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The Vanishing Act: Dorothy Delasin on Skipping School
Golf, Four-time LPGA champion, LPGA 2000 Rolex Rookie of the Year
Everyone is tempted to skip. I never did. Not because I never wanted to, but because I was an absolute and total chicken. But my friend Heidi always cut class. When we were 12, she would go to the mall and hang out with friends. She tried so hard to get me to do it too. But I wasn’t into it.
The whole idea of getting busted freaked me out. There were guards in the school hallway watching us. But mostly, I didn’t want to lose my parents’ trust. My parents came to this country from the Philippines to give us a better life. It was a terrible struggle for them. We were very poor. They believed very strongly in getting a good education. That message got through to me.
Heidi started staying out more and more. I asked her, “Why aren’t you coming to school?” “Think of what you are doing!” Her response was always, “Whatever!” She would get caught. The principal would call her parents. Everyone at school just knew her for being a rebel who was always in trouble. Once you’re in that category – it’s hard for anyone to think differently about you.
Heidi changed in a big way. She got involved with a gang. She was acting all tough and would get into fights. Our friendship ended. We didn’t have much in common anymore. She had no motivation or interest in anything. I don’t think that she understood the consequences of what she was doing.
Somehow, I could look beyond the temptation. I think a lot of it has to do with golf. I have had goals for life since I was 10 years old. I knew then that I wanted to be a professional golfer, which meant I had to study and to practice. Golf is a real mental game. You get to face challenges and make decisions all the time. That power was thrill enough for me.
When I was 16 I ran into Heidi. She had a one-year-old baby in her arms. She had seen stories about my golf success the newspaper and on TV. She said, “You’re doing well, Dorothy.” And I responded, “I’m just trying my best.” There wasn’t much more to say to each other. I felt that Heidi has pretty much given up on a good life.
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Golf is like life - there are ups and downs, but you have to finish the course and not give up.
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It wasn’t just being in the news that made me like being a golfer. I traveled all over the world. I got to set goals and reach them. I was busy with a nice routine every day of school and golf. And I loved the game. Golf is like life – there are ups and downs, but you have to finish the course and not give up.
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