Golf has taken strides over the last decade to become more inclusive, but it’s not perfect.
Far from it.
It’s expensive, it’s ritzy and although we don’t like to talk about, many within the game are closed minded.
Social media and content creation have become incredible vehicles for individuals to plant their flag in the game’s ecosystem, allowing amateurs worldwide to see people like them play and engage with the sport they love.
Although it’s trending in the right direction, women still face unique boundaries and roadblocks.
Paige Spiranac is paving roads for other women to follow. She too faced barriers early in her career but has learned to tune out the noise.
“I am at the point in my life where I can either just brush off naysayers or even challenge them and prove them wrong,” Spiranac told Golfweek, “which I am not afraid to do.”
She was one of the first viral golf content creators, jumping at the opportunity to make a name for herself.
“There are so many talented golf creators out there, so you need to find ways to stand out,” she said. “Luckily, I feel that I was ahead of the curve and early to the golf content space before many others, so I was able to establish an incredible audience and fanbase over the past few years.”
Spiranac’s audience is substantial, and that might be underselling it.
The 30-year-old has accumulated 3.7 million followers on Instagram, 1.4 million on TikTok, more than 870,000 on Twitter and about 324,000 subscribers on YouTube.
The largest hurdle for many is getting started. Confidence in yourself is difficult to come by, especially when it means putting your life on the internet.
According to Spiranac, it all comes down to commitment.
“Trust your gut and don’t let others get to you! If you’re like me and can play at a high level, then you should 100 percent take advantage of that and make a name for yourself,” she said.
Prior to her influencer fame, Spiranac played college golf at the University of Arizona before transferring to San Diego State after her freshman year. She made a few starts on the Cactus Tour in Arizona but was never able to make it to the LPGA.
Judging by the aforementioned numbers, it all worked out.
Spiranac recently entered a new realm of golf, hosting PointsBet’s new golf show, “The Approach.”
“Any time I get the opportunity to do what I love and talk about golf, it’s a win,” she said. “Now to do it with some of the best co-hosts around? It’s a dream come true.”
The show comes out every Wednesday.
As for a final destination, Spiranac says her ultimate career goal is a moving target.
“It’s changed several times throughout my career and will probably continue to change as I grow and learn,” she said. “Right now my ultimate goal is to continue to be one of the leading voices in golf media while showing the world that golf can be fun and inclusive.
“It’s also important to me to break down the social construct surrounding women and their bodies. ”
[mm-video type=playlist id=01es6rjnsp3c84zkm6 player_id=01evcfxp4q8949fs1e image=]