Golf House Club Fife

Golf has been played on Earlsferry Links, possibly as early as the 15th century. A royal charter in 1589 affirmed the “ancient servitude right of golf for the villagers over the Links”. The first Club The Elie and Earlsferry Golf Club was formed in 1832. However in order to provide permanent facilities a clubhouse or what was known as a golf house was built in 1875, and the opportunity was taken to use this name to form a new club in the same year, The Golf House Club.

Elie and Earlsferry Ladies Golf Club which shares the course and clubhouse was formed in 1884 and the Earlsferry Thistle Golf Club which also has playing rights claims 1875 as the year of its foundation. James Braid, five times winner of The Open was born and grew up in the village of Earlsferry and was a member of the Thistle aged 15. He considered the 13 th hole, nestling beneath the towering cliffs of Kincraig Point to be “the best hole in golf” and the 4th as needing “twa guid dunts wi’ a wood” to reach the green into the prevailing wind. Elie is unusual in having no par 5s and only two par 3s.

The Course however is a challenging Links one which varies so much depending on the strength and direction of the wind, which can turn 180 degrees in the course of a round. It presents an ever varied challenge not readily apparent from the scorecard. The course is unique in having a submarine periscope, salvaged from HMS Excalibur, located at the Starters Hut on the first tee to enable them to see over the hill to ensure that players ahead are safely out of range.

Both the professional and amateur course record is 62, the former set by Kel Nagle, playing in the British Seniors an event hosted by Elie for several years and the amateur set by Alan W. Mathers a Golf House Club member. Many of the holes on the course have outstanding views across the Firth of Forth and skirting the sea and sand dunes with the 17th and 18th holes sharing with the Old Course the unusual feature on being in the middle of the village.

If you are interested in the history of golf or merely in search of a links course at its best then Elie must be high on your list of courses to play on your next visit to the home of golf.