Why it matters
Elie is a par-70 links a 20-minute drive south of St Andrews, known for two things: the periscope on the first tee (used to spot a clear fairway since 1922), and the fact that James Braid grew up here. It's neither a championship course nor a tourist trap — it's a town links that's been played continuously since 1875 and is the answer locals give when asked which Fife course visitors miss.
How to play it
Walking only and easy to walk. Tee times bookable directly with the club; far more available than St Andrews itself. Pair with a Crail or Anstruther round for a non-St Andrews Fife day — the East Neuk fishing villages are part of the appeal.