Elie - Fife - Scotland

Elie is a ."Delight" to play. From the walk to the 1st tee with the "Periscope" starting house, to the raised 18th green, Elie offers every facet of Golf.

Elie might be viewed as a little eccentric by some, after all it's not often you play a course with just two par-3's and sixteen par-4's. Any concerns about the lack of variety when first viewing the scorecard are soon dispelled however as there are so many wonderful par-4's scattered throughout the round.

Uphill, downhill, blind, some driveable and others brutally long, all adds up to one of the most enjoyable rounds of golf imaginable. As interesting as the other holes undoubtedly are, I particularly enjoyed the run from 10-13 which are situated along the coastline, the 13th with a raised green angled against play and perched at the bottom of a cliff, possibly being my favourite.

Elie has a feel good factor that is difficult to quantify but the experience of playing away from town to the coast and then back in, like so many other old Scottish classics, creates its own special atmosphere. The clubhouse has had what appears to be a rather expensive refurb both inside and out, thankfully without taking away any of the old school charm. Brian W

There is something about Elie that puts you under a spell. It is a truly magical links that, after just one round, has won a place in my heart and mind forever.

If ever the phrase ‘less is more’ applied to a course it would be here at The Golf House Club, Elie in Fife. It’s a course that goes about its business in an unassuming manner, has many unique features and ultimately succeeds because of its brilliant use of the natural features of the land. The harmony between golf and nature is at its beautiful best here and a joy to experience.

The uniqueness begins before you even tee-off. That is if you are invited by the starter to peek through the submarine periscope in his office that not only ensures the group in front is out of the way, beyond the summit of the blind opening drive, but also a view of virtually the entire course and glimpses of gently undulating linksland.

The gradual falling approach to the 420-yard first is not easy to judge so early on in the round whilst neither is the superb skyline shot to the shorter second. Meanwhile, the third is as exquisite as it is simple; a downhill 200+ yarder that just begs the approach to be shaped and run in from the right.

From here you cross a narrow lane to a section of the course that houses the remainder of the holes save for the 18th which itself is a fitting closing hole to a joyous round of golf on this timeless links.

You will want to reflect on your round here, that is for sure. You will want to savour the delights it has produced, the variety it embodies and the joy its pure, undiluted golf has given. And it may not be until this point that you look at the scorecard and realise that you’ve played 16 par fours, just two par three’s and not a single par five. There is no other course that could pull this off.

The game has been played across this historic links since the 15th Century and given the superb setting it is little wonder the course is so highly regarded. I only wish there were more golf courses like Elie, although maybe the fact this type of course is so rare is what actually makes it so special.

Ed is the founder of Golf Empire – click the link to read his full review.

Elie was the last course we played on a recent trip in Scotland at the end of March, and in some ways the most pleasant surprise.

I had seen it from the village end previously when unable to get on and it seemed quite plain, but the course was in great running condition, and the holes had more variety than one would expect from looking at the yardage and card. The highlight are predictably the holes at the sea end of the course, but on the way out and back the golf was great fun and one always seemed to need an extra club than expected. Add in a very friendly staff (contrary to reputation) and an already nice club house currently undergoing significant refurbishment, and the surprisingly good value and quiet game was excellent and not to be missed amongst the more obvious Fife highlights.

This is a short course of 6273 yards and there are one or two quirky holes but it is lots of fun in true golf of the links variety. The starting hole is unique in that you hit blind over a hill but you cannot tee off until given the all clear by the starter who has the aid of a genuine World War II submarine periscope.

From the 6th hole you are closer to the sea although there is no real dune land here. The 10th is a short par four of 288 yards to a hidden green near the sea and down a steeply sloping fairway. If you don’t quite get your drive to the downslope then you have a very delicate pitch in order not to run through the green.

‘Sea Hole’, the short 11th is only 131 yards but beware if the flag is left of centre. If you are only a few feet left of this green you ball will be heading down the bank to the beach. The demanding 466-yard par four 12th is a wonderful hole which doglegs left along the seashore. There is more room than you think if you drive right of centre.

The run home is all par fours with the 17th providing the first views again of the clubhouse. The finishing hole is a medium length par four with a very well bunkered fairway that contains a swale which seems to always kick the ball to the right. A straight drive that avoids these hazards will leave just a short iron to the green.

This review is an edited extract from Another Journey through the Links, which has been reproduced with David Worley’s kind permission. The author has exclusively rated for us every Scottish course featured in his book. Another Journey through the Links is available for Australian buyers via www.golfbooks.com.au and through Amazon for buyers from other countries.

