Golfer Laura Fünfstück: Her path from Frankfurt to the top of the world

Laura Fünfstück, one of Germany's best female golfers, already had the right swing at the age of three. When her parents gave the little girl plastic clubs, it clicked instantly. That was the beginning of a career that took her from Langen to the world. She now lives in London. She is currently visiting her family and her local golf club, Neuhof in Dreieich. Top Magazine took the opportunity to talk to the 30-year-old about why this sport has become so addictive. She shares her fascination with around 700,000 active golfers in Germany.

We meet Laura in the clubhouse. It's a good moment. She showed what she's capable of at the start of the Ladies European Tour (LET). Finishing sixth in Cape Town. at the South Africa Women's Open was a statement. "A back injury stopped me in 2022," she says. The next two years didn't go well either. That seems far behind her. She's confident.

"I'm only halfway through my career. If I can't make any more progress, I'll stop." – Laura Fünfstück

She's made some changes to her swing technique and can now generate real power in her shots again. "I'm only halfway through my career," says the Hesse native, who appears relaxed despite her ambition. Golf is one of the most difficult sports in the world. Now she wants to take things to the next level. "If I can't progress any further, I'll quit."

Mental strength as the key to success in golf

Working on your game is part of everyday life, even for amateur golfers. Yet there are days, weeks, and months when almost nothing goes right. Yet there are many ways to take your game to a new level – like analyzing your round with golf tracking devices. A small recording device is attached to the club, and the receiver is attached to the belt. GPS technology, a compass, and an accelerometer store data that can be accessed at any time.

"You can do everything ultra-technically these days," explains Laura Fünfstück. "You get a wealth of information about your forward, backward, or sideways spin. About your clubhead speed. Your club grip and angles. About height and curves. And about distance."

Above all, she says, it's important to stay focused. Mental strength has a significant impact on your score and is crucial for a good result. But that's easier said than done. "You can't force anything. Let it come to you," advises the top golfer, who is currently ranked among the top 50 in Europe. Of course, you should still push yourself in certain situations. "Building up pressure can be very helpful when you're chasing after a round," Laura is convinced.

The unpredictable fascination of golf

When playing golf, many things have to be considered and weighed up. Even the external conditions contribute to this. Today it rains, tomorrow the sun shines. Here the grass is cut low, there it's tall. Sometimes the wind shifts, sometimes there's no wind.

There are tee shots, approach shots, and the final putt. Sometimes this works, sometimes that, but almost never all at once. While golfers' stories certainly tell of successes and progress, they mostly describe tragedies that have once again occurred on the course. These often leave players stunned and haunt them even in their sleep.

"Even a bad day on the course is magical! There are one or two shots that keep you hopeful and ready to play again." – Laura Fünfstück

The whole thing is a drama. And yet, very few people lose faith that they'll ever achieve their dream round. A typical example is the statement of a beginner who discovered his passion late in life. On a chat platform, he explains his recurring despair at how he, an otherwise good athlete, could be so stupid. "But even a bad day on the course is magical! There are one or two shots that keep your hope alive and make you ready to play again."

Laura Fünfstück: From talent in Langen to college legend in the USA

Of course, it's an advantage if, like Laura Fünfstück, you've already begun learning this special science of golf as a child. "I also played basketball during school," she reveals. "For a while, I actually found it more exciting. But I quickly reached my limits. I wasn't the fastest. And I wasn't the best scorer either." Her immense talent for golf, however, was evident from the start. And it was reflected in early tournament successes. Soon, experts abroad also began to take notice. In 2013, at the age of 18, she won the French International Lady Juniors Amateur Championship. .

Formative years at the College of Charleston

When she wanted to study in the United States after graduating from high school, the college in Charleston, South Carolina, successfully recruited her. "I joined a really nice team with a very good coach, with whom I'm still in contact today," she reports. "Charleston is cozy and manageable, with a real city center, old mansions, and famous avenues." And yet it's open and liberal, unlike many other corners of the conservative southern United States. Laura Fünfstück had an exciting time there between 2013 and 2017. "I also developed personally."

Discipline as the foundation for a professional career

Nothing was given to her for free. "The stay involved a lot of hard work," she summarizes. "We trained every day. You were only allowed to miss two classes per semester. And even then, only with a plausible excuse." She still holds the college record for most golf tournament wins. She also completed a bachelor's degree in finance. "I felt at that time that I had the discipline needed for a professional career."

"I've never regretted becoming a professional. Even though I've had to go through some deep valleys." – Laura Fünfstück

In 2018, golf became Laura's career. "I've never regretted that decision, even though I've had some rough patches." Her year as a rookie was promising. But success isn't predictable in this sport. By 2025, everything seems to be on track. The biodynamic transformation of her game has brought a lot of benefits.

