2018 SI Swimsuit model Paige Spiranac is no stranger to making headlines for the outfits she wears on the golf course. The influencer dresses for “comfort” and if what makes her feel confident is a little skirt and tank top—then so be it. She has created major waves in changing the narrative that women, especially female golfers, need to be dressed modestly to be respected. She encourages women to be confident in whatever way they choose to dress.
She has a special message to the people who can’t stop talking about what she wears and criticize her and her skills because of it. The social media star, who has amᴀssed a following of almost 4 million on Instagram, explained that she was a gymnast before she played golf, and so she was used to wearing figure-hugging and skin-revealing clothes like spandex and leotards.
“When I switched into golf, we were struggling a little bit financially and so I didn’t have the luxury to go out and buy a whole new golf-appropriate wardrobe. And so I wore what was in my closet, which was workout clothes,” the 30-year-old shared in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “That’s just how I learned to play the game and I consider myself an athlete—I consider people who play golf athletes. Why don’t we dress like athletes? [People] are out there in unbreathable pants playing like crazy and I’m like ‘let’s dress like athletes’ and so that was always my mindset when I got into golf and it really rubs people the wrong way which is shocking.”
She added that golfers often have intense and perhaps pointless discussions of if they should wear shorts or pants, or what kind of collar to wear, while Spiranac arrives on the course in something easy and breezy and a workout set that makes her feel good and play her best. The Colorado native emphasizes that not everyone has the luxury of going out and buying a new golf wardrobe with the “specific shoes and slacks and the right polos.”
“I’m out here just in tank tops and spandex and people are like, ‘What are you doing,’ but I love it,” she continued. “I think we’re starting to see that change, and fashion is such a big part of growing the game and it’s moving in the right direction. You want to be comfortable. So to be able to find something in your closet and then go out to a public golf course, I think that is more than acceptable. A lot of people are now starting to agree with me. It’s been a long eight years of trying to convince people but we’re getting [there]. I go to the range now and I see women out there with leggings and tank tops. So you’re welcome to all the guys out there. And we’re all comfortable now which I think is good.” 
