Meet Road Trip: Myrtle Beach Star Perry Swenson
Perry Swenson arrived for the filming of the first episode of Road Trip: Myrtle Beach with more bags than she could carry and little idea of what to expect. Swenson was the final member to join the Road Trip cast and she did so just days before the show started filming.
When she arrived, she had trouble with names but little problem figuring out a good time was in store.
“I really didn’t have time to form any expectations,” Swenson said. “At the last minute, I just drove up. I didn’t know Mark (Bryan), Charlie (Rymer) or Josh (Kelley). The first day I got here I was like, ‘Which one is Mark, which one is Josh.’ I couldn’t keep their names straight, but I knew from the get go this would be a really fun time.
Names are about the only thing Swenson, the sweet-swinging University of Texas graduate, didn’t keep straight. Her game improved as the year progressed and by the time the final episodes of Road Trip: Myrtle Beach were filmed, she was hammering nearly every drive down the middle.
While Swenson will likely spend next year on the Duramed Futures Tour, a career on the LPGA Tour is a distinct possibility. If she does ascend to the biggest stage in the women’s game, it won’t surprise long-time observers.
Swenson was ranked among the top five amateur golfers in the world in 2003 and 2004 and helped Texas to a runner-up finish in the 2002 NCAA Tournament.
Her ability to play the game made her an attractive addition to the Road Trip cast, as did her signature blond locks and good looks (click here for a Swenson photo gallery). Once filming began, Swenson was an ideal counterbalance to the antics of her costars. She often participated and instigated, developing into one of the show’s most popular members.
Swenson never missed an opportunity to sing, took batting practice with the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, the Atlanta Braves Class A affiliate, and had a blast in the process.
“It’s probably one of the best experiences I’ve ever had,” Swenson said of the show. “Getting a great opportunity to be involved with a production like this with Mark, Charlie and everybody is great. Getting to come to Myrtle Beach is a vacation.”
Swenson, who said she was in the sixth grade when Bryan hit it big with Hootie & The Blowfish and wasn’t familiar with Kelley’s work prior to the show, will return to Charlotte, N.C., with an iPod full of knew songs and three new friends.
She refers to Josh Kelley as her “life coach,” talking to him away from the show and receiving encouraging messages from the rising star.
After starting the show with little in the way of expectations, Swenson’s only regret as the first season comes to a close is a lack of time.
“I find when I go back between shoots my mind is going about 100 miles per hour about all these fun ideas we can do,” said Swenson, who graduated cum laude from Texas with a degree in finance. “There are so many different directions you can go with the show, but unfortunately we only have 30 minutes. If we had two hours, we could put so much (more) stuff into the show.”
Like Road Trip: Myrtle Beach, Swenson’s future likely holds a multitude of options, but one thing seems certain – the striking blonde will find her way back to the big stage.
Quick Q&A with Perry Swenson
What will you remember about Charlie Rymer?
Charlie has such a memory for jokes. I don’t know where he gets it from. He can throw out something funny when we need it. It’s not always easy to be on point when you are on camera and you are trying to focus on your golf game.
Who does Josh Kelley remind you of?
Josh is really, really goofy. He reminds me of my brother. He has a big bank of impersonations he can do.
What was your most memorable filming experience?
I think we all really enjoyed doing batting practice at the Pelicans baseball game. That’s just an exciting thing I don’t get to do. I’ve never been able to participate with another professional sport so it’s kind of cool being behind the scenes.
Did You Know?
One of Swenson’s five career holes in one was on No. 16 at Augusta National
