Elie - Fife's Hidden Gem

Twenty minutes south of St Andrews lies one of the most enjoyable courses you will find anywhere in Scotland. Golf has been played at Elie perhaps as early as the 15th century. Officially known as 'The Golf House Club', the course we know today was laid out in 1896, and the course has a direct link to the great James Braid - he played golf here as a boy. At only 6200 yards, there are no par 5's and only two par 3's. This long stretch of fours may appear bland to those who haven't played the links, but let me assure you nothing could be further from the truth. In it's time, Elie has been a final qualifying course for The Open Championship, and has played host to a number of notable professional and amateur tournaments. It is a joy to play from start to finish.

On the first tee you will be cordially greeted by the starter, who's hut sits under an impressive looking thirty foot periscope. This wonderful, quirky feature was retrieved from HMS Excaliber - built in 1955. From here the starter can view the fairway ahead, which is blind from the tee, and let golfers know when it is safe to play. On many courses, I am a little weary of blind tee shots, but on Elie they definitely add to the character of the course. These are usually combined with large landing areas, with the first being an example, and they don't really detract from the playability of the course. What is so exciting about Elie, is the risk-reward nature of many of it's holes. For this reason it acts as a tremendous matchplay venue. There is a great chance of making birdie or bogey at almost every hole.

The best stretch of holes are found running adjacent to the beach at the far end of the course. The 12th is one of those holes like the 1st at Machrihanish where you must decide how much of the carry to bite off, and then hope for a good connection. A brave tee shot leaves a mid-iron for your approach, but a nervous bail-out to the right will result in a long iron or fairway wood from a much tougher angle. The 13th also doglegs slightly to the left. This time a much more friendly tee shot invites you to a fantastic view of a raised green sitting below the picturesque ampitheatre of a series of steep cliffs. The front nine, and loop at the corner is most certainly the place to make your score because the later part the round is a lot more challenging.

If you're spending a week in St Andrews, this is without doubt a course I suggest you add to your itinerary. And after you've experienced the very welcoming hospitality of the clubhouse, don't forget to drop in to the nearby Ship Inn and enjoy a malt within the confines of one of Scotland's best pubs.