They say if you really want to remember something - "write it down".

Given the vast learning curve he's going through these days, Michael Sims has found that's the best policy.

So, as he negotiates his way in the world of professional golf, it would not be surprising if the Bermudian's best friend on tour is a "what" and not a "who".

"I write things down in a little book. I'm keeping track of what I do and what happens on different courses. Things like that.

"Every week is a learning process because I haven't played any of these golf courses.

"There are guys who have been out here a couple years or who have seen a lot of courses already so they know how courses play or they know what irons they are hitting and what the greens are like and a lot of other stuff. I am just learning," said the rookie golfer.

He is indeed learning and at quite a pace too. Today he begins his fifth Buy.Com Tour event - the Fort Smith Classic at Hardscrabble Country Club in Fort Smith, Arkansas, USA - and, despite the disparity in experience, Sims has as much reason to be brimming with confidence as anyone else in the field.

The 23-year-old comes into the event on the back of an impressive 14-under finish in last week's Buy.Com tournament, the Dayton Open in Ohio. That gave him his best showing thus far as he placed joint 19th and took home $4,972.50 for his troubles. It also meant that, for the first time, he enjoyed the luxury of an exemption, granted to all top 25 finishers.

"It was nice to have a Monday off," he acknowledged, alluding to not having to jump out of bed for a qualifier to get into today's competition.

The rest would have been particularly welcome after four consecutive days of golf followed by a 12-hour drive to Arkansas. On Tuesday, he got back to work, inspecting the par-70 lay-out on whose back nine he tees off at 10.45 a.m. (Bermuda time) today.

"I just looked at the course and assessed the best way to play it. You know, get a feel for what I have to do.

"It's pouring now and it rained quite a bit last night (Tuesday night) so it will change the golf course a bit. Last week you could hit a shot low and have it roll out to where you wanted it to go but this will be different. Where you hit it is pretty much where it's going to stop so you don't have to worry about it hitting and bouncing."

Sims, who is vying for a share of the $425,000 purse, noted that though the 6,619-yard course is "short" in length, it will still be challenging "to hit the ball well around here".

"Ball striking is going to be at a premium this week," he predicted, speaking to The Royal Gazette yesterday afternoon.

Reflecting a bit on his hot streak - four Buy.Com tournaments in a row - and the incremental success he is reaping, the University of Rhode Island graduate said he has achieved some of the targets on his goal list. He will try to improve on these in the coming days.

"I wanted to finish in the top 25 and I did that. I wanted to shoot between 15 and 20-under and I missed that by a shot."

Was that a disappointment?

Chuckling, he answered with his brand of perspective: "I'm not going to be disappointed ... I'm here this week."

Now, that's what matters!