OK, now I'm starting to make it a habit again.

I didn't exactly hike today, although I'm sure I walked several miles during the 18 holes of golf I played (carts only on the path).

The temperature was in the low 50s this afternoon, which left we right on the edge between being too warm with my jacket on and a little too cold with it off. So for about 15 of the 18 holes, I played in shirtsleeves. That's exaggerating a little. I had a long-sleeved T-shirt under a long-sleeve shirt, so it wasn't as if I were one of the bare-chested Cheeseheads you see at Packer games in sub-zero weather.

[caption id="attachment_833" align="alignright" width="300" caption="No. 9, missed the birdie and tapped in for par."]<a href="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/20110208_1.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-833" title="20110208_1" src="http://mikerappaport.net/onevoice/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/20110208_1-300x199.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="199" /></a>[/caption]

I played pretty well without all the extra clothes constraining my arms. I actually had a couple of drives of more than 200 yards, which I haven't been doing with sweatshirts and jackets on. Mt approach shots were pretty good, although I was using my seven-iron for everything. Oddly enough, I don't think I used my pitching wedge once today.

Approach shots are crucial on this course, because the toughest part of the game here is putting. It seems as if every green on the course is on two or three different levels, and it's really difficult to keep long putts close to the flag.

I haven't been thinking too much about my score, mostly because I'm making very liberal use of what's known as "winter rules." When the ball is in mud, I move it. I've allowed myself a couple of extra Mulligans, although I'm trying to keep the "gimme" putts to a minimum.

Being generous with myself, I shot an 87 today, which theoretically would be my best round on this course so far. I was pleased that two holes that I hadn't done better than double bogeys before today played pretty nicely for me today. I bogeyed the first hole and parred the 10th.

I only had one double bogey for the entire round.

I'd love to have my buddies Mickey and Chuck out here with me, but to be fair, I actually have been enjoying playing alone. I breeze through a round in a little more than two hours, and when I go out under sundown rates, a round only costs me $9 -- with cart.

Mostly, though, it's a lot of fun and good exercise.