Golf Solitaire deals thirty-five cards face up into seven columns of five. You play the bottom card of any column onto the waste pile when it is one rank higher or lower. The fewer cards left at the end, the better your score.
The shape of a round
Everything is in plain sight, so Golf is a planning game from the first tap. You can see every column, which means you can see where a run could go: a 6 over a 7 over an 8 will clear in a single sweep if the waste card cooperates, and a hidden dead end is nothing but a column you have already looked at.
The stock holds just sixteen cards. Each draw is a small gamble and a small cost. Spend them as slowly as you can.
Reading the board
Before you tap anything, look for chains that bounce: the waste is a 9, one column ends in 8, another in 10, and the 8 sits on a 9. Play the 10 first and the 9 under the 8 becomes reachable later. Many Golf rounds are decided by which of two choices you make early.
The King rule shapes the end game. Each King that lands on the waste is a wall, so a King in the tableau should be played only when you are ready to pay for the draw that follows. Because the rank line does not wrap, a King or an Ace in a column can also be hard to reach.
Scoring at a glance
| Cards left in columns | That many points (lower is better) |
|---|---|
| Columns cleared | Minus one per stock card left |
| Counted as a win | Only a full clear |
If you want the complete rules with an example round, see the Golf Solitaire rules page. Fans of Golf often enjoy TriPeaks, the cousin that adds wrapping and streaks, and Pyramid for a slower puzzle.
Golf Solitaire questions
Why can’t I play on a King?
In this version a King on the waste pile stops play: nothing can go onto it, not even a Queen. You have to draw a new card. Ace and King do not connect either.
How is Golf scored?
Your score is the number of cards still in the columns when the round ends. Zero is a clean sweep. If you clear every column, the score goes negative: minus one for each card left in the stock.
Which cards can I play?
Only the bottom card of each column, and only if it is exactly one rank above or below the waste card. Suits and colors do not matter.
Is this the same as 18-hole Golf?
No. This is a single-round version for quick play. Your lowest score is saved in the stats line under the table.
When does the game end?
When the stock is empty and none of the seven bottom cards fits the waste card, or sooner if you clear all seven columns.