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Paige Spiranac is one of the biggest stars in the world of golf today.
But Spiranac isn’t a golfer. At least, not professional.
The 30-year-old superstar played her college golf at San Diego State University. She helped lead the Aztecs to their first ever Mountain West Conference title. But she gave up her dreams of playing professional golf when the physical and mental grind just became too much to bear.
Since then, Spiranac’s career has exploded as the “OG golf girl.” She has over 3.7 million followers on Instagram and even launched her own platform, OnlyPaige.
Spiranac recently sat down Allison Glock of Golf Digest to discuss the wild ride that led to her becoming an unconventional star in the game of golf.
“I created this alter ego where I show the most silly, exaggerated version of myself,” Spiranac told Glock. “…“I’m always skirting the line of being overexposed and chronically online. It’s a tightrope act.”
But not everybody loves Spiranac. Some around both the game of golf and other women’s sports believe she’s setting both the sport and women in it back.
Though Spiranac says the issue lies with them, not her.
“What I produce is not that provocative,” she said in the interview. “If my body makes someone uncomfortable, that’s not my problem. I’m not doing anything illegal. I’m not causing harm.”
She went on to say that it’s women, not men, who are the most critical of her way of doing things.
““Maybe it is because I come off as every guy’s fantasy—a girl that loves golf and wears a bikini—but I see myself as a girl’s girl. I’m coming from an authentic place,” Spiranac said.
One thing is certain, her way certainly works. Spiranac has laid the groundwork for other female influencers in golf and elsewhere. And she doesn’t appear to being going away soon.