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Thomas Dai

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #25 on: October 15, 2018, 01:40:57 PM »
A few pics to supplement those above -


Par-4 1st hole
The 1st green from circa 100 yds short


Par-3 3rd
Carry the dune in front of the tee but fail to carry all the way to the green and this hollows awaits...


Par-4 4th
As seen from the 15th fairway, where a few wayward 4th hole tee shots seem to land!


Par-3 5th
As seen from it's more usual angle. The 'usual tees' are under winter renovation and the current tee means play for men is more from the right than this photo suggests.


Par-3 9th
Fail to carry the hairy fronting bunkers and you could find yourself here....


Par-4 10th
As seen from where a long drive may finish



Par-4 11th
As seen from circa 60 yds short. A very good hole. Tee-shot dog legs right around the edge of a ditch and bunker. Too far left and you run out of fairway and have a blind second shot. The right hand bunker shoulders out into the green and makes for a very awkward/nice rear right hand pin position.



Par-3 12th
Revised over the last few years following damage by a storm circa 5 years ago the green is now looks like this..firstly, from in front of the tee, secondly, from the left side, thirdly, looking back from rear the next/13th tee and fourthly from the 11th fairway highlighting the sleeper barrier between the green and the beach.






Par-5 13th
Looking down the par-5 13th from the dune that abounds the beach at the rear of the 12th green. I wonder if a tee was ever placed along this dune ridge that abounds the beach?



Par-5 13th cont'd
The par-5 13th hole plays in from the right of this photo and this is its green as viewed from near the 14th tee. The greenside bunker at right appears from the fairway to be located behind the green but as you can see it isn't. Cunning. When viewed from the fairway the same bunker also appears to be to the left edge of the green. Again it isn't, instead it covers the middle of the green and there's actually a considerable amount of putting surface to both sides of it. Double-cunning!


Par-5 15th hole
The 15th plays in from the right. This photo was taken from the 16th tee.


Par-4 16th hole
The famous/infamous 16th!
If you stand on the tee and lean over the wire fence that borders it from the railway line this is your view..

And here's the green from circa 60 yds and 20 yds short....


And here is the green as viewed from the rear...




Par-4 17th
Two photos of the par-4 17th the second showing one of the hidden aspects of the Aberdovey course....the ditches. There are a considerable number especially on the back-9 and they are more in play than is visually apparent.




Par-4 18th
There is a ditch along the left side that needs careful attention from the tee. There is also a ditch nearer the green along the right side. The two bunkers visible in the photo on the left side are actually 60-20 yds short of the green. I'm surprised that there are not a couple of additional left side bunkers beyond the ones that can be seen in the following photo. The putting surface is very, very close to the dormy rooms and Clubhouse and a shot hit with a bit of a right handed hook and riding on the prevailing wind could easily strike something solid or fleshy.

18th green from the right side of the fairway. The dormy and Clubhouse is very close to the left side of the green.


The hairy edged bunkers that have been in place for a few years now are now less hairy than they were on my last visit (circa 4 years ago) which is a bit of a shame.  But never mind, Aberdovey is still a super course, a real pleasure to play and definitely a course worth visiting. Very scenic part of the world as well.
atb
« Last Edit: October 15, 2018, 05:44:47 PM by Thomas Dai »

Mike Sweeney

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #26 on: October 16, 2018, 04:02:02 PM »
Fabulous update. Thanks
"One of the saddest lessons of history is this: If we’ve been bamboozled long enough, we tend to reject any evidence of the bamboozle. We’re no longer interested in finding out the truth. The bamboozle has captured us."

Dr. Carl Sagan, The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Peter Pallotta

Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #27 on: October 16, 2018, 04:19:30 PM »
Sean, thanks. It just struck me what it is about this non-inland GB&I course (with its high hills and vast waters) that is so noteworthy, ie that unlike what most modern architects do (and what, say, Stanley Thompson and other golden agers did) with such settings, Colt-Braid-Fowler went with the 'contrast' instead of 'complimentary' approach vis-a-vis scale. For my tastes, it's a very homely (in the best sense) approach indeed. The focus stays on the golf.
P


« Last Edit: October 16, 2018, 04:41:39 PM by Peter Pallotta »

Rich Goodale

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #28 on: October 17, 2018, 09:20:42 AM »
I'm appalled that Aberdovey was not included in Ran's 147 Custodians, when only above average places such as St. Davids and Porthcawl and Pennard are included.


Regardless of what they are doing or have done due to nature and modernity, Aberdovey is the place that the greatest writer of golf experiences, Darwin, wrote one of his very finest essay of his favourite place (viz Donal's post above).


I played a competitive 36 there a few years ago and there was a exhilarating mixture of simplicity, complexity and WTF which blew me away.


As for "custodianship" there will always be the simple Darwin room there, hopefully...


