The Golf House Club, Elie

The Golf House Club, Elie is one of several incredible courses based in the region of Fife, with the layout overlooking the Firth of Forth.
 

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, it is a somewhat unique layout.

 

16 par 4s and a pair of par 3s make up the scorecard, meaning that The Golf House Club, Elie is one of very few courses in the country to not have a single par 5. There are scoring chances around the layout, just not at the two short holes...
 

 

Visit The Golf House Club, Elie's website here.
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The official founding date of The Golf House Club, Elie 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 layout 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.

The Golf House Club, Elie has hosted several prestigious events over the years, including being a host venue for Regional Qualifying for the Open Championship.
 

The layout at The Golf House Club, 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 miss 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. The 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, and 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 11th 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.

 

The Golf House Club, Elie is located on the east coast of Scotland, in the coastal town of Elie and Earlsferry. It sits halfway between Anstruther to the east and Leven to the west. The town of St Andrews is 15 miles north, with the Scottish capital city of Edinburgh around 45 miles to the south, over the Firth of Forth.
 

Edinburgh Airport sits on the near side of the city, the same distance from The Golf House Club, Elie. Edinburgh is the largest and busiest airport in Scotland, with daily flights to the majority of major destinations around the world. The nearest train station to The Golf House Club, Elie sits in the town of Leven, around ten miles to the west.

 

Are there any other NCG Top 100s: Scotland venues nearby?
The Golf House Club, Elie is one of several incredible courses located in the Scottish region of Fife. Dumbarnie Links, Leven Links and Lundin Links are all within ten miles to the west of Elie, while the likes of Ladybank, Kingsbarns, Crail's Balcomie Course, and the plethora of layouts in St Andrews are all within 20 miles.

What golf facilities does The Golf House Club, Elie offer?  
The club itself does not have a driving range, but there is one at the Elie Sports Club, which sits next door to the golf club. The Golf House Club, Elie does have a short game area and a putting green, though.
  

What are the green fees at The Golf House Club, Elie?
The price of a green fee at The Golf House Club, Eliechanges throughout the year, depending on the season. It is also different depending on whether it is a weekday or weekend. 

 

For more information on current green fees at The Golf House Club, Elie, visit their website here. 

 

Visit The Golf House Club, Elie's website here.
Go back to the NCG Top 100s Homepage.