Paige Spiranac, one of golf’s most prominent social media voices with over 4 million Instagram followers, laid bare the scars of her past in a raw and introspective post this week, reigniting conversations about mental health in sports. The 32-year-old former collegiate golfer turned influencer revisited the heartbreak of abandoning her professional golf aspirations, admitting, “I felt like a loser” when she stepped away from the game that once defined her.
In a candid Instagram caption that struck a chord with fans and athletes alike, Spiranac reflected on her complex relationship with golf, which she described as both a passion and a source of pain. “Walking away from my dream of going pro was gut-wrenching,” she wrote, paraphrasing her journey of grappling with self-doubt and external pressures. “The game I loved made me feel so small at times, like I’d never measure up.” The post, accompanied by a photo of her on a sunlit fairway, wasn’t just a nostalgic look back—it was a call to prioritize mental health in the high-stakes world of competitive sports.
Spiranac, who played Division I golf at San Diego State University, has long been open about the toll of chasing a pro career. The relentless grind, coupled with scrutiny over her appearance and unconventional path, led to burnout by her mid-20s. “I poured everything into it, and when it didn’t happen, I carried that failure like a weight,” she shared, echoing sentiments from her 2023 podcast, Playing a Round, where she first detailed her struggles with anxiety and self-worth tied to golf.
This week’s post doubles down on her advocacy for mental wellness, a cause she’s championed since pivoting to content creation and philanthropy. “We talk scores and swings, but not enough about the headspace,” Spiranac noted, urging athletes to seek support and fans to recognize the human side of sports. Her message resonated widely, with comments flooding in from LPGA pros, amateur golfers, and even non-athletes who related to the sting of unfulfilled dreams. One follower wrote, “Thank you for showing it’s OK to hurt and still shine.”
Spiranac’s transparency comes amid a broader wave of athletes—Simone Biles, Naomi Osaka, and now Rory McIlroy—speaking out about mental health. Her pivot from pro hopeful to golf’s leading digital storyteller, with viral swing tips and unfiltered takes on the sport’s culture, has redefined her legacy. Yet, as she admitted, the old wounds linger. “Golf will always be my first love, but it taught me resilience the hard way.”
As Spiranac continues to shape golf’s narrative—recently calling out toxic fan behavior at the Ryder Cup—her latest reflection underscores a universal truth: vulnerability is strength. “You don’t have to have a trophy to win at life,” she concluded, a mantra that’s sparking conversations far beyond the fairway.
