In late April, news outlets near the small town of Dunedoo, located west of Sydney, covered a story about a random act of violence directed at the Dunedoo Golf Course. The NSW course has nine holes and is a favorite location for community members to gather together.

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For the town of only 800, most local golf fans record major events and get closer to the action by wagering on golf betting odds from sportsbooks. The modest course is a place for locals to practice their drives and putting, as well as enjoy each other's company.

The Dunedoo Golf Course, needless to say, has no known enemies. However, residents woke in late April to find four fairways and a handful of sandy greens torn to shreds. The destruction was catastrophic—video footage revealed that heavy machinery such as a tractor was likely the culprit.

The grounds were shredded, leaving the course’s sand greens destroyed and in demand of costly repairs. To date, there’s been no announcement of repair costs, though it’s expected to require months of renovations before opening again.

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More Questions Than Answers

The act of vandalism left many questions for the small community. When GOLF NSW, the local authoritative body, covered the story, there was no hint from the culprit as to why the golf course was targeted.

Shortly after the incident, a man was charged with damaging property, as well as other minor charges. There’s yet to be an explanation for the mayhem, which continues to baffle residents. Unlike other private golf clubs, Dunedoo Golf Club was founded for locals, by locals.

There’s an honesty box for donations rather than a pricey clubhouse. There are weekly golf events for veterans, women, and men. There’s an emphasis on socializing and having fun rather than winning, and newcomers are always welcome.

Rather than answers regarding why the club was destroyed in part, locals have instead started setting up initiatives to restore their beloved golf club. Shortly after a culprit was charged, local Ricky Bush set up a GoFundMe page to help kickstart restorations to the course, which will focus on rebuilding the sand greens. 

The page started with a goal of $10,000 in donations and a simple mission statement, “To rebuild and restore the golf course.” Locals from Dunedoo and good Samaritans from around NSW shared the page and, in just over a month, the page had fulfilled its goal.

To date, the GoFundMe page has collected $11,217 in donations.