Prostate Cancer UK, who deliver The Big Golf Race, the biggest fundraiser in golf has partnered with pioneering golf software company Trackman, to provide golfers around the UK the chance to take part in an innovative indoor virtual golf challenge this winter.
The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot-Out begins on Wednesday 1st January, 2025 and is a three round, 9-hole, stroke play tournament taking place on the front nine of three iconic Major golfing venues – St Andrews, Evian Resort and Bethpage Black, also the host of the 2025 Ryder Cup.
Each round, open for a month at-a-time will have an individual prize winner, plus cumulative points going towards an overall Order of Merit champion, who will win an award-winning Motocaddy M5 GPS electric trolley and Dry-Series bag,
Any golfer around the UK can take part in The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot-Out by visiting a Trackman indoor simulator anywhere across the country.
1 in 8 men get prostate cancer in the UK – the most common cancer in men – which will be highlighted on the 8th hole at each iconic course with an in-game closest to the pin with the winner awarded a dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls every month.
“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 free to enter tournament will be playable on the Trackman VG3 (Virtual Golf 3) software, the industry-leading graphics engine that makes indoor golf even more realistic and fun.
“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,” said Mike Lea, Regional Sales Director for Trackman in the UK, Ireland and Middle East.
“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.
The Big Golf Race challenges players to take on the 36, 72 or 100-holes during the longer, sunnier days to raise money for life-saving research.
More than 2,800 golfers took part this year, raising more than £1m. This winter shoot-out challenge is an extension to Prostate Cancer UK’s work in golf and a pre-cursor to the launch of The Big Golf Race in 2025.
The UK’s biggest golf fundraiser has also recently been included in The Massive Top-25 – a list of the most successful charity-owned mass participation events – for the second consecutive year, and is the only golf challenge to make the list. Climbing to 17th spot from 19th in 2023, The Big Golf Race joins the likes of Race for Life and Movember in the top 25.
To take part in The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot-Out and be in with a chance of winning the prizes on offer, golfers need to download the Trackman Golf app and register before using it to sign in at any indoor location around the country.
To find all Trackman locators around the country, visit https://www.trackman.com/locator.
For more information on The Big Golf Race Winter Shoot Out visit prostatecanceruk.org/wintershootout.
