Golf Solitaire Strategy: 7 Tips to Clear More Holes
The secret of Golf Solitaire is to plan the whole run before you play the first card. When two cards fit the pile, follow each one a few cards ahead and take the one that leads further. Dig into the tallest columns first, count how many cards of each rank are left, and keep bridge cards for later. Turn the stock only when no play helps, because every stock card you save is a stroke off your score.
1. Follow every choice to the end of its run
Golf is won or lost on choices. Often two or three bottom cards fit the pile, and each one opens a different path, because it changes the top card and uncovers a new card in its column. Before you tap, follow each path in your head until it stops. The card that starts the longest run is usually the right one.
Here is the run from the 7♦ (Medium rules): 7♦, 6♠, 5♣, 6♣, 5♦, 4♥, 3♣, 4♣, 3♠. It goes down, steps back up and down again, and takes cards from five columns. The 9♠, 10♦, J♠ chain doesn't disappear: it waits for a later 8 or 10 from the stock.
Remember that a run can change direction at any time. A 5 on a 6 can be followed by another 6, so a column of 5s and 6s can melt away in a zigzag.
2. Dig into the tall columns first
A column of five hides four cards you can't reach, while a column of one or two is nearly done. When two plays are equally good, take the card from the taller column: it opens a card you haven't been able to use yet, and leaves the short columns as easy finishers for the end of the hole. Columns that stay tall to the end are the most common reason for cards left over.
3. Count the ranks that are left
Every rank has exactly four cards. Glance at the pile as you play: if three 8s have already gone, a 9 at the bottom of a column has only one 8 left in the whole deck to land on, plus the 10s. Cards whose neighbours are running out are the ones that get stranded, so clear them while you still can.
- Watch for gaps: once all four 6s are gone, a 5 can only go on a 4 and a 7 only on an 8, so low and high cards can no longer meet in one run.
- A card covered by its own neighbour is easy: in a column with a 7 just above an 8, playing the 8 lets the 7 follow straight away.
- On Medium and Hard, the Kings and Aces are the hardest to place: an Ace can only go on a 2, and a King only on a Queen.
4. Keep your bridge cards
Some cards are bridges: they're the only way to link two parts of the table. If the only free 9 is what connects the 8s on one side with the 10s on the other, playing it early in a short run can cut the table in two. Sometimes the better move is to turn a stock card even though something fits, and keep the bridge for when it starts a long run.
This is the move beginners find hardest to see, and it's exactly what Teach me points out when it says a card fits but playing it now leaves you stuck later.
5. When to turn the stock
The stock is your only source of new starting points, and you go through it once. Use it with care:
- Before you draw, check every bottom card against the pile. It's easy to miss a fit in column 7 while staring at column 1.
- Draw when nothing fits, or when the only play would burn a bridge card.
- Don't panic when the stock gets low: a clean table scores well even with one stock card left.
- Once the columns are empty, every stock card you didn't need is minus one. A hole cleared with 6 cards to spare scores −6, often well under par.
6. Plan around the Kings
How you handle Kings depends on the level. On Easy, Kings and Aces are neighbours, so a King is just another link (Q–K–A–2). On Medium and in the Daily, a King takes only a Queen, so Kings are near the end of the road. On Hard, nothing at all goes on a King: playing one ends your run on the spot.
On Hard, play a King as the last card of a run, when you were about to turn the stock anyway. Played in the middle, it throws away the rest of the run.
7. Learn from Teach me and Undo
Every deal on GameLake has been checked by a solver, so all 35 cards can always be cleared. When you're unsure, press Teach me: Hops highlights the move that still clears the table and explains it in a line. When a hole runs out of moves, use Undo to go back to the last big choice and try the other card. A few holes like that and you'll start seeing the runs yourself.
New to the game? Start with how to play Golf Solitaire. For more one-up-one-down play, try the TriPeaks strategy guide, or plan ahead in a different way with Pyramid Solitaire strategy and Spider Solitaire strategy. Then play Golf Solitaire and see how far under par you can go.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best strategy for Golf Solitaire?
Plan each run before you start it: when two cards fit, follow both a few cards ahead and take the one that leads further. Clear the tall columns first, keep track of which ranks are running out, and save bridge cards for long runs.
When should you draw from the stock in Golf Solitaire?
When no bottom card fits, or when the only card that fits is a bridge you'll need later. Every stock card you don't use counts minus one once the columns are clear.
Is it ever right to draw when a card fits?
Yes. If playing the card now starts only a short run and cuts off a longer one later, drawing first can save it. Teach me points out these moments.
What is a good score in Golf Solitaire?
Anything at or under the hole's par of 3, 4 or 5. Clearing all 35 cards scores 0 or less, so any clear table beats par.
Is Golf Solitaire luck or skill?
Both. The order of the stock is luck, but which card you take when several fit is skill, and it decides most holes. On GameLake every deal can be cleared, so with good planning every hole can be won.