The Big Golf Race Returns To Support Prostate Cancer UK

Prostate Cancer UK is calling on golfers to take on The Big Golf Race, the UK’s biggest golf fundraising challenge, to help save men’s lives

Prostate Cancer UK The Big Golf Race group photo
(Image credit: Prostate Cancer UK)

The Big Golf Race is back for 2024 as leading men's health charity Prostate Cancer UK is calling on golfers to help to raise money and save dads, grandads, brothers, uncles and friends from a disease that affects 1 in 8 men in the UK.

Since its launch in 2020, more than 11,500 golfers have raised over £3.4m in The Big Golf Race to help fund life-saving research to radically improve the way prostate cancer is diagnosed and treated.

Golfers willing to take on The Big Golf Race this year have three fundraising options: 

  • The Marathon (consisting of playing 72-holes in a day and walking an average of 26 miles)
  • The Half Marathon (36-holes over 13.1 miles)
  • Ultra Marathon (100-holes over 35 miles).

Those who register will receive a fundraising pack, including golf balls, tees, pencils and a fundraising guide, plus there are opportunities to earn incentive gifts along the way.

Prizes:

Golfers taking part will have a chance to win prizes, with the top fundraisers winning a three-night B&B trip for four to the renowned Monte Rei Golf & Country Club in Portugal, including two rounds of golf, courtesy of Golfbreaks.

Golfers who raise over £250 are also in with a chance of winning a full bag of Titleist golf clubs worth £3,000 and fitting, and other prizes, like a Motocaddy electric trolley and bag, are also up for grabs.

Partners

Prostate Cancer UK has partnered with two key organisations for 2024; the UK Golf Federation, which represents the owners of 1,200 courses in the UK, to support sponsored players in booking multiple rounds across the country, and the British Golf Industry Association (BGIA), which represents UK golf brands and has also pledged to promote The Big Golf Race to its members this year.

Prostate Cancer UK partners The PGA are encouraging their members to pledge tee times for golfers taking on the challenge and HowDidiDo, which holds the handicaps, results and scores of more than 1.2 million UK golf club members, is also supporting The Big Golf Race in 2024.

“We’ve seen in previous years just how many golfers get behind The Big Golf Race and they’ve helped to build it into a fun yet challenging way of helping to save men’s lives. Every golfer who completes one of the three challenges this summer is making a huge difference for men and their families,” said Chris Jarrett, Director of Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK.

“The Big Golf Race has become an integral part of the fundraising calendar, and we’re delighted to be able to help more golfers take on the challenge this year, meaning more money will be raised to fund life-saving research into better tests and treatments to keep men in the game for longer.

“We’re hugely grateful to everyone in the golf community who has committed to supporting The Big Golf Race this year and wish everyone taking part the best of luck.”

The Big Golf Race 2024 launch

To launch the 2024 Big Golf Race, golf media, social media content creators, partners and stakeholders were joined at an event this week by Prostate Cancer UK ambassadors and supporters, including former footballers Mark Bright and Jay Bothroyd, and Harry Potter actors James and Oliver Phelps, at four-time Ryder Cup venue, The Belfry Hotel and Resort.

Hosted by BBC Sport golf correspondent Iain Carter, they enjoyed a round on the prestigious Brabazon course after learning about the impact The Big Golf Race has had and how their support this will help save men’s lives.

Among those backing The Big Golf Race for 2024 is former Masters champion and Prostate Cancer UK golf ambassador, Danny Willett.

He said: “The golf community’s response to The Big Golf Race has been incredible, so it’s no surprise that it’s now the biggest golf fundraising challenge in the UK. It just goes to show just how far golfers will go to raise money for an incredible cause and I’ll be doing all I can to help them this year.”

And for the first time this year, a host of famous faces from the world of golf and entertainment are lending their support by becoming Big Golf Race ‘Head Professionals’, with the likes of Willett, YouTube’s top golf content creator Rick Shiels, social media nutrition expert Graeme Tomlinson aka The Fitness Chef, and DJ and golf fan DJ Spoony sharing their tips on how to conquer The Big Golf Race.

To sign up to The Big Golf Race, visit prostatecanceruk.org/TheBigGolfRace

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!

Elliott is currently playing:

Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV