As the spotlight on Paige Spiranac has grown over the past few years, the popular golf influencer has been forced to deal with increasing negativity, including several instances of body-shaming.
But the blonde bombshell has a strategy for dealing with the trolls of the Internet, even if it can weigh on her sometimes.
During an appearance on the Spittin’ Chiclets’ Sandbagger Scramble, Spiranac shared how she chooses to deal with comments about herself and her appearance.
Speaking with former NHLers Paul Bissonnette, Ryan Whitney and Keith Yandle, Spiranc was asked by ‘BizNasty’ how she deals with the “negativity” that comes her way.
“I used to really, really care,” she said. “But if you get called a s*** once, it doesn’t matter if you hear it a million times after that. It’s fine.”
So, what does Spiranac do to counteract the hate?
“I try to make it fun,” she said.
During the Masters earlier this year, Spiranac went viral for her response to a comment about her looks.
“Controversial take, but I like when women are kind of fat like this,” a user wrote in a reply to one of the influencer’s social media posts.
Instead of letting it bring her down or ignoring it, Spiranac took a playful, sarcastic route, replying: “I’ll keep snacking on those peach ice cream sandwiches then.”
Not always jokes
It’s not always jokes from the former college golf champion, however. After seeing comments on a video she shared of herself swinging a golf club from behind that said she was “chunky,” “letting herself go” and “getting older,” Spiranac took to her Instagram Stories to respond.
“I feel that I am happy, I’m healthy, and I look fine,” the 32-year-old wrote. “Just because I have a little bit of cellulite, it shouldn’t warrant these types of comments.”
Last month, Spiranac revealed that she was overwhelmed by the hate she received following one controversial mistake during the Internet Invitational golf tournament that led to “tens of thousands of death threats.” The cheating controversy eventually ended up amounting to nothing.
“The last week and a half is probably the worst hate I’ve ever received in the ten years of me doing this,” Spiranac said during a Q and A session on Instagram Live. “I’m talking tens of thousands of death threats, people telling me to kill myself, the most vile, horrendous stuff you could ever say to an individual, that’s been in my DMs to the point where we were discussing me having to potentially get a restraining order.
“I mean, it’s serious stuff. It’s not easy, and it hasn’t been easy.”
Barstool Internet Invitational controversy
The controversy occurred during the final round of the made-for-streaming event, when Spiranac was accused of cheating after English pro golfer and YouTuber Peter Finch noticed her trampling down some grass in front of a ball in the rough. Doing so improved the lie for teammate Togisala.
After Togisala played an incredible escape, Portnoy asked if “Paige put that on a tee” for him.
“That lie in the rough there, it was s***. Paige has gone ahead to the ball and literally pressed down all the long in front so he could hit it out,” Finch said, with a clip showing Spiranac appearing to bend over and press down the long grass with her hands.
“There’s no way he could have hit that shot without that.”
Finch discussed it with a playing partner and decided to wait to see how the hole played out before bringing up the violation.
Spiranac’s team wound up losing the hole, making it a non-issue, but she was given a heads up from Finch.