In today’s world of polished social media feeds, it’s unusual to see someone with millions of followers openly admit to having a nightmare on the golf course. But Paige Spiranac, known as golf’s biggest online personality, did just that — and fans loved her honesty.
Instead of showcasing flawless swings, Spiranac confessed to hitting not one, but two dreaded shanks in her latest round. “I hit two cold hard shanks today. Not one but two. Special stuff,” she wrote on X, where the post quickly racked up more than 31,000 views. For golfers, shanking the ball — when it shoots sharply sideways off the club’s hosel — is one of the game’s most embarrassing and frustrating mistakes, often leading to a confidence spiral.
This wasn’t the first time Spiranac has pulled back the curtain on her struggles. Just days earlier, she vented about constantly hooking drives off the tee, admitting it made her want to quit the sport altogether. Her openness stands in stark contrast to the curated perfection most influencers promote, making her far more relatable to weekend golfers who know those struggles all too well.
Despite holding an impressive +3.4 handicap, Spiranac proves that even highly skilled players wrestle with the same demons amateurs face. Her career has long been marked by this kind of transparency — from missing out on her LPGA Tour dream to sharing the emotional toll of setbacks. That willingness to be real has become central to her brand.
Fans quickly rallied to her side, showing empathy instead of ridicule. One supporter joked, “So you’re one of us? Welcome to the club,” while another admitted, “My range session was a disaster. I feel your pain!” Others tried to encourage her with hopeful words: “Hopefully that’s the end of that.” Some simply embraced the cruel truth of the game: “The joys of playing golf.”
One particularly cheeky comment reminded her that “shanks are contagious,” highlighting the humor golfers often use to deal with the sport’s frustrations.
Spiranac’s honesty struck a chord, proving once again why she connects so deeply with her massive following. Perfect highlight reels may impress, but sharing the ugly side of golf — the side every player knows too well — makes her more relatable than any flawless swing video ever could.
