In this paper a method is proposed to characterize the elasticity of isotropic linear materials from the generation and detection of an acoustic surface wave. For the calculation of the elastic constants, it is sufficient that only one of the faces of the sample be accessible. The methodology is based on both the measurement of the Rayleigh wave velocity and on the determination of the normal to longitudinal amplitude ratio calculated from the normal and longitudinal components of the displacement of a point. The detection of two consecutive surface wave pulses using a single experimental setup permits the determination of the elastic constants. The method is applied to calculate Young's modulus and Poisson's ratio of an aluminum sample as well as their systematic uncertainties. The results obtained give a relative uncertainty for Young's modulus on the order of the sixth part of that calculated for Poisson's ratio.