Golf card game
How to play Golf
Golf is a card game where, like the sport, the lowest score wins. It is quick to learn, works for two to four players, and rewards a good memory and a little nerve.
Setup
Each player is dealt six cards face down, arranged in two rows of three. The rest of the deck becomes the draw pile, and its top card is turned over to start the discard pile. Before play begins, every player turns two of their own cards face up.
Your turn
- Take a card. Pick up the top card of the discard pile, or draw the top card of the deck.
- Use it or lose it. Swap the card for any one of your six cards, face up or face down. The card you replace goes face up on the discard pile.
- If you drew from the deck and don't want the card, you may throw it on the discard pile instead. Then you must turn one of your face-down cards face up.
A card picked up from the discard pile must be kept; you can't take it and put it straight back.
Ending a hole
When one player has all six cards face up, every other player gets one final turn. Then all cards are turned over and the hole is scored.
Scoring
| Card | Points |
|---|---|
| 2 | −2 |
| King | 0 |
| Ace | 1 |
| 3 to 10 | Face value |
| Jack, Queen | 10 |
| Pair of equal cards in the same column | 0 for the pair |
A full game is nine holes. Add up the holes; the lowest total wins.
Golf strategy tips
- Chase pairs, not just low cards. A pair of Queens scores the same as a pair of Kings: zero. A column with a 6 showing is a good home for the next 6.
- Take 2s and Kings whenever you see them. They are the only cards worth less than an Ace.
- Watch the discard pile. If an opponent is building a column of Jacks, don't throw a Jack.
- Don't finish when you're behind. Turning your last card over gives everyone one more turn. Only end the hole when your face-up total is already low.
Common variations
- Four-card Golf: a 2×2 grid, and you may peek at your bottom two cards once at the start.
- Nine-card Golf: a 3×3 grid, with pairs or three of a kind in a column canceling.
- Jokers: some families add two Jokers worth −2 or −5.
- Going-out penalty: if the player who ended the hole doesn't have the lowest score for it, their score is doubled.
Questions
How many cards do you get in Golf?
In six-card Golf each player gets six cards in two rows of three, all face down. Everyone turns two of them face up before the first turn.
What is a King worth in Golf?
Kings are worth 0 points, 2s are worth minus 2, Aces are 1, number cards are face value, and Jacks and Queens are 10.
Do matching cards cancel out?
Yes. Two cards of the same rank in the same column score 0, even if they are high cards like Queens.
How do you win Golf?
Golf is played over nine holes (rounds). Scores are added up and the player with the lowest total at the end wins.