How to play Golf Solitaire

Golf is a quick solitaire game where every card is in view. Clear the seven columns by playing cards one higher or one lower than the card on the foundation. Like golf, the lower your score, the better.

The layout

Seven columns of five cards, all face up, so you can see every card from the start.
The stock: the other cards, face down, fanned out so you can see how many are left.
The foundation: one pile, which starts with a card from the stock. You play onto its top card.

The rules

Play the top card of any column onto the foundation if it is one rank higher or one lower. The suit doesn't matter: a 7 can go on a 6 or an 8.
The card you play becomes the new foundation card, so you can keep a run going: 5, 6, 7, 6, 5 works.
Only the top card of each column can be played. Cards never come back off the foundation.
When nothing plays, tap the stock to turn up a new foundation card. You go through the stock once.
Clear all 35 column cards to win.

A–K wrap or no wrap

With A–K wrap, Aces and Kings connect: a King can go on an Ace or a Queen, and an Ace on a King or a 2. No wrap keeps them apart, as in the original game: only a 2 goes on an Ace, and only a Queen on a King. It is much harder. To switch, tap New and pick a mode.

Scoring

Result	Score
Each card still in the columns at the end	+1
Each card still in the stock when you clear the columns	−1

Lower is better, as in golf. The score counts down as you clear cards, and a win scores zero or below. Traditionally a round is nine deals, or "holes", and a total of 45 or less is par.

Controls

Tap or click the top card of a column to play it on the foundation. You can drag it there too.
Tap the stock to turn up the next card.
Hint looks down the columns for the longest run you can make, or tells you to deal.
Undo takes back as many moves as you like.
On a keyboard, Space deals from the stock, H shows a hint, Ctrl + Z undoes a move and N starts a new game.

Tips for winning more games

Plan the whole run first. Every card is face up, so you can work out a long chain before you play the first card.
Runs can change direction. 6, 7, 8, 7, 6 is a fine run. Going up and down keeps it alive.
Dig into the tall columns. A column with five cards left needs more plays to clear than one with two.
Save a card for later. If two cards fit, think about which one you'll need after the next deal.
Deal only when you have to. Every stock card you keep is a point off your score if you win.
Use Undo to explore. Try a run, and if it goes nowhere, take it back. It costs nothing.

Questions

Can every game be won?

No, Golf is one of the harder solitaire games. Under the strictest traditional rules, where nothing can go on a King, an often-quoted estimate is about one deal in twenty. Letting Aces and Kings connect makes long runs easier, which is why it's this game's default.

Why is it called Golf?

Because of the scoring. Like strokes in golf, every card left over counts against you, so the lowest score wins. An early name for the game was One Foundation, from a 1905 book of patience games.

How is Golf different from TriPeaks?

Both play cards one rank up or down onto a single pile. In Golf every card is face up in seven columns, so you can plan ahead. In TriPeaks most cards start face down in three peaks and turn over as you clear them.

Is it free? Do I need an account?

Yes, it's free, and there's nothing to download or sign up for. Your current game and your statistics are saved in this browser on this device.

What happens if I close the page?

Your game is saved after every move. Open the page again in the same browser and you'll pick up where you left off.

Can I play offline?

Yes. After your first visit the game works without an internet connection. On a phone, add it to your home screen to open it like an app.