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 Independent Golfers in the German Golf Association (VcG) supports three new professional tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in Germany. The German Swing, consisting of the VcG Bodensee Open, VcG Cologne Open, and VcG Neuhof Open, will see international rising talents compete in June 2026 on three renowned courses. Each event offers €40,000 in prize money.
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 provide as many young professionals as possible with international tournament experience and to pave their way to 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 the Golf Club Owingen-Überlingen (VcG Bodensee Open), from June 16 to 18 at the Golf and Country Club Cologne (VcG Cologne Open), and from June 23 to 25 at the Golf Club Neuhof near Frankfurt am Main (VcG Neuhof Open).
The participating clubs are enthusiastic about the premiere. Jean-Claude Parent, President of Golf Club Owingen-Überlingen, emphasizes that hosting a German Swing tournament crowns the club’s sporting ambitions and presents the facility as a host of the highest quality. Similarly, Achim Lehnstaedt, Club Manager of the Golf and Country Club Cologne, states: “We create a platform for young talents seeking a path into international professional sports – thus connecting our tradition with the future of golf.” The Golf Club Neuhof also stresses the importance of the event for supporting young players.
The clubs have notable tournament histories. Legends like Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros played at the German Open held at the Golf and Country Club Cologne. The Golf Club Owingen-Überlingen hosted the INGUN Cup and was part of the European Seniors Tour, while the Golf Club Neuhof has hosted multiple German championships in youth and age categories.
The Pro Golf Tour as a Springboard for Pros
The Pro Golf Tour itself is considered an official springboard for aspiring golfers: The top 5 of the Order of Merit receive full playing privileges on the HotelPlanner Tour, and the best players are exempt from the first stage of the Qualifying School, an important step towards earning playing rights on the DP World Tour. A prominent success story from the tour is Martin Kaymer, who won five tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in 2006 and qualified for the European Tour (now the DP World Tour) via this stage and the Challenge Tour (now the HotelPlanner Tour).
The VcG invests not only in the Pro Golf Tour: for years, the association has supported high-level tournaments such as the German Challenge powered by VcG on the HotelPlanner Tour and the Amundi German