 Before we get to the golf course this week, I need to do a little bit of research. It seems I need to find a book by a man named Darwin. Not Charles, but his grandson Bernard, who was an elite amateur golfer, former captain of the RNA and a golfing journalist that would write many books about the sport he loved. But there was maybe one golf course he loved more than others. Now as you can see we are staying at some incredible accommodation this week in the most dramatic location. But first we need to get to the golf course that Darwin loved so much. It's an hour's drive so let's hit the road and see what all this fuss is about. This week's episode comes to you from my homeland of Wales. I'm staying in Bliney for Stinayog and that one hour drive takes me through Snowdonia National Park and some of the most breathtaking scenery you will see anywhere in the world. The last few episodes have been filmed in brutal conditions so it was nice the sun made an appearance. But I didn't manage to escape the strong breeze that seems to be following me right now. I've played here a number of times over the years but there have been some major changes in recent months. More bunkers, sand scrapes and new tea boxes. The question is would Darwin approve? Well I certainly hope so because the new tea boxes carry his name. Just made our way to the fourth tea and the sun has come out. Glowing as ever that's what you'd expect from this channel. But what a tea box this is as have been the first three to be honest with you. We're playing slightly forward of those Darwin teas that we'll talk about later on in the video but it's a nice backdrop and quite inviting. It's 106th centre. Extremely downwind and it's not easy. It's definitely easier off the tee with the wind in your favour but not as easy to play these shorter shots. I'm quite happy with that little bit of control. It's still running on a tad. I spoke with Nigel for a quick chat about the recent improvements at Aberdovey. Yeah so what we've basically done here, we've had an appraisal of the course and trying to improve its visual appearance. So when people stand on the tee the tee shot is a bit more evident. There's a bit more of a striking visual appearance of the golf course. A bit more definition brought in a new series of bunkers. There's 13 new bunkers. So in our aim to still maintain to be a championship course we've reintroduced a series of nine Darwin teas. So we haven't got a Darwin tee on every hole but the idea is again to change the visual for the shot change the whole dynamics of the hole and make it a championship course that golfers of a range of ability can play and are able to play but in doing so they feel they've got a real challenge. So in January we're going longer with technology because ultimately we're going to get all the courses, all the five tee block options course rated for men and ladies. So we're now moving to what is a more of a ability based tee structure than a gender based and it's all to give people of all abilities the ability to enjoy playing the course of their choice. The fourth hole has really got everything. Darwin tee, it's got plenty of work done on bunkers. Reveted bunkers look superb. The greens and the aprons all look immaculate as well. So four holes in and all the work that they've done here at Abadouvi which is a lot I can already see within four holes. The question is can we make good of the greens and get a bit of a birdie? Roll out, roll out, roll out. Oh, yes. The greens are good I told you. A huge thank you to PXG for sponsoring our off the beaten track series and make sure you go and check out the new PXG Black Ops Driver Challenge details can be found in the footer below and also over on my Instagram accounts. Abadouvi is a true test of golf and although the lengthening of this course might appeal to some elite golfers the introduction of those varied tee options based on ability is something that I very much applaud. The fifth tee is always a decent stop-off because you've just got a little bit of protection and I just want to ask you a bit of a question and might be a bit of help really. Darwin described this course as the one his soul of the best and I'm just trying to think of what mine does but I'd be more interested in what yours is and if you list below any courses that are your particular favourite and whether or not you'd like to see them featured in our off the beaten track series because I'm always looking for somewhere else to go so yeah, I'd like to know. I think for me the first thing that comes to mind is possibly Presswick as I've got a bit of a soft spot for. I'll also tell you I'm testing out a new Flass today because I'm sick of me coffee being cold by the time I get to have a versus sip so let's have a see. This thumbs up all the way round today. Abadouvi's been fantastic and I've got hot coffee. This was made about five hours ago. Right, let's have a look at the fifth. It does check all the boxes to qualify as classic links the terrain, the dunes, riveted bunkers, sand scrapes railway lines and a nine out nine in layout. Abadouvi is the epitome of links and should be on every golfers to-do list. So last week I mentioned to you that I was going to start having lessons which I have but also just wondered what kind of impact age has in terms of limitations and whether that be from a physical perspective so like losing clubbed speed or just the ability to retrain whether that be the mind or the body whichever one you think has the biggest impact when you're doing something for so long in a certain way how difficult is it going to be to change because I know I've got a really kind of quirky swing and the change we've made so far more about working with what I've got except in the clubbed speed thing I'm not looking to hit this ball further I'm just looking to get a little bit more consistent so really kind of eradicate that move at the top of my swing but the question is that I'm asking myself and I suppose asking you is you know how difficult or how much more difficult does it become the older get because I think it's a thing to be honest with you what I am liking is this I've been hitting forward off the tee and I'll be honest with you I think I've been swinging it quite well however to suggest that before the camera goes on it's maybe a bit dangerous or whilst the camera's on it's a bit dangerous nah, that's decent I'm hitting the ball good you know we're doing alright and live so far that we've just played 8 holes very much down breeze and at some point we've got to turn round because this is very much a 9 out 9 in type of course that means every hole on a back 9 is going to be into a fair old howling what I'm finding myself drawn more and more to benches on golf courses I'm not sure that's not a sign of age as well but I can say we've got a little bit of protection yet again because it is howling and we're about to face this is number 9 at the moment and we'll find our way in the other thing I'm contemplating is how much time I need to spend on my short game so with an inevitable loss in distance as you get older what I've noticed is I've played against a number of golfers over the years who when they were maybe 10, 15, 20 years older than me I used to knock the ball maybe 50 yards past them off the tee and then all of a sudden walk off at the end of the game losing 4 and 3, 5 and 4 and just wondering how did that happen well in the main it's because they've adapted to a very razor sharp short game and that can you know there's plenty of ways to score playing golf and it's not all about distance so I think I need to practice as well just making sure that short game is all in order but I can report more good news another hour or so further in and the coffee is still very hot so we'll play the 9th which is a super little par 3 and then unfortunately we're going that way now Hannah is back on the camera this week so make your choice and comment down below for folks of the week Abadouvi you'll always remember the 12th hole it depends how long ago you played it which green you'll remember because unfortunately I don't know maybe 10 years ago now they had a real unfortunate situation where the sea wall collapsed and all the green was basically washed away so I made a rebuild to the green that we're playing now from this tee box it's just 120 odd yards I'll be playing a 7 iron into what is obviously an elevated green and we'll see if we can get somewhere near because the wind is howling straight in I could be even needing one club more what a wind's got it sit down ball sit down it was a really decent effort you know but I don't know whether you've seen it at the top of its balls it rose much higher than I would have expected to and it just drifted over and hopefully we just stayed this side of the sleepers and I think we'll be pin high but that wind is so so strong bit more horse quite nice it was pin high like I said but just drifted towards the sleepers I'm not even sure I've had a rebound back off it but why it's such a great golf hole is that obviously you glance over that side and pretty much everybody takes a walk up to this high vantage point and has a look at what is an absolutely stunning beach at Aberdovey it's a bit nicer when the sun's shining we'll take it yeah that's okay I've almost found myself also playing better into the breeze but being a bit more committed with the shots when you're playing down breeze on the wedge shots in you're sort of dollying them up to land short and release a little bit when you're playing into the wind you're looking for a lot more solid striking contact so it seems to be a bit more positive as the wind started to chill it was time to get back to our rather unusual accommodation took the way in amongst Snowden's mountains it was time to light a fire get some warm food and start planning for tomorrow's adventure