Golfers across the United Kingdom have a fresh way to tee it up this winter, as Prostate Cancer UK joins forces with Trackman for a virtual indoor event known as The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot-Out.
Beginning Wednesday, January 1, 2025, this brand-new challenge merges technology with a vital cause, showing that golf has no off-season when it comes to saving lives.
Prostate Cancer UK, recognised for delivering the largest fundraiser in the sport, is inviting players to compete on the front nine of three prestigious Major venues: St Andrews, Evian Resort, and Bethpage Black (the upcoming host of the 2025 Ryder Cup).
It’s a three-round, 9-hole, stroke-play format, where each round spans an entire month. Golfers are playing for monthly prizes and working toward an overall Order of Merit champion, who will walk away with a Motocaddy M5 GPS electric trolley and Dry-Series bag. That’s enough to put a bit of extra swagger in any swing.
Anyone in the UK can jump into the action of The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot-Out by visiting an indoor Trackman simulator at any location nationwide.
As competitors take aim at these iconic courses, they’ll notice an added twist on the 8th hole—an in-game closest-to-the-pin contest, highlighting an alarming statistic: 1 in 8 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer in the UK.
Winners every month get a dozen Titleist Pro V1 balls, but more importantly, the initiative raises awareness of the most common cancer affecting men.
“We work in golf to save men’s lives and we’re hoping this partnership with Trackman will allow us to reach more golfers and keep our golf supporters engaged through the winter,” said Seren Evans, Head of Events and Community Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK.
“We want to inspire as many golfers as possible to get involved with The Big Golf Race next summer and raise money to fund lifesaving research to stop men dying from prostate cancer.
“We’re really excited to see how Trackman can help us extend The Big Golf Race into the virtual golf world and keep our summer fundraiser in the minds of the golf community. And being able to reach golfers across the globe is an added bonus!” she added.
The tournament is free to enter and runs on Trackman’s cutting-edge VG3 (Virtual Golf 3) software, delivering a lifelike indoor golf experience.
According to Mike Lea, Regional Sales Director for Trackman in the UK, Ireland, and Middle East, teaming up with Prostate Cancer UK was a natural fit: “We’re delighted to have partnered with Prostate Cancer UK to push The Big Golf Race message through our technology and we look forward to see the winter shoot-out tournament come to life.
“Unfortunately, it’s likely someone in our lives has been affected by cancer, and particularly in the golfing community prostate cancer is a very real threat.
The statistics are astonishing – 1 in 8 men – so we are keen to play our part in getting Prostate Cancer UK’s message across the UK,” he added.
Raising money for life-saving research is the heartbeat of this campaign. The Big Golf Race itself dares participants each summer to tackle 36, 72, or even 100 holes in one day.
More than 2,800 golfers got involved this year, raising over £1 million to fight prostate cancer. This winter extension is poised to keep the cause front and center as 2025 approaches.
Prostate Cancer UK’s golf fundraiser has also garnered national recognition: it recently climbed to 17th place in The Massive Top-25 chart of successful charity-owned mass participation events, standing among well-known campaigns such as Race for Life and Movember.
Securing a place on that prestigious list for the second year in a row, The Big Golf Race demonstrates how the sport can make a profound impact when players rally around a shared purpose.
To join The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot-Out and vie for monthly and overall prizes, golfers need to download the Trackman Golf app, register, and sign in at any indoor simulator in the UK.
For location details, visit trackman.com/locator. To learn more about this winter challenge, visit prostatecanceruk.org/wintershootout.
