Jim West, member of the New England Golf Tour

Wow is all I can say after three days of qualifying school (82-72-77).

What a strange trip golf can take you on. Sometimes the rush is so good and other times I cant even remember where I am-- I’m so distraught.

But for some odd reason, it always calls you back for another day. That’s why tomorrow morning, I will tee it up again, not because I want to but because, what else is there to do? Go to the beach? Fishing? How boring and predictable.

Why not spend five hours torturing yourself trying do something that is impossible and cant be perfected no matter how hard you try? Yet I can't wait. Is there something wrong with me? Or is that just the lure of golf?

Let me tell you this: Florence Country Club is the hardest 6,400-yard course on the planet. Greens that are 13 on the stimp-meter, 4-inch Bermuda rough that Tiger couldn’t get out of . Or am I just hitting it that bad…hmm…tough one to call.

But if you could see the disheveled looks on players faces after the finish, it’s amazing. All you here is, “I should have done this or that--” always in the past.

But then again, good shots are boring to listen to anyway. For example, if you could have seen the size of Doyle’s eyes when he told us he hit his lob wedge 157-yards--crazy. I swear he was, or could it have been that he told me before he teed off he tried to rip the steering wheel off his car when it wouldn’t start, ala Eric Egloff?

I also have to mention the crafty veteran Bobby Gage completely at ease-- very impressive. You can just see there is no doubt in his mind. You think I could get a brain transplant and have his, but then again that wouldn’t be fare to Bobby--I couldn’t do that.

Just a few more tid-bits then I’m off to brain surgery.

How bout Noah Zelnik, AKA the Rabbi, and the flying pull cart.

I didn’t know that thing could do flips. I have to learn how to do that--simply amazing. The air he can get.

On a closing note: Golf is very bad for your psyche. If you don’t play, don’t start. If you do, quit. Save a few brain cells.

P.S: If Dom goes silent on you, he’s trying to extract information. Don’t give in. Stick to your guns, like the master: Sisky.