Golf Solitaire
Clear seven columns by playing cards one rank above or below the waste card. Fast rounds, tight decisions.
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How to play Golf Solitaire
Golf solitaire is the quickest classic on the site: seven short columns, one waste pile and a stock of sixteen cards. You play anything one rank above or below the card showing, and the whole round is over in a couple of minutes — which makes the ones you lose by a single card genuinely annoying.
Rules
- Thirty-five cards are dealt face up in seven columns of five; the remaining sixteen form the stock.
- Only the bottom card of each column is available.
- Play a card onto the waste pile when it is exactly one rank above or below the card showing there.
- With wrapping turned off, Kings and Aces do not connect — the classic, harder version.
- When nothing fits, turn a new card from the stock.
- Clear all seven columns to win the hole.
Tips to win more often
- Spread your attack across columns rather than digging one of them to the bottom.
- Keep a path open to the long runs — chains of 5-6-7-8 are how the board empties.
- Count stock cards. With only a few left, prefer the move that opens the most columns.
- Turn wrapping on while you are learning, then switch it off for the proper challenge.
- A card you cannot reach is as good as gone, so free blockers before they matter.
Golf Solitaire at a glance
| Deck | 1 deck (52 cards) |
|---|---|
| Layout | 7 columns of 5 + 16-card stock |
| Goal | Clear all 35 tableau cards |
| Difficulty | Medium |
| Winnable deals | Around 1 in 10 without wrapping, far more with it |
Playing on a phone or Chromebook
The board resizes to whatever screen you are on. Drag a card with your finger, or simply tap it and it moves to the first place it legally fits. On a keyboard, N starts a new game, U undoes, H gives a hint and Space draws from the stock.
More free solitaire games
Klondike Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, FreeCell Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire, TriPeaks Solitaire, Yukon Solitaire — or see all twelve on the solitaire hub.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Golf solitaire?
Play any available column card that is one rank above or below the card on the waste pile. When you are stuck, draw a new card from the stock.
What does wrapping mean?
With wrapping on, an Ace can be played on a King and a King on an Ace. The traditional rules have no wrapping, which makes the game much harder.
Why is Golf solitaire called Golf?
Each deal is a hole, and the cards left in the columns at the end are your score for that hole — lower is better, exactly as in golf.
Can cards be moved between columns?
No. Cards only ever move from a column to the waste pile, which is what keeps rounds so short.
Is there any skill in Golf solitaire?
Yes — choosing which of several legal cards to play is the whole game, and it decides most deals.
How long does a game take?
Usually two to five minutes, so it fits into a break better than almost any other solitaire.