Philipp Lahm's passion for golf: humility, concentration and experiencing nature

It may come as a surprise to many that a former professional footballer like Philipp Lahm has found his second sporting home in golf. But for him, golf is far more than just a hobby; it is a source of calm, concentration and humility.

Lahm describes the essential values that he experiences again and again on the golf course: "Humility is the concept you have to have on the golf course." He knows the feeling when a day goes perfectly and you think you have mastered the game, only to be disillusioned the next day and realize that the "golf god" has struck again. This constant up and down teaches him to always go home with humility and to recognize how much work still lies ahead of him.

Philipp Lahm on golf: "Humility is the name of the game"

Another important aspect that Lahm appreciates about golf is the concentration and focus on the moment. In a world full of distractions, especially social media, the golf course offers a space in which you have to concentrate completely on the here and now. "I think this focus, this concentration on the moment is good, even for children," explains Lahm.

The peace and quiet and the experience of nature on the golf course are also of great importance to the captain of the 2014 world champion team. He started playing golf during his active career in order to enjoy this time out. He loves playing with his father, father-in-law and friends, but also appreciates the moments of silence when he can be completely with himself as he makes his way along the Fairway towards the green.

Philipp Lahm's golf handicap

Despite his busy schedule as the organizer of the 2024 European Championships, which caused golf to take a back seat last year, Lahm now plays golf once a week again and wants to train hard over the winter to improve his current handicap of 11 ("I can almost play that at the moment."). His preference is to play on the course rather than on the driving range. For him, the beauty of golf is that it brings people of different skill levels together and you can have a great time together.

He almost had his dream flight once in St. Andrews with Thomas Müller, Claudio Pizarro and Felix Neureuther - a "fun, entertaining, sporty round". If he could choose a professional golfer for a round, he would bring Bubba Watson into his flight and act as his caddy if in doubt.

The Philipp Lahm Foundation for Sport and Education: an affair of the heart

Philipp Lahm's commitment to golf may run deep, but his greatest passion is for the Philipp Lahm Foundation for Sport and Education, which he set up in 2007. This initiative stemmed from Lahm's own childhood experience in a sports club, where he not only experienced exercise, but also community and cohesion. A visit to South Africa in the year his foundation was established, where he saw many disadvantaged children who nevertheless had great potential, strengthened his resolve.

The foundation focuses on teaching children and young people skills in the areas of exercise, nutrition and personal development. These pillars reflect Lahm's own character and are intended to empower children to discover their own abilities and step confidently into life.

Specific projects of the foundation include the Philipp Lahm summer camp and the school tour in Germany, with projects in South Africa also being supported. The partnership with BMW and "Eagles for Education" is of immense importance to the foundation. At the BMW International Open 2025 at the beginning of July, €1,000 was donated to Lahm's foundation for every Eagle played. The 73,000 euros collected will be used specifically to further develop the summer camps and enable disadvantaged children to take part. These one-week camps for children between the ages of nine and twelve offer a pedagogically supervised environment near Munich, where children learn through play how to try things out and be part of a community.

Popular sport for personality development

Lahm emphasizes the enormous importance of sport for the development of young people. Through sport, he has learned what it means to belong, to help shape things and to deal with strengths and weaknesses. Values such as fair play and respect for teammates, coaches, opponents and referees were taught to him through play. For him, sport is not only healthy, but above all a source of cohesion and community - aspects that he still experiences today as co-coach of his son's team at FT Gern in Munich. Popular and amateur sport, says Lahm, is something "wonderfully beautiful" that goes beyond pure competitive sport.

Although golf has not yet been offered directly at the foundation's summer camps, Lahm is open to the future: "It's worth considering for the future." After all, the most important thing is that children are allowed to try things out and discover their own passions.