In 2026, the VcG launches the German Swing: three new Pro Golf Tour tournaments in Germany with €40,000 prize money each.
2026 will be a special year for German professional golf: for the first time, the Association of Club-Free Golfers in the German Golf Association (VcG) is supporting three new professional tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in Germany. The ‘VcG Bodensee Open’, ‘VcG Cologne Open’, and ‘VcG Neuhof Open’ create a distinct ‘German Swing’, where international young talents will compete on three renowned courses in June 2026. Each event offers a prize purse of €40,000.
Three Tournaments, Three States, Each with €40,000 Prize Fund
‘With our new commitment to the Pro Golf Tour, we want to specifically support German talents. Our goal is to provide as many young professionals as possible with international tournament experience and to pave their way into higher levels and major tours,’ explains Marco Paeke, Managing Director of the VcG. The tournaments will take place 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 Cologne (VcG Cologne Open), and from June 23 to 25 at Golf-Club Neuhof near Frankfurt am Main (VcG Neuhof Open).
The participating clubs are enthusiastic about 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 facility as a host of top quality. Similarly, Achim Lehnstaedt, Club Manager of Golf- und Land-Club Cologne, states, ‘We create a platform for young talents seeking to enter the international professional sport – thus linking our tradition with the future of golf.’ The Golf-Club Neuhof also stresses the event’s importance for promoting young players.
These clubs boast impressive tournament histories. Legends like Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros played the German Open at Golf- und Land-Club Cologne. Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen hosted the INGUN Cup and was part of the European Seniors Tour, while Golf-Club Neuhof has hosted multiple German championships for juniors and senior categories.
The Pro Golf Tour as a Launchpad for Professionals
The Pro Golf Tour itself is recognized as an official stepping stone for upcoming golfers: the top 5 in the Order of Merit gain full playing rights on the HotelPlanner Tour, while the best players are exempt from the first stage of Qualifying School – an important step toward eligibility for the DP World Tour. A notable example of the tour’s success is Martin Kaymer, who won five Pro Golf Tour events in 2006 and went on to qualify for the