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Golf card game: rules, variants and playing online
Golf is a classic card game in which – just like real golf – the lowest score wins. Every player has a small grid of face-down cards and tries to get rid of high cards and line up matching values. Here are the basic rules, popular variants, strategy tips and how to play Golf-style card games online.
Basic rules (Six-Card Golf)
The most common form is Six-Card Golf for 2 to 4 players with a standard 52-card deck (two decks for more players). House rules vary a lot – this is the usual basic version:
- Deal: each player gets 6 cards face down in two rows of three. The rest forms the draw pile; its top card is turned up to start the discard pile. Many players start by turning two of their own cards face up.
- A turn: take the top card of the discard pile or the draw pile. Swap it with one of your cards (face up or face down) – the replaced card goes face up onto the discard pile. A card drawn from the draw pile may also be discarded straight away.
- End of a round: as soon as one player has all cards face up, everyone else gets exactly one more turn. Then scores are counted.
- Match: usually nine rounds are played – "nine holes". The lowest total wins.
Scoring
| Card | Points (common scoring) |
|---|---|
| Ace | 1 |
| Two | −2 |
| Three to Ten | Face value |
| Jack, Queen | 10 |
| King | 0 |
| Matching pair in a column | 0 – the two cards cancel out |
Popular variants
- Four-Card Golf: 2 × 2 cards, faster and more luck-based.
- Nine-Card Golf: 3 × 3 cards; usually only three matching cards in a row or column cancel out.
- With jokers: jokers often count −2 or even −5 points.
- Penalty rules: in some circles, the player who ends the round without the lowest score gets penalty points.
Don't confuse it with Golf Solitaire: despite the name it is a completely different game – a one-player patience where cards are played one higher or lower.
Strategy tips
- Dump high cards first – Jacks and Queens cost the most.
- Build pairs: if a high card is face up, it often pays to wait for its match – the pair scores zero.
- Watch the discard pile: what your opponents throw away shows what they are looking for – and what you'd better not hand them.
- Time the ending: only reveal your last card when you are clearly ahead – everyone else still gets one turn.
Play Golf online: Verty3
If you like Golf, you'll feel at home in Verty3 – a modern tactical card game built on the same core idea, with twists of its own. Free in the browser and as an iPhone app, solo against the AI or online with 2–3 players, without ads.
| Classic Golf | Verty3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Goal | Lowest score | Lowest score |
| Cards | 6 cards (2 × 3) | 12 cards (4 columns × 3 rows) |
| Values | −2 to 10 | −4 to 15 plus Jokers |
| Cancelling | Matching pair in a column scores 0 | Three matching values in a column clear the whole column |
| Extras | – | STOP (opponent skips a turn) and MOVE (swap any two cards) action cards, streets like 7-8-9 for the Street Race |
| Opponents | At the table | AI on three levels, real-time online, Daily Deck |
Full rules: Verty3 rules.
Frequently asked questions
How many players do you need for Golf?
Six-Card Golf is usually played by 2 to 4 players with one 52-card deck. With more players, use two decks.
Who wins the Golf card game?
Just like real golf, the lowest score wins – usually after nine rounds ("nine holes").
Is Golf Solitaire the same game?
No. Golf Solitaire is a one-player patience where cards are played one higher or lower. It only shares the name with the Golf card game.
Can I play a Golf-style card game online?
Yes, for example Verty3: face-down cards in a grid, the lowest score wins, three matching values in a column clear the column. Free in the browser and as an iPhone app, solo against the AI or online.
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