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Next summer, the Estonian Golf Association will host the Infortar Estonian Challenge at the Estonian Golf & Country Club in Jõelähtme, as part of the European professional golf series, the HotelPlanner Tour. The tournament boasts a record-breaking prize fund of €300,000 – the largest in Estonian sporting history – with the winner taking home a €48,000 cheque.
According to Ain Hanschmidt, President of the Estonian Golf Association, bringing a professional tournament to Estonia marks a significant milestone in the development of golf in the country.
“For Estonian national golfers, it opens a window into the professional world; for golf fans, it’s a chance to experience top-level golf first-hand; and for Estonian sport as a whole, it adds another prestigious international event alongside WRC Delfi Rally Estonia, the Swedbank Tallinn Marathon, and Ironman – helping raise the profile of our country and our players,” Hanschmidt noted.
Sam Townend, Chief Executive of the HotelPlanner Tour, added:
“Estonia will become the 52nd country to host a stage of the HotelPlanner Tour and the first new country since 2020. We expect 156 top-class players from across the globe – including rising stars and golfers who have already earned millions over their careers.”
The Estonian Golf Association has signed a three-year hosting agreement with the European Tour Group, with the total cost of organising the three stages exceeding €1.5 million. The main sponsor of the event is Infortar, one of the largest companies in the region, supported by the national golf team’s sponsor club, which includes 30 companies and private members.
The inaugural Infortar Estonian Challenge will take place from 30 July to 2 August at the Sea Course of the Estonian Golf & Country Club – one of the most renowned courses in the Baltic region.
Hanno Kross, CEO of the Estonian Golf & Country Club, emphasised that it’s no coincidence the professional tournament will be held in Jõelähtme for the next two years:
“Since our founding 20 years ago, we have worked closely with the European Tour to bring world-class expertise to Estonia in both golf development and course management. Hosting top-level tournaments has always been central to our strategy – we have already hosted seven European Championships at our Sea Course. It’s a great honour that the European Tour and the Estonian Golf Association have chosen us from among all Estonian courses to provide professionals with a beautiful yet challenging venue,” said Kross.
The event also grants the Estonian Golf Association 50 playing invitations, which can be exchanged with other tournament organisers. This gives Estonian golfers an opportunity to begin their professional journeys at the second tier of European professional golf.
The HotelPlanner Tour – formerly known as the Challenge Tour – is Europe’s second-tier professional golf series, established in 1989. It has served as a launchpad for golfers aspiring to reach the world’s elite: the top 20 players each season advance to the DP World Tour (formerly the European Tour).
To date, 231 former HotelPlanner Tour players have won 618 tournaments on the DP World Tour. The 2026 HotelPlanner Tour season will begin in January in South Africa and conclude with the Grand Final in Mallorca, featuring up to 30 tournaments across 20 or more countries in Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa.
Over the years, the Tour has produced eight major champions – Michael Campbell, Trevor Immelman, Louis Oosthuizen, Martin Kaymer, Henrik Stenson, Justin Rose, Brooks Koepka, and Matt Fitzpatrick. In 2011, Martin Kaymer became the first Tour graduate to reach the world number one ranking.
In total, 35 former HotelPlanner Tour players have represented their teams in the Ryder Cup, including six members of the victorious European team who began their professional journeys on the Tour.
