SolitaireHow to Play Golf Solitaire: Rules, Scoring and Why Kings Hurt
Golf is the simplest solitaire on this site and one of the hardest to win. There is a single rule, no building and nothing to organise. The difficulty is entirely in what you choose to take, and in the two ranks that end a chain whether you like it or not.
The board, explained
| Area | What it holds |
|---|---|
| Tableau | Seven columns of five cards, all 35 face up from the start. Only the bottom card of each column is playable. |
| Waste | One card to begin. Everything you play lands here, and the top card is always your target. |
| Stock | 16 cards. One click sends one card to the waste, and there is no redeal. |
Nothing is hidden. Golf gives you complete information and then makes it very hard to use.
The only rule you need
Take the bottom card of any column if it is one rank above or one rank below the top of the waste. Suits are irrelevant. Clear all seven columns to win the round.
No wrapping, and why that matters
In Golf the ranks are a line, not a loop. Nothing follows a King except a Queen, and nothing follows an Ace except a 2. Both ends of the deck are walls.
| Golf | TriPeaks | |
|---|---|---|
| Ace to King wrap | No | Yes |
| Cards on the table | 35 in seven columns | 28 in three peaks |
| Stock size | 16 | 23 |
| Typical chain length | Short | Long |
The consequence is that a King sitting at the bottom of a column is a genuine problem. You need a Queen to take it and a Jack to continue, and until then it blocks the four cards above it.
How to plan a chain
- Look at all seven bottom cards, every time. There are only seven candidates. Reading them all before each move costs nothing and is the whole skill of the game.
- Work towards the Kings and Aces. If a King is second from the bottom of a column, getting the card below it away while a Queen is still reachable is worth going out of your way for.
- Keep the columns even. A column you never touch is five cards you will have to clear at the end, with almost no stock left.
- Prefer the move that keeps two options open. If two cards are legal, take the one whose rank leaves more neighbours available on the board.
Scoring and what a good round looks like
Every card you clear is worth five points. Winning adds ten points for each card still sitting in the stock, plus a time bonus for finishing quickly. That means a fast win with stock to spare scores dramatically better than a slow one that used every last draw, and it is the clearest signal that you are choosing chains well rather than getting lucky.
Three mistakes that end a round early
Drawing before checking all seven columns
With only 16 stock cards, a wasted draw is a large fraction of your margin.
Ignoring a buried King
Kings do not become easier later. If you can reach one while a Queen is available, do it now.
Emptying one column and neglecting the rest
Clearing a column feels like progress but achieves nothing on its own. The win condition is all seven, so spread the work.
Frequently asked questions
What is the rule in Golf solitaire?
Play the bottom card of any tableau column onto the waste if it is one rank above or one rank below the current waste card. Suits are ignored entirely. The card you play becomes the new target.
Does the Ace wrap to the King in Golf?
No, and that is the defining restriction. An Ace can only be followed by a 2, and a King can only be followed by a Queen. Both ranks are dead ends, which is the main difference between Golf and TriPeaks.
How do I win at Golf solitaire?
Clear all 35 tableau cards before the 16-card stock runs out. You do not need to empty the stock, and cards left in it are worth ten points each in the win bonus.
Why is Golf so hard to win?
Sixteen stock cards for seven columns is not much margin, and every King or Ace you expose can stall a chain that was going well. Most rounds end with a handful of cards still on the table, which is normal.