My 10-day New England visit is rapidly coming to a close, but before I headed back to the Valley of the Sun there was one final stop I needed to make. Newport, Rhode Island is one of my all-time favorite places to visit. It has a cozy old-time New England seafaring feel to it, the food is always good, and the waterfront views are a nice change to land-locked Arizona. Here’s the view from my hotel room:

I’ve come to Newport to play golf at Newport National Golf Club – a course I’ve wanted to play for a long time. Frankly, until this year I haven’t felt my game was up to it. But after my play at Goodboys this year, and especially following some tweaks to my short game that resulted in a solid 98 at Portsmouth Country Club this past weekend, I think I’m ready to give it a go.

Tomorrow I’ll be flying back to the Valley of the Sun. It’s been a great New England visit – I’ve had lots of time to spend with family and friends and have actually taken a good amount of time away from work – but it’s time. I’ve got a bunch of chores both inside and out needing to get started on with the holiday season rapidly approaching, and it will be good to give them some much-needed attention. October is a great time to be in New England, but as my last post noted, you can feel the seasons changing, and in New England that’s not for the better. Arizona winter beckons, and I’m ready to head back into the warmth.