"It’s such a male-dominated sport": When Paige Spiranac expressed her wish to 'change' golf
Paige Spiranac is one of the most followed personalities in the golf world right now, with the former pro-golfer turned influencer becoming a social media sensation. The American social media personality's large fan following has lent her a strong voice in the sport, despite being a non-professional.
Spiranac is rather vocal when it comes to her opinions and has plenty to say. The influencer, who addresses various issues in her videos, spoke up about the discrimination of women in the sports world. In the past, she has referred to golf as being a ‘male-dominated sport’ while expressing her desire to create a change.
Dumb sports rules….GO! https://t.co/GlVKm6jjzw
Paige Spiranac has been on the receiving end of cyberbullying for a fairly long period of time, even being targeted for her clothing style. One such incident occurred during the Dubai Desert Classic event in 2018, where Spiranac was hired to be the tournament starter. She was the first woman to take the microphone in place of a man, receiving criticism from many for the same. However, Spiranac faced it head-on.
The former athlete slammed all the criticism she received and said that she was ready to change the sport in favor of women. Paige Spiranac stated that people only had a problem with it because she was a woman. The influencer slammed the sports’ cultural setting and accused the top brass of being ‘non progressive’.
Speaking in an interview with The Guardian after the event, Paige Spiranac said:
“When it comes to the golf industry, I know that people see me as a gimmick. I don’t think I am. If I was a guy and I had the same social following, I don’t think people would call it a gimmick. They’d say it was great… People seem to think I got where I am because of the clothes that I wear. That’s unfair to me and unfair to all of my accomplishments… For people to say: ‘You only show some cleavage, that’s why you have what you have,’ is unfair. That’s the injustice that we face every day as women, and I see it a lot in golf.”
Paige Spiranac wants golf to 'become more progressive, more inclusive'
Paige Spiranac spoke about how she was “harassed” for her choice of clothing at various events. The then 24-year-old went on to slam her critics and stated that she was trying to change the scenario for both herself and other female golfers. Detailing her experiences, she said:
“I was harassed, I was receiving death threats, people were invading my privacy, I was being blackmailed… Because I look different to a golfer, maybe? I dress differently, I don’t conform to what golf is supposed to be. I love golf, I think it is a great game, but I think there are a lot of things that need to change. I think it needs to become more progressive, more inclusive.”
Addressing the topic of progression within the sport, Spiranac stated:
“I am just trying to get people to feel more comfortable because I know I’m not alone feeling that way. That’s why people are not getting into golf… The people who are saying golf is progressive, if you look at them, they all look the same. They are all middle-aged men. They obviously feel accepted. When you go to a golf course and look around, you see a bunch of guys, everyone looks like you, so you are going to feel great. If you are walking in as a woman, you don’t feel the same… It’s such a male-dominated sport, it has been around for so long and there are traditions.”
Paige Spiranac continues to share her opinions and thoughts through her Instagram handle that currently boasts over 3.6 million followers. The content creator is also an ambassador for an anti-bullying charity. She remains vocal about issues faced by female golfers and often brings up relevant issues on her podcast.