Renaissance Senior Living of Hilldale resident Mary Dwyer has lived a life that has taken her across the world, onto some of golf’s biggest stages and into the lives of countless people she has encouraged along the way. Her story is filled with music, travel, determination and laughter, all held together by the warmth and vitality that make her such wonderful company today.

Born in San Francisco, California, Mary was an only child raised in a military family. Her father’s career meant that home changed often and much of her childhood was spent overseas. She lived in both Japan and Germany before returning to the United States around the age of ten. Once back in the States, her family lived in Massachusetts and Texas before eventually settling in New York.



All that moving might have felt unusual to another child, but for Mary, adapting to new places became part of everyday life. Years later, that experience would prepare her well for the constant travel of professional golf.

Mary’s journey with the sport began when she was about five years old. Her father noticed that she had a natural talent for golf and encouraged her to develop it. Before long, the game became an important part of her life.

She attended DeSales High School in Geneva, New York, where she excelled both academically and athletically. After graduation, Mary enrolled at the University of Miami. There, she earned a degree in music while competing on the university golf team. She was an outstanding student, earning a place on the Dean’s List for three consecutive years. The golf team also enjoyed considerable success during her time at Miami, capturing several titles.

Mary’s gifts were never limited to the golf course. She is an accomplished pianist as well as a music writer and arranger. At the University of Miami, she found a way to bring together her love of music, dedication to academics and talent for athletics.

After graduation, Mary’s father encouraged her to take a chance on professional golf. She hesitated at first. She knew it would be a demanding career and wasn’t sure it was the life she wanted. Eventually, she decided to give it a try. That decision launched a remarkable 21-year career as a professional golfer.

Life on tour meant constant travel, countless hotel stays and tournaments throughout the country and around the world. During some tournament weeks, local club members opened their homes to the players and hosted them. It was a lifestyle that many people would have found exhausting, but Mary felt surprisingly comfortable with it. Growing up in a military family had taught her how to adjust to new places and frequent moves, so life on the road felt familiar.

The greatest challenge of professional golf was not simply physical. For Mary, it was mental. Each morning, she had to convince herself that she belonged on the course and that she was every bit as good as the other players competing. Performing in front of large crowds could send her thoughts racing, and learning to manage that pressure became a vital part of the game.

Those difficult moments also revealed strengths Mary had not known she possessed. When she looks back on her professional career, she recognizes that golf taught her just how strong she was emotionally and mentally. She had once wondered whether she could withstand the intense pressure of competing at the highest level. Over the years, she proved to herself that she could.

Mary played in multiple U.S. Opens and recorded several strong finishes during her career. Among her many accomplishments was receiving the prestigious Golden Putter Award, along with numerous other honors earned throughout her years in professional golf.

Whenever tournament nerves began to take over, Mary’s mother offered a wonderfully simple piece of advice: “Hit the ball well.” Mary still laughs when she remembers those words. Her mother, she says, was thankful she wasn’t the one who had to go out and play.

Professional golf also introduced Mary to an extraordinary range of people. She had opportunities to play with celebrities, professional athletes and entertainers, including members of the cast of Green Acres, actor Hopalong Cassidy and actor Billy Barty.

One of Mary’s favorite stories took place while she was golfing with Billy Barty in Japan. After hitting a shot much better than he had expected, he became so excited that he took off running and ended up rolling down a hill. The memory still makes Mary laugh today, one of many wonderful stories gathered during her years on the course.

As her professional playing career began to wind down, Mary moved to Palm Springs, California, where she taught golf and shared her knowledge of the sport with others. She later returned to New York to help care for her mother during an illness. Following her mother’s passing, Mary accepted an opportunity in Chicago that opened one of the most meaningful chapters of her life.

For about ten years, Mary ran a Special Olympics golf program in Chicago. Working with adults with special needs brought her tremendous joy. She especially loved seeing the pride and excitement on participants’ faces when they succeeded. Under her leadership, athletes earned several gold medals. For Mary, though, the medals were never the greatest reward. The relationships, smiles and shared moments of accomplishment meant far more.

Eventually, Mary moved to the Madison area to be closer to family. Today, she calls Renaissance home and enjoys being part of the community. She is especially grateful for the wonderful people she has met here. While she wishes she could explore more of Madison on her own terms, she appreciates being close to family and surrounded by friends.

Those who spend time with Mary quickly discover that she is wonderful company. She brings vitality, laughter and an incredible collection of stories to every conversation. She can share memories from her 21 years on the professional golf tour, talk about living and traveling around the world, discuss her love of music or reflect on the fascinating people she has met along the way.

Mary also has a true gift for storytelling. A conversation with her can easily end with everyone doubled over in laughter. We have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know her and hearing about the experiences that have shaped her life.

From a childhood spent in Japan, Germany and several American states to her years studying music at the University of Miami and her remarkable career in professional golf, Mary has met each new chapter with courage and curiosity. She has expressed her creativity through the piano, writing and arranging music, competed on some of golf’s biggest stages and helped Special Olympics athletes experience the pride of achieving their dreams. Her life has been full of adventure, challenge, service and joy, and we are fortunate to have her as part of the Renaissance family.