Rich
Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Richard Fisher

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #29 on: October 17, 2018, 04:09:42 PM »
I don't think Ran has ever (yet) visited Aberdovey. I had the great pleasure of taking him round Harlech about five years ago, and clearly Rich we don't quite agree about the relative merits of RStD and its Merioneth neighbour. Which is fine. Both Harlech and Aberdovey are super, historic, very atmospheric places for a game of golf.

Rich Goodale

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #30 on: October 17, 2018, 04:52:59 PM »
Richard I


I should bow in shame as I have never played Harlech, but I do belong to a a senior golf society (UKSGA) and many of my fellow members remember Royal St. Davids only as a venue pissing down in rain.  Maybe they were unlucky.....  If and when it is dry,  please let me know!


Richard II
Life is good.

Any afterlife is unlikely and/or dodgy.

Jean-Paul Parodi

Thomas Dai

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #31 on: October 17, 2018, 05:11:59 PM »
I don't think Ran has ever (yet) visited Aberdovey. I had the great pleasure of taking him round Harlech about five years ago, and clearly Rich we don't quite agree about the relative merits of RStD and its Merioneth neighbour. Which is fine. Both Harlech and Aberdovey are super, historic, very atmospheric places for a game of golf.


Merioneth (‘Meirionnydd’)! A ‘proper’ Welsh County. One of 14 ‘proper’ Welsh counties! Bring them back! :)
Atb

jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #32 on: October 17, 2018, 09:24:39 PM »
I'm appalled that Aberdovey was not included in Ran's 147 Custodians, when only above average places.....
[size=78%].[/size]
Rich


Plus 1
Aberdovey.....
Make it 148
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Peter Flory

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #33 on: October 17, 2018, 11:44:35 PM »
I'm glad this got bumped because I never noticed this thread before.  Fascinating photos.  The Cader hole with the original view from the tee and the diagram are amazing. 


Those guys back then were certainly sporting individuals. 

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #34 on: October 22, 2018, 01:04:07 PM »
Sean, thanks. It just struck me what it is about this non-inland GB&I course (with its high hills and vast waters) that is so noteworthy, ie that unlike what most modern architects do (and what, say, Stanley Thompson and other golden agers did) with such settings, Colt-Braid-Fowler went with the 'contrast' instead of 'complimentary' approach vis-a-vis scale. For my tastes, it's a very homely (in the best sense) approach indeed. The focus stays on the golf.
P

Pietro

The site is quite tight with few commanding view points to really show off any sort of grand scale. 

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Adam Lawrence

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #35 on: October 22, 2018, 01:09:19 PM »
I did a piece on Aberdovey for Links a few years ago. Of all the things I have written on golf, I think I like this one best.


https://www.linksmagazine.com/aberdovey_by_train/
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #36 on: October 27, 2018, 05:57:14 AM »
Adam...good article.

A few of us thought about the train trip earlier this year.  Alas, the gig never came to fruition.  Having said that, and after experiencing the recent subtropical-like rain and wind, it may require a car to carry all the gear!

Ciao
New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Duncan Cheslett

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #37 on: October 27, 2018, 06:26:37 AM »
I did a piece on Aberdovey for Links a few years ago. Of all the things I have written on golf, I think I like this one best.


https://www.linksmagazine.com/aberdovey_by_train/


Very nice piece Adam, if a little London-centric. Many of us (most?) do not have to go anywhere near Birmingham to get to Aberdovey by train...

I thought "fastnesses" must be a typo until I looked it up!


 :D
« Last Edit: October 27, 2018, 06:48:43 AM by Duncan Cheslett »

Adam Lawrence

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #38 on: October 27, 2018, 07:17:36 AM »
I did a piece on Aberdovey for Links a few years ago. Of all the things I have written on golf, I think I like this one best.


https://www.linksmagazine.com/aberdovey_by_train/


Very nice piece Adam, if a little London-centric. Many of us (most?) do not have to go anywhere near Birmingham to get to Aberdovey by train...

I thought "fastnesses" must be a typo until I looked it up!


 :D


In an American magazine, it's not unreasonable to suggest anyone going to Aberdovey will go through London!
Adam Lawrence

Editor, Golf Course Architecture
www.golfcoursearchitecture.net

Principal, Oxford Golf Consulting
www.oxfordgolfconsulting.com

Author, 'More Enduring Than Brass: a biography of Harry Colt' (forthcoming).

Short words are best, and the old words, when short, are the best of all.

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #39 on: October 27, 2018, 07:30:22 AM »
Not so many trains to remote areas as there once were.
London to Aberdovey by train can these days be anything up to 5+ hours. Pick the wrong times and it might even involve changing trains 2-3 times as well. And the further you journey west the smaller the train/carriages become. Plus, trains on lines out to western Wales have a habit of not running on weekends.....maintenance work, when courtesy buses are laid on instead.
And if you fancy going on to Harlech by train add another 1 hr.
London, Birmingham, Shrewsbury, Welshpool, Machynlleth etc.
Stunning scenery though, especially west of Shrewsbury.
Atb
Edit. Some photos of the original (in)famous Cadar bunker and changed/repaired 12th plus of the 13th from 2018 now added.





