How to Play Golf Solitaire
Golf is a quick, open solitaire: every card in the layout is face up, so it's all about planning a long chain.
Layout
Deal seven columns of five cards, all face up and overlapping, so you can see every card. The remaining 17 cards are the stock; turn one over to start the waste.
Play
- Move the bottom card of any column to the waste if it is one rank higher or lower than the waste's top card. Suits don't matter.
- Ranks don't wrap: only a Queen goes on a King, and only a Two on an Ace (you can turn King–Ace on in the settings).
- When you can't play, or don't want to, turn the next stock card onto the waste.
End and scoring
The game ends when you've cleared all 35 cards, or the stock is empty and nothing fits. Score like golf, lower is better:
| Result | Score |
|---|---|
| Cards left in the columns | +1 each |
| All columns cleared | minus the stock cards left |
A "hole" of, say, 3 is good; a negative score is excellent.
On kawu
Tap a column's bottom card to play it; tap the stock to turn a card. Hints, unlimited undo and a daily deal with a score to beat. Play Golf solitaire, or read the strategy tips.
Frequently asked questions
Can you play an Ace on a King in Golf solitaire?
Not in standard Golf: ranks don't wrap round, so only a Queen goes on a King and only a Two on an Ace. kawu lets you turn wrapping on in the settings.
How is Golf solitaire scored?
Like golf, lower is better: your score is the number of cards left in the columns. Clear them all and your score is minus the number of stock cards you didn't need.
Last updated 2026-10-19