How to Get a Golf License in Germany | Adventures in Golf Season 6 

"we are germans, and in germany you need a license" If you had to summarize a country and it's culture in a single sentence, this is it.

Bravo Eric, never seen a man try keep his eyes above 90 degrees so hard in my life. You even did the eye rub.

Interesting to hear you speaking about Sweden having a lot of golfers, because we are required to undergo training and obtaining a license in order to play as well.

@Skratch Golf: I love your videos and watch mostly all of them. To my person - I am from Austria, went through the PGM program at Ferris State, lived in the US a long time and am now a PGA teaching professional in Bremen, Germany. Since I know both (pond) sides of the golf industry I would like to comment on this video from my perspective. First of all the concept of a "private" club over here versus in the US is a totally different one. As an American watching this you might think that all german courses are privat club with extremely high entry fees, gated areas, valet & locker room service as well as a high end golf carts with freshly clean towels and two bottles of water. This is as far from the truth as it can be. I would say that 98% are public here - only the way the clubs are governed is different - its more of an association then a club which is always a none-profit organisation. The amount of real public courses is rapidly growing as-well where you don't need a Platzreife. The Platzreife concept has been cleared up correctly in the second part. From a PGA professional stand point I have to say that the what we call the "beginners course" leading up the the Platzreife is a good starting point for any golfer. Basic rules, as-well as golf technique is explained. Pace of play, course maintenance and safety issues are explained and testet in the end. Every golfer should at least have a rough understanding of the game before heading out. On top -of it the club management is happy with knowlageable members out there and the professionals have a breeding ground for future students. And yes - the germans like to do things right - they are very particular about many things which in my case is good - germans love to take lessons. I would have like to see more of that standpoint in the video as-well. Platzreife is not a hazard - it help people with the entry of the game and is also not set up by the government. BTW - Platzreife is also in other countries like Austria, Swiss and many others. On the other side do I miss golfing in the US. Driving golf carts, having beer or two and simply having fun comes a bit short over here. The handicap is the reason for that. Constant progress is important - the question "what is your handicap???" is always #1 when meeting other golfers. It is what you are it seems like. Anyways - I love your videos and I usually do not comment ever but I feel like I had to comment here to set things in perspective. We all want to grow the game, make it younger and make it RGC-like. Believe me.....I wish it would be much more like that here but we are working on it!!!!! Cheers Christoph

As an Arizona native, I can say that golf cart, booze, music, and more booze is exactly how I learned to play golf.

This is very similar all across Europe, I believe. We have a theoretical exam, a practical exam and then need to score under 36 before being allowed to play freely.

Here in the Netherlands you also need a license at most courses. It includes passing a theory exam with rules about etiquette and general rules of golf. The german license seems easy in comparison!

Dude! I’m captivated by your content! BRAVO Erik and staff!

I have a USGA handicap and when I moved to Germany it was very easy for me to get my platzreife. I just scheduled a lesson at the local club and asked the pro about it. I think it helped that I have a low handicap but they had no problem giving me the platzreife that day.

Watching this as a German is really funny. I first became aware of our "Platzreife" when I did a high school year in Canada. They just laughed at me and I couldn't really understand why. Playing golf was and still is so expansive in Germany that it just made sense to me that you need a playing license. I'm a big advocate of courses like Oberhausen. I know the club. The atmosphere is chilled and what you get with the membership is amazing (two clubs and three courses that are not your "typical" golf courses - build into an old horse racing track and on the grounds of an old coal mine). We definitely need more of these clubs to attract all different kinds of people. I'm also really looking forward to checking out the TopGolf in Oberhausen!

This is the second Skratch golf video I have watched, and your relaxed style, off-beat interesting content and extremely high production values have earned my subscription. Bravo!

That's right girl, in Arizona we're all about having fun while playing golf!!!

Thx for coming to germany Eric. We have a growing enthusiastic golf scene, also in the crossgolf game.

Great Video! I life in Düsseldorf and play the course on a regular basis. So amazing and funny to see German-Golf and our Region through your eyes...and I totally agree with you. Düssledorf is the perfect sice and a great place to enjoy life!

I just got my Platzreife in October. So stoked to finally be able to play the real golf courses next year! Awesome video by the way!

Incredible video. Thank you very much for exposing us to some incredible golf experiences. Now I have to add golfing in Germany to my bucket list of things to do in Germany.

Great Documentary, and a brilliant swing in the story. Bravo!

