and God

The Dominican sister and Altamont resident has written "A Golfer's Day With the Master: Spiritual Wisdom From the Fairway" (Doubleday) to help golfers see the spiritual aspect of the game.

"God is our constant companion during the day," Sister Dorothy said. "With golf, it's even more so. It's you alone with God. It's time for meditation. It's time to listen to God.

"Of all the sports, golf is the one game that has no scapegoats," she continued. "As we play, we learn more about ourselves, how we react to our shots and our final score, and what may be going on in our lives. It also tells us about how we approach life."

Wake-up call

She wrote down a version of Psalm 139 for golfers. From there, she got the idea to write a book for her friends for Christmas about golf, and "it mushroomed from there."

The book includes reflections for each golf hole as well as specific golf situations, Scripture references, and prayers for golfers. It also features stories of different golfers and their accomplishments, both on the green and in life.

Whole at last

For example, Sister Dorothy tells the story of her friend Greg Matthew, a golf course owner in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He became a golf pro in 1956 and continued to play despite losing his sight to diabetes in 1970, having his leg amputated in 1980, and suffering a heart attack on the green in 1996.

In 1998, he was hospitalized again. "Greg was lying peacefully, when all of a sudden, he took off his oxygen mask, looked up at his family and smiled," writes Sister Dorothy. "He saw them for the first time in 28 years. He then asked his wife to kiss him and, after a deep sigh, breathed his last and went home to the Divine Master. Afterward, his wife told me, 'For the first time in 28 years, he could see us. His eyes were no longer covered by a gray film but were as clear as a blue sky. I know it was a miracle.'"

Hole in one

That exciting moment was one where God was present. "It is in moments like these that we feel a profound sense of God's personal love," she says. "These highs sustain us and encourage us to continue."

Some people segment their lives, believing that God is reserved for prayer time or Sunday worship and has nothing to do with hobbies or recreational pursuits. Sister Dorothy disagrees. If people are to live life to the fullest, recreational pursuits should be enjoyed, knowing that God sent these pleasures, she said.

She pointed out that throughout the Gospel there are stories of Jesus going to parties and dinners at people's houses. "God is a God of joy," she said. "God is happiest when we are happy. We've got too many downs in our life; religion shouldn't be one of them."

("A Golfer's Day with the Master: Spiritual Wisdom from the Fairway" is available for $15 from Doubleday books.)

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