Golf Solitaire

How to play Golf Solitaire

Golf is a quick game of planning ahead. All 35 cards on the table are face up from the start, so you can see everything you'll need. Your goal is to clear all seven columns onto a single pile — and, as in golf, the lower your score, the better. That's where the game gets its name.

The layout

• Seven columns of five cards each, all face up.
• The waste pile below them starts with one card. You always play onto its top card.
• The stock beside it holds the other 16 cards, face down.

Playing cards

• Tap the bottom card of any column if it is one higher or one lower than the top of the waste pile. The suit doesn't matter: on a 7 you can play any 6 or any 8.
• In the classic game, Kings and Aces don't go on each other. Only a Queen can follow a King, and only a 2 can follow an Ace. If you'd like them to wrap round, turn that on in Settings.
• When nothing fits, tap the stock to turn over a new card. It becomes the new top of the waste pile. You go through the stock once.

Keeping score

If the game ends with cards still on the table, your score is the number of cards left. If you clear the table, you score minus the number of cards still in the stock — so clearing it with three cards to spare scores −3. Lower is better, just like in golf. For a longer game, try playing nine deals as a “round” and adding up your scores.

Tips

• Plan the whole run before you start. Every card is face up, so look for the longest chain you can make, going up and down — 5, 6, 7, 6, 5 is fine, using different cards.
• Work on the tallest columns. A column with five cards needs the most turns to clear, so give it attention early.
• Watch out for Kings and Aces. In the classic game a King is a dead end unless a Queen is ready to follow it, so try not to put a King on the pile when no Queen is free.
• Use the stock sparingly. Every card you don't need to turn over is a point off your score.
• Ask for a hint when you're stuck. The hint follows a real path to a win whenever it can find one, and it tells you honestly when the table can no longer be cleared.

Questions

Can every game be won?

Not every deal of Golf can be won: in our own tests, about half of all deals can't be cleared by the classic rules, even with perfect play. So every new and daily game here comes from a list of deals we've checked can be won. (A game number you type in yourself is dealt exactly as it is.)

Why can't I play an Ace on a King?

In the classic rules the cards don't wrap round, so a King only fits with a Queen and an Ace only with a 2. If you'd prefer, turn on Let Kings and Aces go on each other in Settings — it makes the game noticeably easier.

Is my game saved?

Yes. Your game is saved automatically in this browser, so you can close the page and come back later on the same device.

What is the deal number?

Every deal has a number, and the same number always gives the same cards. Bookmark the page or share the link to play a deal again — or try today's deal, which is the same for everyone. It's a nice one to compare scores on.