Many golfers who spend their weekends chasing tiny white balls across long ranges of green grass consider the sport an almost religious experience. “Seven Days in Utopia” takes that spiritual approach one step further to show how one man finds true religion through golf.

Based on David L. Cook’s novel, “Golf’s Sacred Journey: Seven Days at the Links of Utopia,” the movie follows Luke Chisholm (Lucas Black) as he finally reaches the goal his father has pushed him to obtain: a chance to play professional golf. His debut is a disaster, so he escapes from the spotlight in the sleepy little Texas town of Utopia. It’s a place where Sunday socials, neighborly ways and catching lightning bugs still exist.

It’s also where Chisholm meets Johnny Crawford (Robert Duvall), a former pro golfer with the wisdom of Yoda. His mentoring of Chisholm in the ways of golf and life turn the film into a putting-green version of “The Karate Kid.” Crawford teaches golf through fly fishing, painting and airplane rides.

All of this golf talk is just a smoke screen for the film’s true message: The biggest thing Chisholm needs is faith and until he finds a higher power than golf, he’s always going to be chipping out of the sand traps of life.

Novice director Matt Russell slows down and turns back the clock to give the movie a peaceful feeling. There’s plenty of time for reflection, self-evaluation and discovery between rodeos, horseback rides and church services. Just like golf, Russell very meticulously lines up his shots to create the most direct approach.

Duvall makes the film work. The actor could read a telephone book and it would sound like the words of a wise man. Although the religious message is quite clear, Duvall has a way of presenting the film’s sermon without making it sound preachy.

Black, on the other hand, just doesn’t have the acting power to make heavy emotional scenes work. When he finally has his epiphany, it doesn’t resonate with the power such an emotional moment should have.

It’s hard to decide what’s worse: that the film counts so heavily on Black’s thin acting skills or that it completely wastes the performances of two of the strongest actors working today, Melissa Leo and Kathy Baker. The final golf tournament should have been cut dramatically to give more time to Leo and Baker.

Despite its flaws, “Seven Days in Utopia,” has a good heart and delivers its message with an even hand. It’s not a hole-in-one, but it certainly plays up to par with similar movies such as “Facing the Giants.”

“Seven Days in Utopia” (2 1/2 stars)

A slow-paced tale uses chasing a dream, in this case, a golf championship as the vehicle for finding meaning in life. Lucas Black is not convicing as the young golfer, but Robert Duvall as his mentor, carries the film.

Rated: G.

Showing: Alderwood, Everett Stadium