How to Play Golf Solitaire: Rules and Strategies

Golf Solitaire is a fun Solitaire variation in which you clear the tableau by pairing cards one rank higher or lower than the top card of the foundation pile, dealing from the stockpile when you get stuck. With only 16 cards in the stockpile and no way to reuse them, winning Golf Solitaire is challenging.

Some people play a scored nine round version, trying to get the lowest score possible, just like in golf. In this post, you'll learn how to play Golf Solitaire, keep score, and the rules and strategies to win.

Golf Solitaire Objective

The objective of Golf Solitaire is to clear the cards in the tableau before you run out of cards in your stockpile. You do so by pairing tableau cards that are one rank higher or lower than the top foundation pile card.

Golf Solitaire Setup

You can set up Golf Solitaire with a standard 52 card deck or play online for free on Solitaire Bliss. To start, deal the cards into the following piles:

• Tableau: Set up seven rows of five face-up cards each, slightly overlapping the cards in each row. During gameplay, the exposed card in each row can be moved to the foundation pile if it is one rank higher or lower than the card on the foundation pile. Any card moved from the tableau to the foundation pile becomes the new top foundation pile card.
• Stockpile: The remaining 16 cards are placed in a facedown pile to create the stockpile. The top card is flipped over to start the foundation pile. If you run out of moves from the tableau to the foundation pile, you will draw from the stockpile until you can make a move. You can only run through the stockpile once.
• Foundation pile: At the beginning of the game, the top card is flipped from the stockpile to start your foundation pile. Cards can be moved from the tableau to the foundation pile if they are one less or one greater than the top card on this pile, regardless of suit. Once you run out of moves, you can refresh the foundation pile with a card from the stockpile.

Golf Solitaire Gameplay Rules

Golf Solitaire rules are pretty simple. You can move any card from the tableau to the foundation pile if it is one higher or lower than the top card on the stockpile, regardless of suit. For example, if the top card on the foundation pile is a six of spades, you can play any exposed five or seven of any suit.

Here are the game rules:

• The rank for playing cards on the waste pile is as follows: A 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 J Q K.
• In traditional Golf Solitaire, ranks cannot be wrapped. You cannot play an ace on a king or a king on an ace. However, Easy Golf Solitaire allows you to wrap cards.
• Cards can be played either up or down in rank. If you have a nine on the foundation pile and play an exposed eight, then you can play another nine or a seven on that eight.
• Only the top card in each pile on the tableau is playable.
• Cards can only be moved one at a time.
• You cannot move cards between columns on the tableau or to empty spaces.
• Once you run out of moves, you can flip over a new card from the stockpile.
• The cards in the stockpile can only be used once, and the game ends once they have all been used.
• The game ends when you either clear the tableau or run out of stockpile cards and can't make any more moves.

Golf Solitaire Scoring

If you choose to play the scored version, you will play nine rounds, tallying your score at the end of each round.

• Add a point for each card left in the tableau.
• Subtract a point for each card left in the stockpile once the tableau has been cleared.

For example, if you have gone through your stockpile and have four cards left on the tableau, you would record a score of +4 points. If you have cleared the tableau and still have two cards in the stockpile, you would record a score of -2 points for that round.

Add up points from all nine rounds to get your final game score. Remember, the object of the game is to get the lowest score possible.

Strategies to Win Golf Solitaire

If you are familiar with Klondike Solitaire, you already understand the importance of strategy in Solitaire card games. Golf Solitaire is particularly challenging, so if you get stuck try one of these strategies.

Scan the Tableau for Future Moves

Before you make any moves, scan the tableau for future moves. Because you can see all the cards in the tableau, you can figure out if you have several multiples buried or possible sequences that will create a cascade of moves. So before you start the clock on your game, plan ahead and strategize how you can make sure to have nines or jacks available to pair with the three tens that are buried in the tableau. Or capitalize on a card in the foundation to play that long sequence available in the tableau.

Play the Cards That Create the Most Moves

You may have more than one card you can play at any given time, so be strategic about which card you play to maximize your moves. If you have an eight in your foundation pile, but you have a nine and a seven available in the tableau, pair the eight with the card that allows for a cascade of moves. If a ten is also available to play, pair the foundation card with the nine so you can also play the ten, but if there is an eight under the seven, pair the foundation card with the seven so you can play the eight underneath, followed by the nine and ten that are also available. Playing the card that gives you more options for follow-up moves gets you closer to clearing the tableau.

Prioritize Aces and Kings to Pair with Twos and Queens

Twos and queens are the only cards that aces and kings can be paired with. Other cards in the deck have two possibilities for gameplay, but aces and kings are more limited and harder to move to the stockpile. So keep track of how many twos and queens you've passed through the stockpile and how many aces and kings still need to be played into the foundation pile.

Only Use the Stockpile When Absolutely Necessary

Unlike many other Solitaire games, you may not reuse the stockpile in Golf Solitaire, so the cards in the stockpile should only be used in situations where you have no other moves left on the tableau. This is why capitalizing on playing cards that create follow-up moves is important. The less you rely on the stockpile, the more cards you have left in it to use when you need it.

Keep Columns Even

When moving cards on the tableau, you will want to keep your columns as even as possible. When you focus on clearing whole columns instead of focusing on the whole tableau, you narrow the possibilities for gameplay and run the risk of getting stuck. You can't move cards buried in a column, so working across columns keeps seven cards in play.

Count Cards to Keep Track of Potential Pairs

You can try counting cards if you are ready for a more advanced move. This helps you keep track of your aces and kings and gives you insight into which potential pairs are still available in the stockpile. This may take more time, but it can prevent you from getting stuck.

For example, if you've used all of the fives and have a four or a six left on your tableau, your choices to pair those are cut in half. You would only have one option available for those (three and seven, respectively) and need to strategize to find their matches. Keeping track of available and used cards helps you monitor the remaining threes and sevens.

Use the Undo Button

Whether you're new to Golf Solitaire or an old pro, the undo button gives you a chance to reverse moves when you make a mistake or see a better path. Although it counts as a move to undo one, it can help you hone your strategy and see whether other plays might create a pathway to winning.

Other Solitaire Variations to Try

Once you have mastered Golf Solitaire, you may want to branch out and try other Solitaire variants.

• Pyramid Solitaire: To win, you must empty all of the cards from the tableau (set up in the shape of a pyramid) into the foundation. You must pair two cards with a total of 13 to send them to the foundation pile.
• All in A Row: A much harder game than Golf, the objective is to move all of the cards from the tableau, but you have no stockpile. You pick a card to move to the foundation, then move cards from the tableau that are one rank higher or lower than the current top card in the foundation, regardless of suit.
• FreeCell Solitaire: If you need a break from the more complex games, you can try FreeCell Solitaire. With no cards hidden on the tableau or in a stockpile, you must arrange foundation piles according to suit, starting with the ace. What makes this game simpler is that you have four free cells for temporary card storage.
• TriPeaks Solitaire: Tripeaks Solitaire requires all cards to be moved from the tableau (organized in "peaks") to the foundation pile. Like Golf Solitaire, cards must be ranked one above or below the card in the foundation pile. Though it may be similar in gameplay, it has a higher win rate than Golf Solitaire.
• Solitaire Turn 1: One of the easier Solitaire games, you flip cards from the stockpile one at a time, with the objective of arranging all cards into foundation piles ascending from ace to king by suit.

Shoot for Your Lowest Score

Less is more in the game of Golf Solitaire. Like golf, you want to shoot your lowest score. However, instead of nine holes, you can play nine rounds to score your lowest. Try out these strategies and play online for free at Solitaire Bliss.