The Last Drive 5

He has a beautiful family, several successful companies, and a filmography that’s grossed more than $3 billion in the US alone. So why, despite being “hungrier than ever” career-wise, does MARK WAHLBERG plan to drive away from Hollywood in five years?

- Chris Lee

On a hilltop parking lot overlooking downtown Burbank in California, USA, Mark Wahlberg grabs a club from his Wahlburgers-branded golf bag, places a Wahlburgers-branded golf ball on the tee, and squares up, nonchalantly remarking to the real-life entourage of celebrity minders, groomers, and photographers on hand, “We’re gonna do about 210 with a 6-iron”.

The fantastically fit 46-year-old proceeds to smash the ball, slicing it over the heads of an unsuspecting foursome of golfers lingering near the seventh hole of a nearby municipal course. The ball rolls to a stop just beyond them, just beyond the green, a glorious 290m drive, according to the readout on his laser sighting scope.

This isn’t the first golf Wahlberg’s played today. The Boston-born actor/ producer/sports nutrition entrepreneur/ casual-dining franchise builder rose at 4am — as he does most days —hit the gym for an hour, then squeezed in a round of “cardio golf”, playing 18 holes in 90 blistering minutes.

“We’re always busy; we always play fast. It got started while I was in training on Transformers: Age of Extinction. I’d hit the ball and just sprint to it.”