Golf (Card Game)
A patience-style game where players arrange cards in a grid, trying to achieve the lowest score. Like golf, lower is better, with various scoring rules for matched columns and special cards.
What You'll Need
About This Game
A patience-style game where players arrange cards in a grid, trying to achieve the lowest score. Like golf, lower is better, with various scoring rules for matched columns and special cards.
How to Play
- Deal 6 cards face-down in 2 rows of 3 to each player
- Players flip 2 of their cards face-up
- Place remaining deck as draw pile, flip one to start discard
- On your turn: draw from deck or discard pile
- Replace any of your 6 cards with drawn card (discard replaced card)
- Or discard the drawn card without replacing
- May flip a face-down card instead of drawing
- Round ends when one player's cards are all face-up
- Scoring: A=1, 2-10=face value, J/Q=10, K=0
- Matching pair in column = 0 points for both
- Play 9 rounds (holes); lowest total wins
- Variant: 4 columns of 2 cards each
History & Background
Golf (the card game) emerged in the 20th century, likely in America. The name reflects the scoring goal - like golf, you want the lowest score possible.
The game exists in many variants with 4, 6, 8, or 9 cards per player, reflecting how the game evolved through oral tradition. Each family often has their own "official" rules.
Golf became popular as a quick, light game suitable for all ages. Its hidden information (face-down cards you can peek at) adds memory elements unusual for card games.
The game's charm lies in its accessibility combined with meaningful decisions. When to swap cards, what to keep face-down, and whether to end the round early all affect outcomes. Modern digital versions have introduced the game to new generations.