The Big Golf Race, the UK’s biggest golf fundraiser, inspiring players to go the extra mile and raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK, has benefited from a partnership with award-winning podcast, The Chipping Forecast, with thousands of listeners across the UK signing up and contributing to the groundbreaking charity work.
Over the course of 12 weeks, more than half a million listeners (604,177) listened to acclaimed presenter and top commentator Andrew Cotter encourage golfers up and down the country to sign up to take part in the big golf race. Hosted alongside Cotter will be DP World Tour player and fan favourite Eddie Pepperell, and special guest BBC golf correspondent Ian Carter.
Listeners like Gordon Rae, who contacted the show, which was the number one golf podcast in the UK during the partnership, after hearing the presenter talk about “The Big Golf Race”, organised 32 players to play 72 holes at Helen’s Bay Golf Club in Bangor, Northern Ireland, raising more than £22,000.
“It’s great to hear that our show has inspired golfers to raise money for such a great cause,” Mr Cotter said. “It’s been fun hearing the inspiring stories of those taking part in the Big Golf Race Challenge across the UK and Ireland – congratulations to everyone who completed it.”
Another listener, Ailsa, invited Cotter to read a message out loud during the show. She wrote: “I love listening to the Chipping Forecast and it inspired me to sign up for The Big Golf Race. My dad has had prostate cancer for around 10 years and I would love to complete the 72 hole challenge at St Fillans Golf Club, spurred on by a dog or two!”
An episode featuring an interview with Scottish and British and Irish Lions rugby player Craig Chalmers, who revealed he had been diagnosed with prostate cancer late last year, reached 57,619 listeners.
“We’re really honoured to be partnering with such a high-profile podcast featuring a well-known host. It’s fantastic to see the impact the show has had on listeners and have them say they want to take part in The Big Golf Race or hear about the race and want to sign up,” said Seren Evans, Head of Events and Community Fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK.
Another listener, Barry Watt, wrote a personal message to the show after his father was successfully treated for prostate cancer: “Thank you so much for using your platform to raise awareness of prostate cancer. After hearing about the TCF promotion I signed up for The Big Golf Race and completed 128 holes yesterday, having originally planned on doing 101.”
Since its launch in 2020, more than 14,000 golfers have taken part in The Big Golf Race, helping to raise £4.4 million to fund life-saving research to radically improve how the most common cancer in men is diagnosed and treated. This year alone, UK golfers have taken on more than 2,800 36, 72 or 100-hole challenges, raising more than £1 million for life-saving research.