Introduction
Golf Solitaire, as the name suggests, is a card game in the Solitaire Genre. Like all Solitaire games, it is intended as a single-player game that can be used to pass the time in an enjoyable fashion.
Players play against the luck of the cards in Golf Solitaire, with the Player either able to win or lose based on the layout of the deck when they deal out their table.
How to Play Golf Solitaire?
Golf Solitaire is played using a standard Anglo-American 52-card deck. The gameplay setup is rather simple.
Setup and Deal
Shuffle a deck of cards, and then deal out 7 different columns of cards. Each column should have 5 cards, with the cards overlapping each other such that the cards on the bottom can be seen, but they are still overlain with other cards.
Each card should be dealt face-up, and a total of 35 cards should be dealt. The remaining cards should be kept in a deck, called the stock. The top card of this stock should be upturned and placed next to the stock, creating the starting card of the discard pile.
Players may then begin the game.
Gameplay
Cards at the bottom of the column, which do not have cards on top of them, are considered valid for Play. Players must take cards from these columns, where legal, and add them to the discard pile.
A card may only be added to the discard pile if it is the bottom card of its column, and if it is one rank higher or one rank lower than the top card of the discard pile.
For example:
- A 3 card is on the bottom of the 2nd column, and there is a 2 in the discard pile.
- Take the 3 from its column, and place it in the discard.
Players cannot discard cards that are the same rank as the top of the discard pile. For example, if there is an 8, then 8s cannot be removed from the bottoms of their columns and discarded.
If there are no legal moves, a Player is able to deal out the top card of the stock to the discard pile. However, keep in mind, the stock cannot be reshuffled once it is depleted.
Only deal a card if it is absolutely necessary. Golf Solitaire is a single-player game, so there will be nobody around to tell you a possible missed opportunity.
Ending and Winning Conditions
If there are no more cards in the stock, and no legal moves can be made, the game is over and the Player lost. They can, if they wish, count the remaining number of cards in the columns and consider that their “Score.” In this scenario, a score of 0 would be a winning game.
If a Player is able to clear all of the columns from the board, and discard them, then they have won the game.
Golf Solitaire Rules
The rules that are crucial to know when playing the game are listed below:
- A card can only be discarded if it is the bottom of its column with no overlapping cards, and if it is one rank higher or lower than the top card of the discard pile.
- The stock will not be reshuffled once it is depleted. Use your deals wisely.
- Players win if they are able to discard all of the cards from their columns.
Keeping Score
As mentioned above, Golf Solitaire is an all-or-nothing game. Either you win or lose. However, if you want for the purposes of tracking games to show improvement, or to just keep track of all the games played, there is a scoring system that is used in most solitaire games.
- Simply assign a winning score with the number of “0.”
- From there, in a losing game, the number of cards remaining make up the “Score” with a lower score being considered better.
So, a scoresheet might look something like “0 (won game), 12, 11, 5, 3”, with each non-zero score representing a lost game.
Example Play
Imagine that the following is the top card of the discard pile: 8♦
And imagine that the following is the bottom row of cards, or the bottom of all of the columns:
J♥ 7♥ 3♥ 10♣ Q♠ 10♦ Q♥
Take the 7♥ and place it on top of the 8♦, and with no other options, deal out a card from the stock.
The new top of the discard pile is: 9♣.
Play the 10♣, then the J♥.
From there, Players are given the choice of discarding the 10♣ or the Q♠/♥. The optimal choice would depend on the next card above them in their columns.
Strategy
This game involves some strategy in order to help you win. See our Golf Solitaire strategy tips below:
- Only draw cards if you absolutely must. Once the stock is gone it’s gone, try not to waste it. Good use of the stock could make the difference between a win and a loss.
- Try to “reverberate” or use a pattern of cards. For example, if the top card is a 10, and you have a 9 and a 10 available, play the 9, and then the 10. This way, you were able to discard 3 cards all at the same time, without even changing the top-card of the discard pile.
FAQs
How many Rows are in Golf Solitaire?
There are 5 Rows, or horizontal lines of cards, in a game of Golf Solitaire. 7 columns, 5 cards deep, make 5 rows.
Is it possible to win Golf Solitaire?
Yes, it is indeed possible. Like almost all solitaire games, it is entirely possible to lose a game of Golf Solitaire as well simply based on the deal of the cards. If you’re forced to draw from the stock 11 times just to make a single discard, the odds of winning aren’t great. But, that doesn’t mean it is impossible.
