Paige Spiranac on Why She Stopped Caring About Golf Attire Criticism
Much has been made about the fashion choices of former professional golfer and social media influencer Paige Spiranac. The 30-year-old has not been shy when discussing the backlash her athleisure outfits have gotten her on the links, and this week she recalled what led her to reach her breaking point with the criticism.
Spiranac opened up about the challenging transition from gymnast to professional golfer this week while appearing on the Twin Talk podcast hosted by twin influencers and former women's college basketball players, Haley and Hanna Cavinder.
"When I first started doing this I wanted to be taken seriously as a professional golfer, and no matter what I did or what I posted, I'd get hate," she recalled. "And there was one time where I wore a full turtleneck, leggings, I was completely covered from head to toe, and people were upset with my outfit."
"And I was like, 'OK well clearly, no matter what I wear or what I do, people are going to be upset about it,'" Spiranac explained. "So, I might as well wear what I want and live the life that I want to live, and I have always dressed a very certain way and I think it comes from my gymnastics background of being very comfortable in literally almost nothing."
Spiranac noted that as a gymnast, "you're wearing a leotard and that's pretty much it," which is why she's always felt comfortable and confident in form fitting clothes.
"And so, when that happened, I just said, ‘OK, well I’m just going to do what I want to do, and I’m going wear what I want to wear, and if people like it, great and if they dislike it, OK great,'" she added. "You can't control what other people say or the judgement that they have because they just see such a small little portion of your life."
Spiranac said at the end of the day, people should follow the lesson we all learned as children, which is not to judge a book by its cover. "That was one of the core values that was instilled in all of us, and so I always try to almost push the limits to show people, yes, I can wear this, I can also he successful, I can also be a badass at golf; I can be all these things and it does not matter just because I have boobs."
Although Spiranac, who played Division 1 college golf at both the University of Arizona and San Diego State University, has since stopped playing professionally, she still spends a lot of time on the course as an instructor and golf influencer. There, she continues to dress however she pleases, haters be damned.