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Golf Solitaire: seven columns, no way past the king
Golf is TriPeaks without the mercy. The same idea — take cards one rank above or below the top of the waste — on seven flat columns of five, all face up, and with one hard rule that changes everything: the king is a dead end. There is no move from a king to an ace, or back. The chain does not wrap.
Golf with the king as a dead end, exactly as the rules say — every deal proven clearable. Free on the App Store.
Scan with your phone to installRules of Golf Solitaire
The layout. Thirty-five cards in seven columns of five, all face up. The remaining seventeen cards form the stock; the first is turned onto the waste to start.
Moves. Take the top card of any column onto the waste if its rank is one above or one below the waste's top card, regardless of suit.
The king. Nothing plays on a king, and a king plays only on a queen. Once a king is on the waste, the only way forward is the stock.
The stock. Out of moves, turn a card from the stock. One pass; the stock is not dealt again.
Winning. Clear all seven columns. Cards left in the stock do not matter.
Strategy
- Kings are the problem; plan around them. Every king on the table will need a queen beneath it on the waste, and every king on the waste costs you a stock card. Note where the four kings are before the first move.
- Long chains. With seventeen stock cards for thirty-five table cards, you need to clear about two cards per stock card. Look for the longest run before each move.
- Everything is visible — use it. Unlike TriPeaks, nothing is face down. The whole deal can be read at the start, and a good player reads it.
- Even out the columns. A tall column left at the end with no chain to reach it is the usual loss. Take from the tall columns when the choice is otherwise equal.
- Aces and twos are safe landings. With no wrap, an ace on the waste takes only a two. Play aces when you have a two to follow, not before.
Golf in Decks
A rules page one tap away, undo without penalty, and a history of every round with its deal code. No ads, no account, works offline.
Frequently asked questions
How do you play Golf Solitaire? Take column cards one rank up or down from the waste; turn the stock when stuck; clear the columns.
Why is it called Golf? Traditionally the score is the number of cards left on the table — like strokes, lower is better. Decks counts a clear table as a win.
Does ace connect to king in Golf? No. That is the defining rule of Golf; in TriPeaks they connect.
How many passes through the deck? One.
Golf with the king as a dead end, exactly as the rules say — every deal proven clearable. Free on the App Store.
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