Golf Solitaire Rules

Golf Solitaire combines the fun of the golf green with the strategy of the green felt card table. This easy step-by-step guide explains how to play Golf Solitaire. First, let's learn the rules.

Play all cards into a single foundation pile, like golf balls into a hole.

Using a shuffled 52-card deck with jokers removed, lay 35 cards face-up in seven stacks of five.

The remaining cards make the stock pile, which is placed below the layout. Finally, flip over the top card of the stock and lay adjacently. This card functions as both the foundation and the waste pile.

Golf Solitaire rules offer two difficulty levels for players.

Easy. Cards can be played in a loop onto the foundation pile. This means that an ace can be played on top of the King, continuing the chain.

Hard. Cards cannot be played in a loop. This means that once a player places a King onto the foundation pile, a new card from the stock must be drawn.

Now that the layout is set up, let the fun commence. Here’s how to play Golf Solitaire:

1: Flip and view the top card of the foundation pile and scan the layout for any card that is either one rank higher. lower than this card can be played onto the foundation, regardless of the suit.

2: If there are no playable cards within the layout, draw a new card from the stock to restart the chain. Repeat until you’re able to retire cards from the layout into the foundation pile.

3: To win, clear the layout before the stock pile is depleted. If the stock runs out first, the game is over.

4: For the easy level, playing a King onto the foundation does not terminate the chain. An ace or a Queen allows the chain to continue. For the hard level, playing a King onto the foundation terminates the chain. A fresh card from the stock is required to continue the game.

Strengthen your skills with our list of strategies.

Take advantage of the face-up layout and see which cards you can play to open up more moves.

The best move is that which unlocks the most cards from the layout. This applies not only to cards of equal rank but also to sequences. For instance, is it better to play Jack and Queen to a 10 card or a 9 and 8? Which sequence frees up valuable cards from the columns? Calculate how many cards you can remove from the tableau and choose the best move that gives you the longest sequence.

Because the game ends when the stock runs out before the layout is cleared, only play a card from the stock when absolutely necessary. Exhaust all possible moves before drawing a card stock pile.

Undo your last move.

Sometimes we don’t see the best play until after we’ve already made a move. That’s why Arkadium offers an undo button. There is no shame in using it.

Get a hint.

Similarly, don't hesitate to get a hint. Before you commit to drawing another card from the stock, hit the hint button to reveal any available moves.

Golf Solitaire challenges you with its restrictive movement and gameplay. There are no building runs in the columns or endless cycling through the stock. Every move must count. If you fail to achieve your hole-in-one, take a deep breath and restart the game with another layout.

Learning how to play Golf Solitaire may be easy, but getting all cards neatly into the foundation pile will take patience and perseverance. Perfect your Golf Solitaire skills today. At Arkadium, all of our games are browser-based—so no need to sign up or download. Play your favorite games anytime, anywhere.

Feel like you’ve already mastered Golf Solitaire rules? Challenge yourself some more with our wide collection of Solitaire games, including Klondike, Spider Solitaire, Pyramid Solitaire, Tripeaks Solitaire, Canfield, Crescent, Forty Thieves, Freecell, and more. You can also try our popular game show games, puzzles, hidden object games, and more.