Hometown connection: Why Frankfurt always plays a role for Laura Fünfstück

The team around her works well. And things are going well in her private life, too. She lives in London with her English wife, Rosie Davis, in the trendy district of Wandsworth. The two met several years ago on the Ladies European Tour. "This year, for the first time ever, we're competing in the same category, so we can travel together." She feels at home on the island and now speaks English with a British rather than an American accent.

The LET Tour travels across all continents. Occasionally, Laura feels homesick. She loves Frankfurt, she admits, because it's both big and small. Friends who visit her are impressed by Mainhattan and are amazed at the low prices – "even for a Riesling on the terrace of the Kleinmarkthalle." On short breaks at home, "usually four times a year," she likes to play a round with her father at GC Neuhof. To keep things exciting, he gets a head start. "He'll be pretty hard to beat then. He's a gambler."

The development of golf in Germany

She thinks it's a shame that golf still hasn't received the recognition it deserves in Germany. The game is much more popular in Great Britain and North America. "In Florida, almost everyone has held a golf club at some point." While there are also very traditional and elite clubs in Anglo-Saxon countries with the motto "no dogs and women allowed," she says, interest is high everywhere, and top players are celebrated in the media. " Bernhard Langer , who just retired, is a superstar in the USA."

However, a lot is changing in golf in Germany, observes the likeable, unassuming competitive athlete. Clubs are making intensive efforts to attract new members. There are trial courses, six-month memberships, training groups for beginners, and family programs. At a driving range in Oberhausen, you can bring your whole family and "hit the balls" for a few hours without your own equipment. The number of golfers is increasing.

The German professional golfers particularly benefited from the sensational silver medal , which Esther Henseleit won last year at the Olympic Games in Paris. "Curiosity about what we women do on the tour is growing."

Improved conditions on the Ladies European Tour

Conditions for women have recently improved significantly worldwide. The minimum prize money on the European Ladies Tour is €300,000. The money is distributed among the top 60 players. "In the past, it was often only €90,000 for 130 entrants." That was too little, the golfer criticizes. Even today, the financial rewards on the LET only become more attractive starting at 40th place. "It's really fun when you're among the top ten."

Social commitment for the Frankfurt Children's Aid Foundation

Laura Fünfstück knows that her life in the golf circus is nevertheless comparatively privileged. She is socially committed and has been supporting the Frankfurt Children's Aid Foundation since last year. During the tour season, she donates two euros for every birdie (one stroke under par). She also donates a sum for every eagle (two under par). Even on bad days, she says, this is an incentive to at least "get a few birdies for the kids." Together with what a group of donors contributed, a considerable sum was raised in 2024 (see info box).

Technology, training and a look into the future

As a teenager, she actually hit a hole-in-one twice – meaning she hit it straight into the hole with her tee shot. Then never again. The first time it happened was on hole 13 at Neuhof. "I hit the ball just thin and was already turning away. I didn't even notice it went straight in," she laughs. The second time was a special moment: At the 2012 German Youth Championships in Castrop-Rauxel, the direct hit helped her finish third. "That was my first medal at the national level."

Now it's time for her to introduce us to her home ground. She's sitting at the wheel of a golf cart, in high spirits, showing off the well-maintained, spring-green 18-hole course. In the afternoon light, the beautiful grounds adjacent to the former estate of the Counts of Ysenburg come into their own.

It was here that she discovered her passion for this very special game. The terrain of GC Neuhof – just a few kilometers from her parents' house – is reminiscent of an English park. "I can understand anyone who wants to unwind in this landscape." Being in the fresh air, not looking at their phone, and at most challenging themselves is like a rejuvenating treatment for some. However, she herself preferred to compete with others from the very beginning. "There are simply so many ways to be happy here."

"Putting is by no means as easy as it looks. Of the 72 strokes per round, half are putts." – Laura Fünfstück

Gymnastics before teeing off

When she tries to show us how to putt on the green at hole 18, the ball misses its target by a few centimeters the first time. She smiles, slightly pained. "Putting is by no means as easy as it looks," she comments. Being confident here helps enormously. "Of the 72 strokes per round, half are putts." The basic rule is "eye over the ball, centered balance, and pace control."

Then we move to the driving range. Beforehand, Laura does a bit of gymnastics. "You should stretch your muscles before the first tee shot so you don't pull any muscles." Then she hits the balls so hard and hits them so high and far that the untrained eye has trouble following. She explains that every change in stroke technique affects the entire game. "It is and remains complicated."

What she wants to do after golf? She doesn't know yet, she says. Perhaps a 9-to-5 job. "There's still time until then." She likes the idea of ​​working in a stable and reliable environment.

Then she remembers how many nice and interesting people she's met through golf. "I would miss that." She can't imagine continuing as a recreational golfer after her career ends. "It's not a good feeling when you're far removed from your previous abilities and old standards."

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