“You do not want to disappoint her” – Paige Spiranac opens up on her mom almost banning her from golf for cheating
Paige Spiranac quit professional golf early in her career. Having emerged as a prominent golfer during her early days, Spiranac decided to hang up her boots from competitive golf due to the pressure. However, she did have a good run in her time and this led to her having some interesting stories to tell.
Spiranac is currently one of the most followed personalities in the golf world. She is better known as a social media sensation than a former golfer. Despite being a non-professional, she remains one of the biggest voices in the sport thanks to her Playing A Round podcast.
Paige Spiranac often shares her personal stories along with opinions on her podcast. She often talks about her own career when speaking about others as well. Recently, in one such incident, Spiranac revealed that she once cheated during a golf match, which led to her mother's being angry at her.
The golfer-turned-influencer discussed the controversy surrounding Patrick Reed at the Farmers Insurance Open in 2021 on her podcast. Spiranac shed light on the backstory of Reed's being cleared of any wrongdoing in the incident. Speaking about the controversy that sparked a big debate, Spiranac said that she also bent the rules herself in her playing days.
Spiranac, who was a star on the amateur circuit from a young age, said that she once cheated while on the pitch. The Ladies European Tour winner said that she cheated by replacing the ball while in the water and taking advantage of the same. However, she added that her mother threatened to ban her from playing golf if she ever cheated again. Spiranac said that she never attempted any foul play on the pitch due to fear of her mother.
Opening up about her cheating incident, Paige Spiranac said:
"I cheated myself once, and I learned my lesson the very hard way. It was one of my very first tournaments, I ended up hitting a ball in the water but I was on a very steep slope. I just ended up dropping another ball and saying I found it… I played it off and my mom, who packed my golf bag the night before, said 'hey you started the round with six balls how do you only have five?'”
Spiranac then went on to add that she "learned her lesson" by realizing how angry her mother had become to learn about the foul.
She added:
“She (mother) is one of the sweetest ladies ever but she is scary, you do not want to disappoint her. She just gave me this look and she said 'if you ever do that again, if I ever catch you cheating, you will never play golf ever again.' I was like 'OK' and I learned my lesson."
Why did Paige Spiranac quit golf?
Paige Spiranac is just 29 and seems fit to play professionally. However, the Colorado native has established herself as an influencer. Spiranac, who makes golf-based content online, recently shed light on her decision to quit the sport while answering questions in a Q&A session.
The ex-golfer turned social media star said that she quit due to the pressure of the game. According to Spiranac, talent was never the question but her mental health. She said that the pressure was "too much" for her and she struggled on the pitch due to it.
“For me, it was never physical ability. It was always mental… I think it has gone better now that I just play it for fun. ... That’s why my game is even better than when I was playing pro."
Paige Spiranac stated that she continues to play golf on a regular basis. The influencer said that she was happy playing golf for fun and not in competition.