Mark Wahlberg, a Hollywood heavyweight with over 30 million Instagram followers, has joined the fight to save Moore Park Golf Club, Sydney’s closest 18-hole course to the CBD.
While filming a movie in Sydney, Wahlberg has been frequenting golf courses around town, including Ellerston in the Hunter Valley, Moore Park, and Royal Sydney in between shoots.
The actor expressed disbelief upon hearing plans to remove nine of the 18 holes at Moore Park to create more green space for residents in areas like Waterloo and Zetland.
Wahlberg was so passionate about the cause that he posted a video urging Sydneysiders to preserve the complete layout of the 100-year-old golf club.
An avid golfer, American actor Mark Wahlberg has joined the fight to save Moore Park.
“It’s been here for more than a century; it’s been giving people hundreds and hundreds of years of pleasure and joy,” said Wahlberg in the video.
“Just people being able to come out and get a nice healthy walk, spend quality time together with family and friends.
“Please, I’ve seen lots and lots of parks and I haven’t seen too many lovely public golf courses like this that have access for everybody.”
“Please save Moore Park Golf Club.”
The proposed reduction of Moore Park golf course has sparked outrage among golf enthusiasts in Sydney.
The Moore Park Golf Club, with its multi-story driving range, is amongst the busiest golf facilities in the country.
Last year, Premier Chris Minns cited the need for more green space due to increased housing density in the area to justify the reduction of the golf course.
Despite Minns mentioning that there are 13 golf courses in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, he failed to acknowledge that Moore Park has consistently been one of the busiest courses nationwide.
James Sutherland, CEO of Golf Australia, has been actively involved in the campaign to protect the course.
Sutherland initiated a petition urging golfers to preserve Moore Park’s 18-hole layout rather than reducing it to nine holes.
“For a golf course that means so much to so many, participation opportunities will be substantially impacted and our diverse Moore Park Golf regulars and visitors will find it very difficult to access a round of golf,” stated Sutherland.
“We think there is a fairer way to keep and enhance 18 holes of golf, the driving range and new mini-golf, while creating amazing parkland in the many undeveloped areas of Moore Park.”