« Last Edit: June 29, 2019, 07:21:03 AM by Thomas Dai »

Tom Kelly

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #40 on: December 21, 2018, 07:44:53 AM »
I made a last minute trip to Harlech and Aberdovey with fellow GCAer, ATB.  Yes, not a great weekend for Wales in regards the weather, but what can ya do!  It had been about 9 years since my last visit to Aberdovey and it is as good as memory suggested. The superb bunkers are slowing being overhauled to be a bit more player friendly and probably easier to maintain.  This is a great shame, but looking at some of the new shapes, it is a reasonable compromise.  Anyway, the tour has been significantly upgraded so take a look.

Future Planned Stops

Westward Ho!
Saunton West
Saunton East

Ciao


I meant to comment on this when you wrote it but forgot...just remembered.


It is a shame about the bunkers at Aberdovey as they did look superb but I think it is a great example of why bunkers were revetted in the first place. I think we are essentially re-learning what our ancestors worked out a hundred odd years ago and this example is probably a snapshot of what we will see at some other places around the world that are going to sandy 'blow-out' style bunkers....the clue is in the name...sand just doesn't stay in them on exposed sites like Aberdovey and the erosion caused (at Aberdovey it was to undercut the faces often) meant the bunkers became very hard to maintain and caused unplayable shots in certain cases. With a small greenstaff and budget it was impossible to keep the bunkers as they were. It would have basically meant a full rebuild on a regular basis which is far easy to do with a revetted bunker (that will last longer anyway) than the bunker style they had.

As I said, a shame but completely understandable.[/size][size=78%] [/size]

Thomas Dai

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Re: ABERDOVEY GC: "The Course My Soul Loves Best" - 2018-19 Winter Tour
« Reply #41 on: September 02, 2020, 02:51:11 PM »
Seems like Aberdovey are moving back towards revetted. Still some tufts though.
atb

« Last Edit: September 02, 2020, 03:00:26 PM by Thomas Dai »

Mark Pearce

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Peter Pallotta

Youtuber Peter Finch plays a 18 hole match against Aberdovey's head professional -- and provides a wonderful 'live' look at the course (my first). I can now well imagine Darwin travelling up by train at the weekend in late fall, and playing in the wind and cold misty rain under a low slate-grey sky, his soul utterly at peace.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s3EQiGTvia8


jeffwarne

  • Karma: +0/-0
Youtuber Peter Finch plays a 18 hole match against Aberdovey's head professional -- and provides a wonderful 'live' look at the course (my first). I can now well imagine Darwin travelling up by train at the weekend in late fall, and playing in the wind and cold misty rain under a low slate-grey sky, his soul utterly at peace.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s3EQiGTvia8


One of my favorite places.
Thanks for posting the video.
I must say I was distressed to see on what I've always thought of as a raw, romantic rustic links course.


1.the sprinklers running on the first fairway or otherwise green and I daresay "lush" turf, in coool, cloudy weather
2."The use of "proper fair lies" I think I heard Peter say as he reached down and appeared to move his ball (in the wrong fairway no less), from a good lie to an even better one on turf that appeared flawless.
"Proper fair lies" WTF, in a match involving the Head Pro?
Please tell me I misheard or miss saw that..
"Let's slow the damned greens down a bit, not take the character out of them." Tom Doak
"Take their focus off the grass and put it squarely on interesting golf." Don Mahaffey

Jim Sherma

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Wow, what a good looking course. All of the pictures that I've seen of Aberdovey never really impressed me although I knew it had to be worthy based on what others have written about it. The video is really showed the scale and movement of the property and I now have a Wales trip much higher on my list of places I need to get to.

Duncan Cheslett

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A great premise and a very enjoyable way of showcasing a course. I’m sure Finchy will get no end of invitations from all over the country to do similar.


I love the look of Aberdovey and will be sure to make the trip soon! 👍

Sean_A

  • Karma: +0/-0
Youtuber Peter Finch plays a 18 hole match against Aberdovey's head professional -- and provides a wonderful 'live' look at the course (my first). I can now well imagine Darwin travelling up by train at the weekend in late fall, and playing in the wind and cold misty rain under a low slate-grey sky, his soul utterly at peace.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=s3EQiGTvia8

I watched the video, first time watching this guy, who is extremely popular in the UK. I gotta say, the course is better than it looks in the video.

Thanks for using these old tours as depositories for new information on the courses. It wasn't until about 3-4 years ago that I realized that this would be one of the best uses for the tours.

Ciao



New plays planned for 2024: Fraserburgh, Turnberry, Isle of Harris, Benbecula, Askernish, Traigh, St Medan, Hankley Common, Ashridge, Gog Magog Old & Cruden Bay St Olaf

Thomas Dai

  • Karma: +0/-0
Splendid course and place is Aberdovey. Lovely sense of calmness and tranquility about the course. And not that far away is the terrific and tough links at Harlech/Royal St Davids and the more rustic links at Borth &Ynlas. Perfect trip.
Atb

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