In 2026, VcG launches the ‘German Swing’: three new Pro Golf Tour events in Germany, each offering €40,000 to support young talents.
2026 will be a special year for German professional golf: For the first time, the Association of Non-Club Golfers in the German Golf Association (VcG) supports three new professional tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in Germany. The ‘VcG Bodensee Open’, the ‘VcG Cologne Open’, and the ‘VcG Neuhof Open’ form a dedicated ‘German Swing’ where international young talents will compete in June 2026 across three renowned tournament courses. Each event offers a prize fund of €40,000.
Three Tournaments in Three States, Each with €40,000 Prize Money
‘With our new commitment to the Pro Golf Tour, we aim to specifically promote German talents. Our goal is to provide as many young professionals as possible with international tournament experience and to pave their way into higher playing classes and major tours,’ says Marco Paeke, CEO of 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 Köln (VcG Cologne Open), and from June 23 to 25 at Golf-Club Neuhof near Frankfurt am Main (VcG Neuhof Open).
The clubs involved express enthusiasm about the debut. 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 the highest quality. Similarly, Achim Lehnstaedt, club manager of Golf- und Land-Club Köln, states: ‘We create a platform for young talents seeking a path into international professional golf – connecting our tradition with the future of the sport.’ Golf-Club Neuhof also highlights the event’s importance for nurturing young players.
These clubs have significant tournament histories. Legends like Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros played at the German Open held at Golf- und Land-Club Köln. Golfclub Owingen-Überlingen was the venue for the INGUN Cup and part of the European Seniors Tour, while Golf-Club Neuhof hosted several German championships in junior and age group categories.
The Pro Golf Tour as a Launchpad for Professionals
The Pro Golf Tour is regarded as an official stepping stone for aspiring golfers: The top five players on the Order of Merit earn full playing rights on the HotelPlanner Tour, and the best players are exempted from the first stage of Qualifying School, an essential 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 progressed through this stage and the Challenge Tour (now HotelPlanner Tour) to qualify for the European Tour (now DP World Tour).
VcG also invests beyond the Pro Golf Tour, having supported high-level tournaments like the ‘German Challenge powered by VcG’ on the HotelPlanner Tour