Golf Solitaire

Golf Solitaire is a quick, classic patience game: clear seven columns of face-up cards by playing them one rank higher or lower onto the waste pile. Play Golf Solitaire online free in your browser, with no download or sign-up, on desktop or on your phone. As in golf, the lower your score, the better.

How to play

The deal is 35 cards in seven face-up columns of five, plus a stock pile with one card already turned onto the waste.

• Play the bottom card of any column onto the waste pile if it’s exactly one rank higher or lower than the waste card. Suits don’t matter, so a 7 can go on a 6 or an 8 of any suit.
• You can keep building up and down in one run: 6, 7, 8, 7, 6 is fine.
• When no card fits, turn a new card from the stock onto the waste.
• The game ends when every column is cleared or the stock runs out with no moves left.

Scoring: your score is the number of cards left on the tableau. If you clear all 35, you score minus the cards still in the stock, so finishing with stock to spare beats a bare clear. Your best score and win record are saved in your browser, and Undo lets you take back moves.

Strategy tips

• Look for the longest run, not the first move. Before you play, trace how many cards you can chain from the current waste card. Pick the path that clears the most.
• Free up buried cards. When two plays are equally long, choose the one that uncovers cards in the tallest columns. Deep columns are what leave you stuck at the end.
• Save cards that bridge the gaps. If you hold the only 9 that connects to a stack of 10s and 8s, don’t spend it on a short run.
• Kings are dead ends without wrap. Under the standard rule nothing goes on a King except a Queen, and nothing goes on an Ace except a 2. Play them at the end of a run.
• Draw only when you have to. The stock is your lifeline. Every card left in it improves your score if you clear the board.

FAQ

Is Golf Solitaire free to play?

Yes. It’s completely free with no account and no install. Hit New deal for a fresh game anytime.

Does King to Ace wrap around?

Not by default. The standard rule is no wrap, so a King only goes on a Queen and an Ace only on a 2. If you prefer the easier variant, switch the rule to “K–A wrap allowed” and Aces and Kings can be played on each other.

Does it work on a phone or Chromebook?

Yes. Tap any glowing card to play it, and tap the stock to draw. On a keyboard, keys 1–7 play a column, Space draws and Z undoes.

Is every game of Golf Solitaire winnable?

No. Plenty of deals can’t be fully cleared, which is why the score counts the cards left. A low score on a tough deal is still a good game.

New to the game? Read our full guide on how to play Golf Solitaire, or explore the different types of solitaire.