I have been submitting reviews on the courses we played during our ten course tour in the order that we played them, but I decided to skip ahead to our penultimate course, The Golf Club House, Elie because I couldn't wait any more to get my two cents in. I don't know how often visiting groups like ours include Elie on the itineraries, but if they don't, they should. We had the advantage of a gloriously sunny afternoon. We were greeted by the club's Secretary, Mr. Scott, and were warmly welcomed. We had a good look through the periscope and were regaled with some fine tales by the starter (and I am sorry to have forgotten his name). Then the golf. What fun. The blind tee shot on one, the uphill climb to two, then the magnificent long, downhill third. Downwind feast, upwind famine. The short blind number ten, followed by the even shorter and almost as blind par three eleven. I could go on, but the crux is this: Elie is a great little golf course - no par fives and plenty of challenges. It was in excellent condition with fine greens. I think it was the surprise of our trip. I would go back again in a minute. BGD

Well, a wee pre-conception of mine was blown to smithereens on the second last day of February 2012. On each of my previous seven visits to Elie, I was convinced that playing the course, free from the duress of medal conditions, would harvest a glut of stableford points, eclipsing my usual dismal efforts at the Earlsferry Thistle open. I can now report, in a humble and contrite manner that I was sadly deluded as my self perceived ability did not match up to reality, and I came down to earth with an almighty bump. The course was unbelievably quiet and set out in such a manner that most of the holes were played from the medal tees so there wasn’t really a discernable difference to what we were used to. It was great not to be playing under exam conditions with my playing partners in an unusually benevolent mood (especially with each other) with regard to dodgy distance, knee knocking, gimmies. One thing that was, unfortunately too familiar, was my usual duffed opening drive although, I did manage a noble 5. After that it was the usual box of delights that I have grown to love and cherish over the last seven years. One new, and greatly anticipated treat, was entry to the fabled clubhouse of the Golf House Club. It was surprisingly modern in places (much to the Oldest Member’s chagrin) but the Royal Mail box, located within the clubhouse (fairly unique surely), along with the internal telephone box, gave me an inkling of how the club would have looked back in 1928 when the pace of life was slower. So hats off again, to the course that has become my spiritual golfing home. A magical golfing treat for players of all abilities proving that you don’t need the glamour, or expense of St Andrews or Kingsbarns to find quality at a more affordable rate. MPPJ

After the tough winter, the greens were in very disappointing condition. They were the worst we played of ten different courses during our trip this June. However, I thought it was a great layout and would go back to play again if in Fife. A wide variety of Par 4's and simply a great day of glf. Hope for better condition next trip.

For the last 5 years, on the first Saturday in June, it has been with childlike excitement that I have travelled through to the east neuk of Fife to play one of the finest courses on God’s earth, Elie. It is now become a pilgrimage and one of the undoubted highlights of my year. A mere glimpse of the starter’s hut with the infamous telescope uplifts my soul and fills me with joy. In 5 years of trying I have yet to par what I consider to be one the finest opening holes in Scottish golf. That doesn’t matter one iota to me, I consider it a privilege just to be there.

Holes 1 – 3 are quite tough. The blind drive at the first, the second, which looks quite straightforward until you stray of the fairway and the 3rd, a long par 3 which is well guarded with a sloping green, not easy. Before you strike your ball on the third I urge you to take a bit of time to have a look at the magnificent vista that confronts you. You will not be disappointed. Take holes 4 – 9 as your breather. I am not saying that they are easy, far from it, there is still plenty of trouble to be found, but it will prepare you for the stretch between 10 + 13 which is as good as any group of holes in Scotland, the 13th in particular, is a masterpiece. You finish with four stringent par 4’s with 17 and 18 making sure that you will have earned any good medal score.

I am not saying that Elie is the best course that I have played it might not be in my top 10 but, what I do know is if I had to choose just one course to see out my golfing days Elie would be right up near the very top and I would consider myself extremely fortunate. There is nothing really that I can add, look at the other reviews, we can’t all be wrong. Elie just has a magic which is almost tangible. You can’t explain it, it is just there. It is a simple but stunning track that you just must sample, at least once, before you hang up your sticks. Roll on 5 June 2010. MPPJ.

I returned today to play in yet another Earlsferry Thistle GC John Smith/ James Braid Gents Open and - despite the heavy showers throughout the opening nine holes - loved every single minute out on the course. I’d never really inspected the greens closely before; they are enormous and well protected with some lovely bunkering and plenty of severe slopes and cunning undulations to give the protection to par that length off the tee doesn’t provide. And to think that only one of these putting surfaces (Braid’s favourite at the 13th) is elevated – the others just lie on the land like a series of green silk scarves between the 1st and the 18th. If you cannot putt on these greens then you cannot putt, full stop. Elie is understated links golf at both its simplest and at its very best, with holes that just fit the landscape perfectly – I love the place to bits. The only question I have to ask myself is why I did not award the course 6 balls when I last reviewed it? Jim McCann