TGIF ... Thank Golf it's Friday

Playing hooky is underrated -- especially when you do it on a day where it's sunny and nearly 80 degrees... and you have a golf club in your hand!

I am so, so glad we decided to take the day off and experience Northern Bay, a golf course just to the south of Wisconsin Rapids next to Lake Petenwell. In the advertisements for this relatively new course, they say this isn't a course you want to play; it's a course you need to play! Amen to that!

What's so great about it? They have created a course inspired by some of the most celebrated holes in golf. And we got to play them. The course has at least 6 "replica" holes -- ones any fan of golf has likely seen on television a time or two. Some were quite challenging (just like on TV) and all were just gorgeous.

The 10th hole was the one we were a bit nervous about. Seriously. You feel like you are standing on the tee of the famous island green at the TPC at Sawgrass. Sure it's only a Par 3 hole -- but there is nothing but water between you and the green. And guess what? Hubby and I both made it to the island! It was so cool to be putting and then glance in the water and see all those balls that didn't make. Ha! We are awesome!

The greens were fast, like putting on your basement floor and some were designed like those crazy ones you find on mini-golf courses -- you know the ones with multi-tiers or steep slopes. On the one hole, I was putting up a steep incline and when I fell short of the hole, the ball would roll back down. And roll back down. And roll back down. I ended up with a 9 on that hole with 5 putts! Hubby had the same thing happen and didn't fare much better. I didn't curse, though. I was just laughing and wondering where the hidden cameras where.

The play of the day belongs to Jim. We were on a Par 4 hole and he was hitting his second shot from 111 yards (we know this because there was a GPS system in the cart. Way cool.) The shot heads straight for the green and rolls towards the hole. I said, "C'mon Eagle!" and it went in! Unbelievable. Later Jim maintained it was not a legal Eagle because he had used a Mulligan after hitting his first drive out of bounds. I had forgotten about that. But at least he's honest and recorded it as a par. "I still want you to have that Eagle!" I said. Unfortunately, that's how the game goes. It was still an awesome shot. Maybe you'll see it ESPN tonight!

My only regret today, besides a few bad shots, is that I forgot the stinkin' camera! If you want to learn more about the course, you can visit their Web site at www.northernbayresort.com. Then we'll play it the next time you're in town!