Social media star and golfer Grace Charis has amassed millions of followers, gaining more attention for her revealing outfits than her golf skills - a focus that often draws online criticism. While the 22-year-old California native acknowledges that “We’re here now, there’s no going back,” she’s determined to turn the tables, silence the critics, and prove herself as a talented golfer.
“I see the hate comments, people block me and it makes me really sad. It upsets me more when they’re talking about my golf. ‘She’s just a pretty body, nobody cares.’ You can’t really hate someone who’s trying to get better. So, I guess how I deal with the hate is to get better, so I take all my rage out on the range.”
Naturally sporty and a competitive rower, Charis first took up golf during the Covid pandemic as a way to pass the time. When she first began baring her body, she wasn't trying to be a golfer, her focus was on generating views and being in the the creator space. It's only in the past 18 months that she’s committed to the game, working with a coach, practising hard and playing four or five times a week. In just three years, she’s achieved an impressive single figure handicap.
She earns income through various social media platforms, including Snapchat, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube, and although her revealing outfits aren't going anywhere, her goal now is to be taken seriously as a golfer.
“I’m trying to get better and better because a lot of people just see me as some online chick trying to make money and sell things,” she explains. “I’m not seen as a golfer, but I’m working my way into that by being good - hitting good shots and posting videos.”
Charis hasn’t followed a traditional path into the game, and while she now better understands golf's traditions and values, she realises why her dress style might be seen as unconventional. Still, public opinion doesn’t faze her. 'It’s a free world,' she says. 'In Europe, people go naked to beaches all the time, so I don’t really see the difference.”
Creating content and improving her golf game is a full-time job for Charis. “I’d love to compete in tournaments eventually,” she says. “I’m pretty close, my game is nearly at a point where I feel confident enough to enter some local tournaments. It would be cool to get that experience.”
