Golf has always been an integral part of The Dunlin Project. Like life itself, golf is a journey never fully mastered, but one that can be genuinely fulfilling by embracing the values of the Project, like life-long learning, healing, giving, grace, and eating well. Through the lens of the Project, the quest of the game is not a score or even a swing, but a presence in the now and a struggle for greater understanding of our physical and spiritual place in this world. This is the insight that Deepak Chopra comes to recognize in his own golf odyssey and then to share in his book, Golf for Enlightenment. We learn and move ahead in the journey to enlightenment, he reminds us, by expanding our perception -- especially of what's beautiful -- appreciating and accepting our bodies and our emotions, and being open to new ideas, our own and others. This is what being free -- and here -- are all about.
As Chopra reminds us, golf is played in gardens, the best of which take what God has given us and make only the most minimal and necessary changes for the game. This is, in large measure, what makes the links lands of Scotland so enthralling for some, and so boring for others. We in the U.S. have been programmed to believe that beauty is only found in the most meticulously well-groomed people, places and things. But recognizing the beauty of a golf course on just a slightly remade desert patch of an Indian Reservation, for example, one created by the community and its commitment to one another, is part of approaching the game from the spirit of grace and love. And as Chopra points out, when we do that, golf is no longer about winning but about growing and cherishing each and every breath.
Here's a little of what I think he means --
With all this in mind, The Dunlin Project is announcing a new initiative for 2022: the Golf for Enlightenment Tour. It will take us on the road -- and around the corner -- to try to capture the spirit that can lead to greater enlightenment through golf and through the grace and generosity of others.
How do you learn to be present by going on the road? From observing and absorbing from those who are also on journeys towards enlightenment; those who have found beauty in the struggle and the now, and those who are open to sharing their wisdom, whether on a golf course or elsewhere.
The tour will include a visit to the Asheville Municipal Golf Course and the Skyview Golf Association. Since 1960, each summer, the Asheville "Muni" has hosted the Skyview Tournament, which at first was an all African-American event. Soon, though, the tournament drew people of all races, genders, ethnicities and ages. The Muni embodies a history of struggle and triumph, of men who had the courage and faith to take a step towards justice and joy, all at the same time. Since the first tournament that only had 50 people, the tournament has grown and changed over the years. The tournament and the Muni were the subject of a documentary you can view on youtube in its entirety. Here's a short preview --
The tour will also visit other places, near the golf venues, where the spirit flows and enlightenment is encouraged. These places might be a church, a synagogue, a mosque, a garden, a music festival or perhaps a place or an event that combines different spiritual pursuits. Here's an example -- a short clip -- of what that might look like, with acclaimed musician and master of funk George Porter, Jr. at Jazz Fest Shabbat at the Touro Synagogue in New Orleans.
We are seeking your help, your ideas, to build out the Tour. If you know of a golf course, even a driving range, that embodies the spirit of the The Dunlin Project and the spirit of the Tour, one that is an environment that might help with our quest for enlightenment, send your idea along. If you know of a non-golf event or venue that might be intriguing, send that too. And if you're inclined to join us for a Tour stop, we welcome all comers.
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