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VW guy here:
There's are a few things it could be, and they are mostly easy to fix, and cheap, too. I would not suspect the steering damper to be the problem, however.
Here's how I diagnose VW front suspensions with lots of play in them:
1) Get the car up on j-stands.
2) While laying under the car on your back, have someone else grab the offending tire at the 9-3 position and slowly move it, such that the steering wheel moves left then right then left.
3) Observe.
4) if you can't see anything, try resting the tire on ramps instead of jack stands, while you are under the car have someone turn the steering wheel 90 left and 90 degrees right.
The outer tie rod end is a possible culprit, but I'd look at the pitman arm where it attaches to the steering box, they often loosen up. The steering coupler needs to be checked, same with the steering box itself. Ocasionally the trailing arm attachment (grub screws) loosen, and the entire trailing arm wobbles.
Contact the guys at Wolfsburg International (Steve Phillips, Redding, CA) for all your front end parts. The last time I checked, they had an exchange program for new ball joints pressed into core trailing arms
Good luck
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