Blair O’Neal, the OG big-time female golf influencer, is still an Instagram star nearly two decades later and, at 45, an unusually straight shooter about the gig.
You were among the first women to gain a foothold in the golf influencer space. What was it like in the early days?
I started on MySpace doing golf content and modeling content. Then, when I started to do it on Instagram, I was looking at Natalie Gulbis and Anna Rawson, who were posting some fashion and golf and influencing types of things, playing on tour, but then also doing collaborations with companies. I could see them growing, and I started building this brand around myself because I was modeling as well, and it took off.
You’re unique in that you started out with a playing career before evolving into an influencer.
A lot of the social media influencers now, it’s their No. 1 job, whereas me, I’d say it’s my second job. My first job is filming TV shows and my brand partnerships that I’ve had for many years. I look back on it and I’ve really blended so many things together. But I think it also shows that you can do a lot of things too. You don’t have to be pigeonholed.
In the online world, it seems like men are glorified for being anti-glam bros, while women are lauded more for their appearance and sex appeal. What are your thoughts on that?
With the guys, it’s so true. They can just show up, play golf, be bros, and that’s cool. They’re entertaining, and they get follows and clicks and likes and all that. But on the women’s side, you’ve got to play golf, but then you also have to look good. But then you can’t look too good or else you get scrutinized. And if you don’t look good enough, you get scrutinized. I’ve dealt with that a lot throughout my career.
How did you manage that pressure?
You have to know your brand. I know what the algorithm is. If I want to go out and get a million followers quickly, I know exactly how to do it. There’s a recipe, if that’s the route you’re willing to take and that’s what you can be happy with. That’s fine. That’s not wrong. There are many influencers who go that path and can really grow their pages. I dabble in it because I have a modeling background, and if I’m at the beach or if I’m in my backyard at the pool or on vacation, I’m probably going to be in a bikini or a cute dress. I love fashion. I love being girly. I’m very feminine. But I think you can be athletic and professional and feminine and family-oriented and successful in media — and all these things together.
You’re now a wife and a mom of two young boys. Are those image considerations conscious decisions you made from the beginning?
I started modeling in my early twenties to pay for my golfing expenses after I graduated from college. A lot of opportunities came my way, and I’ve done a lot of fun and cool things, but there was always a voice inside me that was like, Okay, would you be proud of this later? I always thought about it as, If I had kids, would I be okay with them knowing and seeing? I ride the line sometimes, and I think that’s fine too, but I definitely have boundaries.
Let’s talk about Big Break, which is returning more than a decade after it went off the air. You’re cohosting alongside Wells Adams.
It’s such a full circle moment for me. Since I began working with Golf Channel, it was always in the back of my head that I wanted to host if Big Break ever came back. The golf is probably some of the best we’ve seen on the show. I think the viewers are going to love it. It’s unreal what it takes to get the show done, but it’s also really exhilarating.
How would you say the influencer-creator landscape has evolved since you got your start?
Years ago, when I was on social media, I could just throw a picture up from wherever I was and it would do great. But now, you have to think about algorithms and timing, and you’ve got to blend your partner content with organic content, and that’s always a challenge. People don’t realize how much work goes into making a reel or a post or even stories. It’s a lot more complicated now.
What advice would you give someone just starting out who aspires to get into the space?
Stay true to yourself, do what feels good to you and think long-term.
