With more than 11.6 million followers across her social media platforms, Paige Spiranac rose to relevance through her unapologetic presence in a traditionally conservative sport. But with that visibility came misunderstandings, especially as she evolved into more than just an internet personality – someone with bills to pay and statements to make.

“For so many years, I’ve just felt very deeply misunderstood. I spent so much of my time online defending myself or trying to talk about my character or my morals. I realized that I’ve put such a wall up because of the criticism that it’s easier to just almost remove parts of myself that feel very genuine,” she said in a conversation with Golf Monthly.

“It was very empowering for me to take control over my image and my body because it can be quite exhausting for people to judge you based on the way that you were shaped,” she added. “I can’t help these certain attributes of myself. And it made me almost feel dirty or ashamed of my skin and the body that I was in.”

As she herself has admitted, Paige Spiranac intentionally created the playful and audacious online persona. It resulted from the harsh reality of navigating life as a struggling professional without financial support rather than a need to shock. But now she wants to regain authority and deprive critics of their keyboard influence.

“I was in a position of necessity. I was a young woman in a male-dominated industry with no power, no say, and needing to make money. I just decided I was going to run with this and see what would happen,” she remarked.

“I’m getting outside of my comfort zone, tearing those walls down and being a more authentic version of myself – the businesswoman, the daughter, the person who is emotional and flawed. I’m moving toward not being one-dimensional, but showing everything I have to offer as a human,” she concluded.

About a month ago, the 33-year-old former golfer provided a little more insight into the misunderstandings through an Instagram Q&A with her four million followers. And that admission came with the accountability that often leads to evolution. 

“This year it’s more about showing and less explaining or trying to defend myself and just being who I am,” Spiranac said.

Instead of dwelling on the online talks, Paige Spiranac found success through Paige Co., her new content-centric venture. She even got on board as an on-course commentator for the 2025 Creator Classic through a partnership with Chad Mumm and the Pro Shop. But even that wasn’t a road without thorns. 

Paige Spiranac weighs in on the struggles of building a brand

Spiranac has been debating in favor of feminism for ages. And according to her, true feminism means allowing women to express themselves and do whatever they feel most comfortable with. To push her thoughts further, she has been offering advice to rising influencers. But when it comes to building a brand as a misunderstood feminist, there are certainly a few setbacks she needed to overcome. 

“There are setbacks to the brand I’ve built and how people view you,” Spiranac revealed. “There are pros and cons to building a brand and looking the way that I do. You can just never win, and you just have to pick where you feel most comfortable.”

But we can’t disagree on the fact that Paige Spiranac is among the select few who helped the golf community rise in numbers. Now, through Paige Co., Spiranac plans on further increasing those numbers by creating new shows and branded products. Of course, she has to focus on the content, while Pro Shop will deal with the market. 

With a newfound personality, Spiranac is leading golf forward, regardless of what people think of her content.