Staff WriterProstate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race has found its starter on the first tee, and it’s none other than former world No. 1 Lee Westwood.
The 44-time worldwide winner appears in a new star-studded video urging every man, woman and bandit-handicapper to lace up, tee up and swing for men’s health.
Joined by Ryder Cup firecracker Matt Wallace, Solheim Cup heroine Charley Hull and LPGA sharpshooter Gemma Dryburgh, Westwood shares the frame with England cricket captain Harry Brook, rugby maestros Dan Biggar and Kenny Logan, Olympic legend Duncan Scott, and TV golf raconteurs Josh Denzel and Dan Grieve.
If you’re keeping score, that’s about as many medals and caps as a clubhouse trophy cabinet can handle.
“I salute each and every golfer” – Westwood’s rallying cry
Prostate Cancer UK’s work in golf is having a big impact both on and off the course, and I’m excited to see what 2025 holds for The Big Golf Race which I know has been a big hit with golfers across the UK,” said Westwood, who famously ended Tiger Woods’ 281-week reign atop the rankings.
Playing multiple rounds of golf in a day is tough going, so I salute each and every golfer who is taking on The Big Golf Race this summer and wish them the best of luck.
1 in 8 men will get diagnosed with prostate cancer, so I’m sure that most golf clubs in the UK will have been affected by the disease in some way.
“As a man in my early 50s, I know it’s important for me to be aware of my risk of prostate cancer and the steps I can take.
“The golf community has backed Prostate Cancer UK brilliantly so far but I hope to see even more golfers out on the course this summer, continuing that support and raising money to help save lives,” he added.
What exactly is The Big Golf Race?
Think of it as golf’s answer to an ultra-marathon, minus the questionable lycra. Participants choose to walk (or jog, or crawl) 36, 72 or a bonkers 100 holes in a single day, using the long daylight hours to squeeze in more swings than Westwood’s caddie writes on a yardage book.
Over the past four years:
- 14,000 golfers have taken part.
- £4.4 million has been raised for prostate cancer research.
- Last year alone, 2,800 players racked up more than £1 million, proving that blisters heal faster when bragging rights are on the line.
Why it matters: the numbers behind the mission
Independent research* commissioned by the charity shows the event’s irresistible pull:
- 55 % of British and Irish golfers say they’d consider entering this year.
- 46 % have already endured 36 holes in a day, so doubling up isn’t exactly a moonshot.
- A hardy 16 % have gone the full 72.
- 91 % value the camaraderie, and 81 % see it as bonus bonding time.
In short, The Big Golf Race is that rare animal—a fundraiser where the banter is as rich as the cause.
Celebrity cheer squad keeps the momentum going
“It’s great to see Lee and so many more famous sports men and women joining us in encouraging people to sign up to The Big Golf Race,” said Seren Evans, Head of Events and Community Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK.
“We’re hugely grateful to them for using their platform to encourage other golfers to go the distance for men this summer, and hopefully they can inspire even more golf fans to round up their mates and hit the course to help make 2025 The Big Golf Race’s most successful year yet.”
What’s in the bag for fundraisers?
Sign up and you’ll receive a starter pack stuffed with balls, tees, pencils and a fundraising playbook.
Raise £250 and you’re entered to win a golf holiday at Aphrodite Hills, Cyprus. Top fundraiser overall?
You’ll pocket a Titleist dream package worth £3,000—enough shiny gear to make your weekend four-ball suspiciously envious.
How to enter
Ready to gamble on daylight and your lower back? Head to the official sign-up page for Prostate Cancer UK’s Big Golf Race and book your tee time.
Do it for the banter, the bragging rights and, most importantly, the dads, brothers and mates whose lives depend on better prostate cancer research.
This summer, when you’re standing over that three-footer on hole 83 and your legs feel like over-cooked spaghetti, remember Westwood’s words and give the putt—and the cause—everything you’ve got.
