In 2026, VcG launches the ‘German Swing’: three new Pro Golf Tour tournaments in Germany each offering €40,000 prize money.
2026 will be a special year for German professional golf: For the first time, the Vereinigung clubfreier Golfspieler im Deutschen Golf Verband e.V. (VcG) is supporting three new professional tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in Germany. With the ‘VcG Bodensee Open’, ‘VcG Köln Open’, and ‘VcG Neuhof Open’, a unique ‘German Swing’ is created, where international young talents will compete in June 2026 on three prestigious courses. Each event is endowed with a €40,000 prize fund.
Three Tournaments, Three Federal States, Each with €40,000 Prize Money
‘With our new commitment to the Pro Golf Tour, we aim to specifically support German talents. Our goal is to give as many young professionals as possible international tournament experience and pave their way to higher levels and the major tours,’ says Marco Paeke, Managing Director of VcG. The tournaments will be held in Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Hesse: from June 9 to 11 at Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen (VcG Bodensee Open), from June 16 to 18 at Golf- und Land-Club Köln (VcG Köln Open), and from June 23 to 25 at Golf-Club Neuhof near Frankfurt am Main (VcG Neuhof Open).
The participating clubs express great enthusiasm for the premiere. Jean-Claude Parent, President of Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen, emphasizes that hosting a German Swing tournament crowns the club’s sporting ambitions and presents the venue as a host of the highest quality. Achim Lehnstaedt, Club Manager of Golf- und Land-Club Köln, similarly states: ‘We are creating a platform for young talents seeking a path to the international professional sport—thus connecting our tradition with the future of golf.’ Golf-Club Neuhof also stresses the event’s importance for nurturing young players.
The clubs boast remarkable tournament histories. Golf- und Land-Club Köln hosted legends such as Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros during the German Open. Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen hosted the INGUN Cup and was part of the European Seniors Tour, while Golf-Club Neuhof has held numerous German championships in youth and age categories.
The Pro Golf Tour as a Springboard for Professionals
The Pro Golf Tour itself is recognized as an official springboard for aspiring golfers: the top five on the Order of Merit list earn full playing rights on the HotelPlanner Tour, while the best players are exempt from the first stage of qualifying school, an important step towards eligibility for the DP World Tour. A prominent success story from the tour is Martin Kaymer, who won five Pro Golf Tour tournaments in 2006 and progressed via this stage and the