Love it, also i love how you see "my City". So great you liked it here!!!

Might be my favorite episode yet

Another awesome episode thank you guys

Thanks for Doing this. I’m a kiwi living in Dusseldorf and golf with a mate from England. We had this exact experience and was really cool to see in your film

Another great video shedding light on another unique cultural aspect of this great game.

Very cool. I thank the courses I learned on here in the U.S. in my 'learning' of the game and it's etiquette.

Another fantastic video by this guy.

As a relatively new golfer, I never would have taken up the sport if there were barriers like this. I golfed my first 18 when my buddies needed a 4th and just told be to come have fun. I got the bug and have taken up the sport and golf all the time now. If I needed to get a license just to hit a ball with a stick I never would have gotten into it. Seems preposterous and snooty, it’s just a game

At long last! Thank for you another gem EAL and the RGC team!

I‘m from Germany and I think the golf game and coulture sounds so much more fun and just cooler in America!

This was fascinating. Truly.

Really liked this episode. Very interesting !

What a great video!! Really enjoyed!!

THIS NEEDS TO BE EVERYWHERE!!!! I just got paired up with 3 brand new golfers the other day, and... I shit you not they showed up with ONE CLUB EACH. I felt so bad for the group behind us

Well done. This was very interesting. Thank you

19:19 I love all your videos but I have a special fondness for this one.

loved this episode a ton

Very well done

Another banger. Great video, EAL!

Being German i am actually a fan of the Platzreife, what was not covered in the video is the fact that with a Platzreife, you kind of make sure that beginners are actually able to play the 18 holes making sure 1. They know the core rules & etiquette to maintain the tradition 2. Play at an adequate speed 3. not destroying the course since its super expensive to maintain.

We have the same protocol in Finland, called Green Card. It's a 4 hr lesson and you have to be a member of any golf club in order to play. Most of the public courses are par 3 and just a few holes. We have some pay-and-play courses where you can play without the Green Card but you have to play with a person that has one. I'm lucky enough to have that kind of course quite near my hometown and golf has really took me away. Thanks for the great show, really amazing work👍

Fun video. Nerve racking test.

Same in Switzerland as other viewers mentioned. When I was about 20 I wanted to start playing golf but I simply could not afford any membership. Without being member in any club it was almost impossible to play golf. So the license and a membership can be quite an obstacle for young people. Now I‘m 40 and I finally picked up golf again and did my license. I’m a member now in a decent club, but I sometimes regret that I didn‘t play for such a long time.

Same system in Sweden and a lot of other European countries. When I started playing 18 years ago I had to take one written test on etiquette, a test on golf rules and a playing test. During the last couple years the rules have been relaxed quite a bit to get the license and I cannot say I am a fan of it. If people have no idea how to act on the course it could potentially be dangerous, but the real problem I see is slow play. I much prefer the German system over the American. Not the rule about the tee though, as that is just dumb. In Sweden they changed the name from ladies and men's tee to just call it by the length of course. So tee 59 would be 5900 meter length. And you can choose whichever one you want and there is a slope rating for all the tees for both men and woman.

Catching up on old videos ... have only watched the intro stroll ... Rudi Voller curls, Birkenstock sandals, ripped jeans, suede leather jacket, washed colour to the film ... hello 70s/80s Germany vibe. Great work by the research department. :)

Great vid! Probably my favorite!

Ich think its important to know the Golfrules very well because i was hit from a Golfball on the head last holiday … Platzreife is a good way to educate beginners …

Fantastic stuff 😊

Thank you firstly for this video. It sheds a lot of light on how the game is run throughout the world. Excellent work! I agree with your utter astonishment with how the game is run there. I'm from southeast England and I have an abundance of courses to play. I think that some of the best players come from having access to sport, be it Athletics, Football (Soccer), Rugby etc! To exclude the masses is to hinder progression. Just think that if all of Germany had as much access to golf as most of the world then the Ryder Cup would be a different tournament altogether.

That was a good watch! It’s also the same in Denmark and Belgium. You need a Golf Association card to play as its a privatised sport. Think it should be more public to make it accessible to more people. You might find the next Jon Rahm because of it.

