Kelly Perine

 The first time I ever played golf  was at my five year college  reunion.  And I didn’t want  to play. I didn’t care about golf. But I got together with my buddies and they said, “Come on just hit a few, we’ll play a scramble,  you won’t have to hit too many  shots, and we’ll have a couple of drinks.” So by the end of the game—after putting a little bit and hitting it off the tee and having a few more drinks—I said,  ‘You know what,  this isn’t so bad.’ As a person who had played  a lot of sports growing up—soccer,  wrestling,  baseball—I  really didn’t have any sports related  challenges  in my life after I finished school.  So when I played  golf for the first time and these cats who are 50-60 pounds lighter  than  me could hit the ball 100 yards further than me,  that stirred my competitive  juices.  I said, ‘Wait a second now,  I’ve got to figure out what’s going on with this game.’ And I’ve been steady in it ever since.

These days I play about  twice a month.  Every once in a while I go out and play with Flex Alexander , who I did One on One with.  And I play with Dondre Whitfield, who I did Between  Brothers with. Gary Cohen, who’s a fairly well  known  director,  and I play with when  we get a chance.  So I play with a number  of the people I’ve worked with on TV shows, but more often than not,--it’s my college buddies,  my high school  buddies,  and cats who I came up with.  We’ve gotten more and more competitive. And at this point we’re afraid to play each other because we talk so much trash. And we know we can’t back any of it up. So it’s almost  better to play with other people and just talk trash with my buddies.  That way I know I can’t lose.

If  I could put  together  a dream  foursome,  obviously number  one would  would be Tiger Woods. Two would be Halle Berry.  Let’s be honest :  I would watch Tiger’s swing but I would watch Halle’s walk!  After Halle,  you can throw anybody in there for the fourth member.  I don’t care.

I enjoy the game.  I’m obviously not Tiger  but it’s the camaraderie of  the game that keeps you coming back.  People have  families and jobs,  but if you can  say, ‘look let’s just find three or four hours to connect  with  each other and get out here and laugh and catch up’—that’s what  it’s about for me.  Being able to play a great game is almost secondary.

But I love hitting the long ball.  I love breaking out  the big dog and letting it hunt.  I love hitting the driver. And I know that  it’s the short game that brings your score down,  but there’s just something about  taking out the thunderstick and letting it roar. With my work  schedule it’s tough to get out as much  as I would like to.

I recently  finished a couple of independent   features. One is a movie  called  Convincing  Clooney  which is about  three friends who try to get George  Clooney to be in their movie. So for an hour and a half we run around trying to get George Clooney involved.  It’s kind of like a buddy comedy . I finished another movie called Speed Dating.   I think that should be coming out  in early 2010. That’s another comedy about  a couple of friends who figure out that the best way to make some money is to start up a speed dating scam at the local club.  And I’ve been  doing  a lot of writing. I currently have a full length drama set in Miami called Greyhound.  It’s going to start shooting in 2010.  In this business you have to create it. If you’re going to wait  for someone to give it to you,  you’re going to be waiting a hot minute.

I just enjoy what  I do and golf is a part of my joyful spirit.