How to Play Golf Solitaire
Build the waste pile up or down by one rank, regardless of suit. Clear all seven columns before the stock runs out to win.
Know these four rules as decisions
Start With Seven Columns
The table has seven columns with five cards each. Only the outermost exposed card in each column can be played.
Play Cards One Rank Apart
An exposed card can move to the waste if it is one rank higher or lower. Suits do not matter. Ace plays only with 2, and King plays only with Queen.
Draw Only When No Card Plays
When none of the seven exposed cards can play, turn one card from the stock onto the waste and check the columns again.
Clear All Seven Columns to Win
Move all 35 column cards to the waste to win. The stock runs once, and the waste cannot be recycled.
Four ways players waste the order
What should I check first?
Look at the waste card, then identify every exposed card one rank above or below it. Favor a move that uncovers another card.
When should I draw from the stock?
Draw only after checking all seven columns and confirming that no exposed card can play.
Which card should I choose when several can play?
Choose the move that uncovers more cards or leads to a longer useful run. Different orders can produce very different layouts.
When should I use undo?
Use undo after choosing the weaker branch, drawing too early, or spotting another move that uncovers more cards.
Uncover Lower Cards First
When two cards can play, favor the one that exposes another card underneath. More exposed cards create more routes.
Check Every Column Before Drawing
Scan from left to right and remember that 2 plays on Ace and Queen plays on King. Draw only when no exposed card is legal.
Watch the Ace and King Boundaries
Ace does not wrap to King. An Ace waste card needs a 2, while a King needs a Queen.
Replay the Same Numbered Deal
The same deal number always produces the same layout. Replay it and change one decision to compare routes.
Golf Solitaire Rules FAQ
What is the goal in Golf Solitaire?
Move all 35 cards from the seven columns to the waste. Suits do not matter; each played card must be one rank above or below the waste card.
Can Ace play on King?
No. Ace plays only with 2, and King plays only with Queen.
Do suits affect legal moves?
No. Golf Solitaire compares ranks only, so all four suits follow the same rule.
Can I recycle the stock?
No. The stock runs once, and cards already turned onto the waste do not return to it.
Does a hint guarantee a win?
No. A hint marks a playable card in the current layout, but it does not guarantee the best route through the entire deal.
Read this, then play a hand
Keep two habits
Before each move, ask whether it turns a hidden card. Before each pass, ask whether the waste top still has a landing spot. Those two habits solve a lot of tight hands on their own.
Where to go next
Read the opening guide, then the midgame guide, then go back home and play one hand with the same questions in mind.
