Elie Golf Club is one of several incredible courses based on the eastern coastline of Scotland. St Andrews and Kingsbarns are based within half an hour from Elie, in what is a golfing paradise.

The club was founded in 1875 and is one of the oldest in the country. Designed by Old Tom Morris, and then redesigned by James Braid twenty years later, the course provides incredible views of the Firth of Forth.

Book to play on the NCG Top 100s Tour at Elie.
Visit Elie's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.

The official founding date of Elie Golf Club is 1875, when the first clubhouse was built on the property. However, golf had been played on the land for more than a century prior to that.

The first mention of a golf course at Elie & Earlsferry comes from 1770. A Short and Long Course were there at the time. That land now plays host to the 4th, 5th, 8th and 17th holes of the current 18-hole lay-out at Elie. The clubhouse was started in 1875 and became operational a few years later. 

Five-time Open Champion James Braid learnt how to play golf at Elie, having been born in the adjoining village of Earlsferry. He won his first local tournament at Elie at just 8, and went on to become one of the best players of his generation. Although going on to become a world-renowned golf course architect, Elie was never a course that Braid made changes to.

Elie Golf Club has hosted several prestigious events over the years, including the British Seniors Championship. It has also been a host venue for Regional Qualifying for the Open Championship.

Elie is a par-70, measuring in at 6,273 yards from the tips. Although not the longest of courses, the sea breeze can play havoc with shot and club selection. The course also has the unique distinction of having no par-5s, and just the two par-3s to boot.

Elie starts with an intimidating opening drive. Playing from the shadow of the starter’s hut, the blind drive is one of the signature shots on the course. With out of bounds down the right side, the mis is most definitely to the left. The 2nd is a drivable par-4 at just 284 yards, but with four bunkers guarding the green, your tee shot will need to be accurate. From the back tees, the first par-3 on the course, the 3rd, plays at over 210 yards. Depending on the wind direction, it can be anything from a mid-iron to a driver, but be wary of the out of bounds if you go over the green. 

Four short par-4s follow, with the 6th featuring three bunkers in the middle of the fairway, the first of those coming at the 245 yard mark. The 7th measures in at just 252 yards from the back tees and often plays downwind with the prevailing gusts. That could mean that a long iron will get you to the green on this par-4. Stroke Index 1 follows, with the 8th being the most difficult challenge on the property. The front side at Elie closes with the longest hole in the opening nine. The 440-yard par-4 plays into the prevailing wind and has a gaggle of bunkers on the right side of the fairway to catch slightly errant drives.

A short par-4 kicks off the back nine, another driveable one at just 288 yards. It plays less with a good drive finding the downslope on the fairway, and your ball will chase down to the green, especially in the summer. The 11th is the only par-3 on the back side and although it is only 133 yards, it is a tough hole. The estuary is on your left, with incredible views out to sea. After the short par-3 comes the longest hole on the course, the 466 yard par-4 12th. It is the hardest hole on the back nine, and it takes a brave golfer to find the left side of the fairway, as your drive will require going out over the beach. 

13 is a straight away par-4 with the sea on your left before 14 turns back inland. The crest of a hill sits in the middle of the 15th fairway, but longer hitters can use it to their advantage. A drive over it can help your ball towards the green, which is situated just 320 yards from the tee. Two par-4s of over 400 yards starts the closing trio before ‘Home’, the 18th at Elie, brings your round to its end. Out of bounds all down the right, and then long and left on your approach, it is a truly wonderful finishing test.

Elie Golf Club is located on the east coast of Scotland, halfway between Anstruther and Lundin Links. It sits just ten miles south of St Andrews, with Kingsbarns also in the same region.

The venue is located 90 minutes from Edinburgh, with the city providing excellent nightlife, culture and heritage for visitors to see. Edinburgh Airport sits on the near side of the city, the same distance from Elie Golf Club, with international flights to a lot of countries in Europe and the world. 

Elie Golf Club’s golf fees are in line with the majority of clubs on the NCG Top 100s, with a weekend round at Elie costing £160 through July and August. Play through the week and that will only cost £140. 

The rest of the summer months will see prices at £20 less on both the weekday and weekend, with those prices then again being halved for the winter months. 

Elie also offer a weekly ticket for £325, while a fortnightly ticket is £500. That allows you to play as much golf as you possibly car, for what will be a well-reduced price.

Book to play on the NCG Top 100s Tour at Elie.
Visit Elie's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.