Substantively reviewed August 14, 2026 · Editorial policy · Request a correction
Golf Solitaire in one sentence: clear seven face-up columns by moving an exposed card that is exactly one rank higher or lower than the current waste card, ignoring suit; when no tableau move is available, turn one stock card onto the waste.
This guide uses the normal, no-wrap convention described by Solitaire Bliss and cross-checks the layout with Solitaired. Some software changes the ace/king rule, so name the version before debating whether a move is legal.
Setup and goal
| Cards | One 52-card deck |
|---|---|
| Tableau | Seven columns of five face-up cards: 35 cards |
| Opening waste | Turn one remaining card face up |
| Stock | 16 face-down cards remain after the opening waste |
| Goal | Remove all 35 tableau cards before the stock is exhausted |
The card count reconciles the deck: 7 × 5 = 35 tableau cards; 52 – 35 = 17; one starts the waste and 16 remain in stock.
Legal moves
- Only the exposed bottom card of each tableau column is available.
- Move a card one rank higher or lower than the waste top. Suits do not matter.
- You may continue a chain as long as each new card is adjacent in rank to the new waste top.
- When no useful move exists, turn the next stock card onto the waste.
- You cannot move tableau sequences between columns or fill a gap as in Klondike.
The ace and king rule must be stated
In the normal Solitaire Bliss version used here, ace and king do not wrap: an ace can connect to a 2, and a king can connect to a queen, but an ace cannot be played on a king or vice versa. Its Easy variation permits that wrap. Other sites may choose differently. Check the help screen instead of assuming one universal rule.
Worked card-by-card example
Assume the waste top is 8♦. The exposed tableau cards include 7♣, 9♠, 6♥, 7♠, Q♣, 3♦, and A♥.
- Both 7♣ and 9♠ are legal because each is one rank from 8; suit is irrelevant.
- Choose 7♣. The waste top is now 7.
- Move 6♥ onto the 7. The waste top becomes 6.
- Move 7♠ onto the 6. Moving downward and then upward is allowed because only adjacency to the current top matters.
- Recheck all seven column bottoms. A newly exposed 8 would now be legal; the previously available 9 is no longer legal on 7 because it differs by two.
This hypothetical example shows the central choice: the first legal card is not always the best. A chain can expose additional cards, but it also changes which alternatives remain reachable.
A practical decision routine
- List every legal exposed card. Do not stop after noticing one.
- Look one card underneath. Prefer the move whose newly exposed card can extend the chain.
- Protect both directions. If the waste is an 8, consider what becomes possible after choosing 7 versus 9.
- Use the stock only after rechecking. A stock card permanently covers the current waste top in the usual one-pass game.
- Count blocked ranks. Several exposed kings are less flexible under a no-wrap rule because only queens connect to them.
Common mistakes
- Matching suits instead of ranks.
- Trying to move an entire tableau pile.
- Playing a card two ranks away.
- Assuming king-to-ace wrapping without checking the version.
- Turning stock too early while a second tableau route remains.
Where to try the game
This site does not host Golf Solitaire. Current browser entrances include Solitaire Bliss Golf, Solitaired Golf, and CardGames.io Golf Solitaire. These are independent third parties; a link is not an endorsement, and interfaces or policies can change.
For related games, compare our Solitaire variants guide or the pairing goal in Pyramid Solitaire.
Quick answers
Does suit matter?
No in the named versions: only the one-rank difference matters.
Can I reuse the stock?
The implementations compared for this guide use a single pass. If another app offers redeals, treat that as a version-specific rule.
Why is it called Golf?
The scoring metaphor is a series of deals or “holes,” often judged by remaining cards, but interface scoring differs. Clearing the tableau is the rules goal used here.
Related reading
How this guide was prepared: We reconciled two current specialist implementations, named the no-wrap convention used for the example, and did not generalize provider win-rate statistics. No affiliation or first-hand product endorsement is claimed. The responsible editor is Jack; see our editorial policy or send corrections to blog@solitairegoogle.com.