Now that we’re entering the peak months of the golf season and will soon be embracing those dreamy long summer days, you will likely start encountering people taking on marathon charity challenges at courses throughout the country.
The Big Golf Race is the most formidable of these ventures, being established by Prostate Cancer UK to raise vital funds to support research and to increase awareness of this most common form of the disease.
Playing 36, 72 or even 100 holes in one day might sound like a lot, but when you have the support of friends and a wider community it can become the most rewarding of experiences. More than 10,000 golfers have participated since The Big Golf Race was first launched in 2020, and during that time a stunning £6 million has been raised.
This is a disease that touches so many families and will be present at your local golf club. Just within the UK, approximately 1 in 8 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime. The story of Andrew Stokes that we recently shared was just one of many similar tales that have driven people to support Prostate Cancer UK and to make The Big Golf Race an essential part of their season.
What Makes The Big Golf Race Special
Chris Romney is another example of just how powerful The Big Golf Race can be. Following years of recurring prostatitis and fluctuating PSA levels, the retired grandfather was diagnosed with prostate cancer on New Year’s Eve 2019.
He opted to have surgery to remove his prostate, but his operation was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. He underwent hormone therapy before eventually having successful surgery in June 2020. Chris has been cancer-free ever since but will be regularly monitored.
“Prostate cancer has 100% changed my outlook,” Chris reflected. “I think everyone will tell you that the defining moment is when you are told you have cancer. It’s absolute shellshock. Especially for prostate cancer, where so many men don’t have any signs. If I hadn’t had a history of prostatitis, I would never have been checked. Whether or not my cancer would been picked up before it metastasized, I’ll never know. I do know that I’ll be forever grateful to the GP who questioned my results and referred me to the specialists at the Derby Royal Hospital.”
Passionate to spread the word and to make more of his contemporaries aware of the risks they face, being a keen golfer with a membership of Chevin Golf Club in Duffield, The Big Golf Race was a natural thing for Chris to become a part of.
“I have done three Big Golf Races so far: two four-round events and one 100 holes in a day. My golf club and pro shop have been so supportive. I do it every other year, so people don’t get sponsorship fatigue – I am aware that I’m fishing in the same pool of friends, family and golfing colleagues. I don’t want to do it every year and have them thinking: ‘Chris is at it again’.
“Golf attracts a lot of men at my age – the ‘at-risk’ age – so if I can get even one or two people to get tested then that’s good. I know of at least a dozen who have been tested, including two positives who wouldn’t otherwise have known. For me that justifies the work that goes into the events.”
You can sign up today to participate in The Big Golf Race and they have numerous support materials to make that journey fully successful, but you might feel it’s daunting, especially trying to play that many holes in one day.
How to Play 100 Holes of Golf in One Day
Chris has advice for golfers who want to take part this year on how to get the absolute most from The Big Golf Race.
“Plan early! Whether you do two rounds, four rounds or 100 holes, it does need to be planned. Get the club involved, quite often they will tell you the best time to do it. For 100 holes it really needs to be around midsummer – beginning of June to mid-July – because depending on your fitness and the nature of the course, it can take all day! So, get them involved and ask them if you can put up posters; every few holes, we had signs on the teeing area with things like: “By the time you reach this point, an average of X men will have been diagnosed” or “While playing this round, X men will die of prostate cancer.”
“I have a five-foot ‘Man of Men’ (bought from a fellow prostate cancer survivor) that I put in the bar with collection buckets (free from Prostate Cancer UK). Get sponsorship forms and a JustGiving page – which again, Prostate Cancer UK can help with, or you can do independently. It’s very simple.
“We also asked local shops to give prizes for a raffle in exchange for being named as sponsors and that raised a lot for Prostate Cancer UK.
“Once your basic plan is in place then, basically, advertise as much as you can: posters, email shots, social media – anything you can think of.
“For 100 holes in a day – it sounds obvious, but you need to think about where you get the extra ten holes. Four rounds is simple, but with 100 holes you have an extra 10 holes to find. On the very first round, which we started at 4:45am, we did the top part of the course three times to get the extra holes in before anyone else was on the course, so we had exactly four rounds left to do when we got back to the clubhouse.
“Get people to come around with you. If it gets busy on the golf course, you’ll need them to warn people ahead of you that you’re coming through – even if you only lose a minute a hole, that’s more than an hour and a half lost over the course of the day. Some friends joined me for a round, others just walked with me or helped by ordering the food to arrive at the same time as you’ll be taking a break.”
How Does it Feel to Complete The Big Golf Race?
“When you finish one of these events you do get a great sense of achievement and pride. You’re not doing it for the feel-good factor, but it’s something you remember, and it makes all the organisation and asking for help worthwhile.”
You could walk in the footsteps of Chris this year and make a difference in the fight against prostate cancer – while also testing your golfing endurance.
If that sounds like something you wish to attempt, please click here for more information.
Kieran Clark is the Digital Editor of Golfshake. He oversees editorial content, community engagement, forums, and social media channels. A lifelong golfer from the Isle of Bute in Scotland who has now lived in St Andrews for a decade, he began playing at the age of five and maintains a passion for exploring courses, with a particular affection for historic layouts. Kieran regularly contributes in-depth opinion pieces and features, drawing on his enthusiasm for the game and its culture.