Cool Episode!! Well done again

Well.. I guess I have to make another cup of coffee and put off getting to work this morning! Thanks EAL

The “right hand” tip has literally changed my golf game. I have so much more control. As they say in Germany - “Danke schön”

great show, very strange but informative about golf in Germany

Awesome video. The algorithm recommended it. I actually first hit a golf ball at the Lausward driving range. Yeah, the Platzreife is a bit of a weird concept - but I think the course leading up to the exam teaches you the basics of the golf course. Haven't played in quite while though. Want to get out more on a course in the future.

Switzerland is the same and when I first started I was shocked, not just he two tests but also the price tag. As in Germany most courses are private but I do not know of any, outside of practices areas, where you would not need both PR and a club membership. Now I think it helps the first time golfer and the pace of play. It takes a lot of time and is pretty expensive. Swiss people are known for their lack of patience, so anyone slowing down the game is complained about excessively. As for numbers it is increasing but private course and costs are the main growth stoppers.It is a sport that is seen as an elites sport and for snobs, though not the case. Great reportage!

Thanks for this video Eric. My wife is German and she keeps telling that I need a license to play golf and it baffles me. Now I have any idea of what I need to do to golf in Germany. Thank you.

This is nuts, i live about 15 minutes from that Top Golf. Been there the first time 3 months ago, have since started getting coaching and my Platzreife. Tons of younger people joining country clubs because of Top Golf, it literally creates a new hype in our region. Insane.

Another great video Erik. I love learning about different cultures. I think anybody that has played behind a group that doesn't know or ignores golf etiquette would favour a license requirement. I also like how the Scots will kick you off the golf course if you can't get around in 3 hours.

The shots of the architect look great

I can certainly vouch for the accurate description of Arizona golf!

First 18 hole club in US is a course is Downers Grove, IL. It's the initial Chicago Club. Original 5 of the USGA course. Home of the out of bounds rule, because a farmer would take pot-shots at the golfers. The new club is very private, but the original location is with most holes the same, public and lovely.

Been waiting for this one!! It’s my home course Erik is playing at (GSV) and unfortunately I missed the RGC Team as I was on vacation! Saw his Instagram story and thought, I know this one haha. Hope you enjoyed it! :)

Im an aircraft mechanic. I just want to say that I love seeing those guys working behind you in the opening shots of you in the United hangar. I've been working when people came in for photos/videos and just working around them. It's so funny for me to see this because when I'm working its like "omg get tf out of my way I'm trying to do stuff here" but to see it in a video it looks so authentic and natural. Just so funny to see the other perspective for once. Anyway great video keep it up!

Ohh man, did you guys get a few new cameras? Crisp! Pic quality looks even more amazing!

GREAT EPISODE CHEERS ERIK

see the thing with bar ranges like top golf is that almost everyone is interested and wants to go. they look insane from the outside, especially at night. The idea of drinks food and a small arcade fits most family outtings. They did some covid stuff that was easy when i went once and youre already in your own bay. Heaters, TVS and games, tracking numbers, etc its all very appealing. for a decont golfer its a place to kinda show off and see your numbers if you never get to with equipment.

Love the Tudor GMT Erik. :)

Are you kidding me? :D My first thought when this video started talking about Düsseldorf and Golf courses being unavailable to players without Platzreife was "I have to tell the Story about one of my best friends getting his Platzreife after a year of us playing together on a truely public course in Oberh...!" And then Kevin came around the corner. :D GC Oberhausen's open course really helped him getting an appetite for Golf. Even if it's a rather short course it helped him to get to know the ins and outs of Golf and let us already start playing together before he got the Platzreife. After a summer without a license he got one in not even a day (basically just taking the theoretical test). Even though we didn't choose GCO as our home club, we still like to go there once in a while. All around very nice, casual club.

I am college student studying abroad in Frankfurt and this could not be a more perfect video. Only wish it came out a couple months ago

Hi Erik, Nice Vid ! Come to Belgium and you'd be amazed of the tests to be done prior to your first game on the course. First of all you need to be a member of a Golfclub, which will provide you of a Golf Liscense number, offering international insurance and other stuff. Not cheap by the way. You can then start practicing on the range. After that you're obliged to take a few lessons with a pro/teacher, then you need to pass a technical test (stroke, chip, put) taken by the pro/teacher. If you succeed you then have to go for a round on the course under a pro's supervision, who will determine if it is ok to follow the next steps. In the mean time you have to do some studying of the golf rules and pass for a theoretical exam (minimum score to pass the test is 80% on 30 random questions on rules and etiquette), which will allow you to practice on a 9 hole course, only in the golfclub you're playing. Only after 2 extra rounds (1 theorethical and 1 practical on seperate dates) under supervision of some established club members teaching good golf practice and etiquette, you're allowed to do your practical exam, where you need to achieve a minimum stableford score of 14 on the 9 hole course. Now you're ready to start playing at a HCP of about 50... This takes on average for most players about 6 months or more. In theory you could obviously do this in a much shorter time, but as most of us are weekend players.... So if think Germans have heir rules 🙂 Cheers ! Alex

I learned to sail in the UK. Moving back to Germany I quit sailing. Need a licence to sail in Germany. The Platzreife made me take up golf a couple of years later.

