In 2026, VcG starts the ‘German Swing’: three new Pro Golf Tour tournaments in Germany offering €40,000 each to support emerging talents.
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) supports three new professional tournaments on the Pro Golf Tour in Germany. The ‘VcG Bodensee Open’, ‘VcG Cologne Open’, and ‘VcG Neuhof Open’ create a dedicated ‘German Swing’, where international young talents will compete in June 2026 on three renowned courses. Each event features a prize fund of €40,000.
Three Tournaments, Three German States, Each with €40,000 Prize Money
“With our new commitment to the Pro Golf Tour, we aim to specifically nurture German talents. Our goal is to enable as many young professionals as possible to gain international tournament experience and pave their way to higher levels and major tours,” explains Marco Paeke, Managing Director of VcG. The tournaments take place in Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, and Hesse: from June 9-11 at Golf Club Owingen-Überlingen (VcG Bodensee Open), June 16-18 at Golf and Country Club Cologne (VcG Cologne Open), and June 23-25 at Golf Club Neuhof near Frankfurt am Main (VcG Neuhof Open).
The involved 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 top-class host. Similarly, Achim Lehnstaedt, Club Manager of Golf and Country Club Cologne, says \”We create a platform for young talents seeking the path to international professional sport – combining our tradition with golf’s future.\” Golf Club Neuhof also highlights the event’s importance in nurturing young players.
The clubs boast impressive tournament histories. Golf and Country Club Cologne hosted legends like Gary Player, Nick Faldo, and Seve Ballesteros during the German Open. Golf Club Owingen-Überlingen was a venue for the INGUN Cup and part of the European Seniors Tour, while Golf Club Neuhof has hosted multiple German championships for youth and age groups.
The Pro Golf Tour as a Springboard for Professionals
The Pro Golf Tour itself is regarded as an official launchpad for aspiring golfers: the top-5 on the Order of Merit receive full playing rights on the HotelPlanner Tour, and the best players are exempt from the first stage of Qualifying School, an important step towards eligibility on the DP World Tour. A prominent example is Martin Kaymer, who in 2006 won five Pro Golf Tour events and qualified for the European Tour (now DP World Tour) through this route and the Challenge Tour (now HotelPlanner Tour).
VcG invests not only in the Pro Golf Tour: for years, the association has supported high-class tournaments such as the ‘German Challenge powered by VcG’ on the HotelPlanner Tour and the ‘Amundi German Masters powered by VcG’ on the Ladies European Tour. Both