Paige Spiranac Offered to Teach Ilona Maher the Game of Golf and We’re Here For It

Ilona Maher may be an Olympic medal winning rugby athlete, but it appears that the model and content creator is looking to pick up the game of golf in her spare time.
On Tuesday, July 7, the 29-year-old Vermont native shared an Instagram reel of herself practicing her swing at the driving range, and Maher’s video caught the attention of many of her 5.6 million followers—including none other than content creator and former professional golfer Paige Spiranac.
In the clip, Maher hit a bucket of balls while clad in a white Adidas athleisure dress, hat and tennis shoes. “Day 1 preparing for a possible invite to a celebrity golf tournament,” was written atop the video.
Maher pointed out her beginner status in her caption, asking for fans to cut her some slack as she learns the game. “Before you all say anything… this was literally my first day so yes a lot is wrong with the swing but just wait: I’m committed.”
While Maher’s comment section was filled with encouraging messages from her followers, one in particular caught our eye. “I’ll be your golf coach!” Spiranac offered.
“@_paige.renee @ilonamaher this is the content we need 🔥🔥,” one fan wrote in reply to Spiranac’s message.
“@_paige.renee This would be a fun pairing for some videos! Make it happen!” someone else encouraged.
“@_paige.renee yes!! You’ll have her hitting 💣 in no time!” another fan cheered.
Meanwhile, others chimed into the comments section to express their excitement over Maher’s newfound hobby.
“AHHH YESSSSSSSS LOVE THIS!” professional golfer Michelle Wie West declared.
“hope its one i’m in!! 😍,” golf influencer Claire Hogle added.
“new side quest unlocked ⛳️✨,” the official Adidas Rugby account wrote.
“From breaking tackles to breaking par 🫡,” a fan quipped.
While Maher, who earned a bronze medal with her rugby sevens teammates at the 2024 Paris Olympics, is just getting started with golf, Spiranac played Division I golf at the University of Arizona and San Diego State University. After briefly playing the sport professionally, the 33-year-old Colorado native shifted her career to content creation and golf instruction. Today, she has a combined 6.8 million followers across Instagram, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), where she shares her knowledge from the green.
While, as of press time, Maher hasn’t yet responded to Spiranac’s offer, this is one duo we’d love to see team up for a tee time. Stay tuned!
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Cara is a trending news writer/editor for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. A passionate writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience in print and online media, she loves storytelling and believes that words have the power to change the world. Prior to joining the team, Cara worked as a writer and editor across a number of content verticals, including food, lifestyle, health and wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship. In her free time, Cara loves reading, spending time with her family and making her way through Michigan’s many microbreweries. She is a graduate of Michigan State University's School of Journalism.