In 2026, VcG launches the ‘German Swing’: three new Pro Golf Tour tournaments in Germany offering €40,000 each to foster young talent.
2026 will be a landmark 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’ form a dedicated ‘German Swing,’ where international young talents will compete in June 2026 at three renowned courses. Each event offers a prize purse of €40,000.
Three Tournaments, Three 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 provide as many young professionals as possible with international tournament experience and pave their way to higher tours and major leagues,\” explains Marco Paeke, Managing Director of VcG. The tournaments will be held in Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Hesse: from June 9-11 at Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen (VcG Bodensee Open), from June 16-18 at Golf and Country Club Cologne (VcG Cologne Open), and from June 23-25 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. Similarly, Achim Lehnstaedt, Club Manager of Golf and Country Club Cologne, states, \”We create a platform for young talents seeking to enter international professional sports – thus connecting our tradition with the future of golf.\” Golf-Club Neuhof also underscores the event’s significance for nurturing young players.
These clubs have a notable tournament history. Golf and Country Club Cologne has hosted legends like Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros during the German Open. Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen was the venue for the INGUN Cup and was part of the European Seniors Tour, while Golf-Club Neuhof has hosted multiple German championships in youth and age categories.
The Pro Golf Tour as a Springboard for Professionals
The Pro Golf Tour is recognized as an official springboard for aspiring golfers: the top five players on the Order of Merit earn full playing rights on the HotelPlanner Tour, while the best players are exempted from the first stage of Qualifying School, a crucial step towards eligibility for the DP World Tour. A notable success story from the tour is Martin Kaymer, who won five tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in 2006 and qualified for the