Thanks!

Excellent episode, sir! Watching this as an American with French and German heritage, it is amazing how you can portray such diversity with a vibrant optimism and interesting story 👍

MAJOR Anthony Bourdain vibes. Good on you Erik for bringing culture to the forefront of these videos.

I live in Spain, and here you need a license too. It includes insurance so if you hit something or someone you are covered by it. The way I did it was taking some clases with the club pro and he summited the application. Not difficult at all.

Same here. I am German and I play golf for four years now, and it never occurred to me that Platzreife is a thing in Germany (and Austria) only. Dang :-)

Golf Club Ottobeuren close to the Alps also has a public 6 holes!

Here in Sweden golf is big, as said in the video. We have pretty much the same licence requrement as Germany and that doesen't seem to stop us from playing.

Very cool to see Erik here in Germany!! I play here with an older handicap card from the US. But I am not a member anywhere though!! I can only play by paying greenfees no membership.

We have a similar issue in Italy, to play on the course you must take an exam about rules and etiquette, but luckily in Italy all courses are open to public( there’s only one private club in all of Italy)

Hope you can get to Sweden to experience the "Public nature" of golf culture here. We do have similar system in Sweden, most golf courses requires to have a "license" to play. Swedish Golf Association has been working to develop a system that is easier and focusing more on the core competences in Golf rather the all the "know-how" and etiquette that has been required before. I did not know the percentage of golf players in Sweden was that high... :)

Stationed in Germany with the US Army and played all the base courses, but didn’t know Germany required their citizens to have a platzreife. Educational. 👍🏼

Just found your channel, awesome content dude, really love the production. If you’re ever in the UK playing courses and want to go find some fossils, get in touch.

19:26 GREAT VIEW

OMG, I was always thinking when will we finally get a Topgolf in Switzerland… This video just gave me so much hope! YES thanks Eric :)

We call this a GVB in Belgium, as a licence to play. They used to start at 36, now it’s 54. They make special entry comp for ‘rabbits’ up to whcp 36

Moved from Germany to the US in 2015 and started playing golf in 2018. Never played golf in Germany and watching this now I am not surprised. It seems very stuffy compared to the experiences I have had in the US so far.

stay off the nice courses until you know how to play and learn the etiquette. we need a Platzreife in USA!

Another extremely well produced episode!

I am really looking forward to watching an Italian episode

love the video and that golf bag 🔥, is that a RGC one or what’s the brand ?

😮 I’m 2yrs older than Eric?!? Love this show.

This episode gave me chills at the end. Bravo!

What a great episode. I think it is a very good idea. During COVID lockdown, here in Australia, golf was one of the few sports we could play. The course was packed with exceptionally slow players with no idea of etiquette. Upside? Found heaps of brand new balls every round😜

It's the same in Denmark where I played for many years. They don't want you to hack up the courses and have some knowledge of etiquette and playing ability. So basically everywhere in Europe, excluding GB & I, where golf and par 3/pitch and put are as common as muck :)

I couldn't take my eyes off the protruding dimples on those oversized golf balls around the 19:00 mark 😅

I like the idea. There would be lots of people around my area that would fail.

Its similar to the system here in Italy. You need to go through a Rules course (and pass an exam), then a Pro needs to check you out and declare that you are fit to go onto a golf course.

The light in germany is so different, compared to the us. Definetly not cinematic. Still great video ;)

Big thing the topgolf guys didnt mention is that Oberhausen has become a city basically only known for the the "centro" a huge shopping mall everything in Oberhausen revolves around, including things like cinema and other events (like topgolf). Go shopping and afterwards some golf. Hope it works.

Great video again! As a German golfer I really like your p.o.v. and your open mind....

Same in Austria… however when I moved over from the UK and joined a club, they saw I could play and just gave it to me 😅