When can visitors play at Elie?

Visitor tee times are generally 11:00–12:30 and 14:30–16:00 daily, except from mid-July to mid-August, which is reserved for members and guests.

Can a single golfer book at Elie?

Single bookings cannot be made online; call the Starter's Office and staff will try to pair you with other golfers.

What is the periscope at Elie?

A submarine periscope from HMS Excalibur, installed in 1966, which the starter uses to check the 1st fairway is clear before players tee off.

Is Elie open in winter?

Yes, the course is open all year.

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The Golf House Club, Elie

Elie is one of the oldest links in the world, with golf played here since at least the 1500s. The Golf House Club welcomes visitors most of the year, about 20 minutes from St Andrews, and is known for the submarine periscope its starter uses to check the 1st fairway is clear.

Photo: Bill Kasman · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Display cropped to fit

The course and its character

Royal charters from 1589 confirm the right to play golf over the links between Elie and Earlsferry. At just over 6,200 yards the course rewards imagination and accuracy rather than power, with rolling fairways, revetted bunkers, fast greens and views over the Firth of Forth. James Braid learned the game here and called the 13th the finest hole in the country, and Peter Thomson said he would build Elies all over the world. The periscope beside the 1st tee was salvaged from HMS Excalibur in 1966.

Booking and visitor practicalities

Tee times can be booked online, but single golfers must phone the Starter's Office so they can be paired up. Visitor times are normally 11:00–12:30 and 14:30–16:00, subject to daylight and competitions, and from mid-July to mid-August the course is reserved for members and their guests. Check in at the Starter's Office by the 1st tee and leave clubs in the area beside it. Visiting juniors aged 12–17 must be with a member or adult visitor.

Getting there and nearby

Elie is on the south coast of the East Neuk, about 20 minutes' drive from St Andrews and under an hour from Edinburgh. The clubhouse has changing rooms and catering, and the beaches and harbour at Elie, plus Lundin Links and Leven, are close by.