Reason for an Elie Golf Club review
Visiting Fife for a long-awaited trip to the Home of Golf, I needed to sample some of the region’s other golfing delights. An Elie golf club review seemed the best possible place to start.
Where is Elie?
Elie is just off the A917 in the East Neuk of Fife, about an hour north of Edinburgh and just a short trip across the Forth Road Bridge.
This quaint little home to the legendary James Braid is also a 25-minute drive from the golfing Mecca that is St Andrews.
What to expect
Something very special.
It would be easy to characterise Elie as an unusually quirky course, and make no mistake it is (as is evident from the famous periscope in the starter’s hut next to the 1st tee), but that would do the magnificence of the layout a disservice.
Elie has no par 5s and just two par 3s but offers four drivable par 4s on a good day, meaning the scorecard doesn’t feel as much of a slog as it looks.
The variety of these par 4s, with some possessing significant elevation changes and greenside slopes, make every hole a new challenge.
Friendly pin placements on undulating greens make it so much fun to visualise little bump-and-run iron shots tumbling over the crest of the hill and down to the flag. This type of shot is an option on hole after hole.
My best bit
After walking over the hill on the par-4 10th, seeing a stunning view on a stunning day and my ball on the green in one, I was fairly delighted.
After an almighty struggle for my birdie, a stretch of the three most beautiful holes I have played this year awaited. The par-3 11th, par-4 12th and par-4 13th all hug the sea with the famed Elie cliffs forming the backdrop.
A half-decent back nine quickly changed my slowly souring mood during a torrid front nine, and allowed me to see this beautiful course in all its glory on the particularly sunny day we were fortunate enough to enjoy.
What to look out for:
Firstly, make sure you ask in the starter’s hut to have a look through the periscope. Even if just to say you looked through it.
Secondly, keep an eye out for the stunning views from the 9th to the 13th, not that you are likely to miss them.
Lastly, sample the hearty food and drink (complimentary with a visitor’s round) served in the superb clubhouse, enjoy the vintage collections of clubs on show and prepare for your afternoon round.
If you haven’t booked 36, you might want to reconsider. Elie is worth it.
When I go back:
I will cross my fingers for weather just as pleasant as this unusual October morning. Other than that, I hope I’ll have just as good an experience as this time round.
With the sheer pleasure a round at Elie brings, that may not be too unreasonable a wish.
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