How to Play Golf
The card game where low score wins
Objective
End each round with the lowest total card value. Like golf, lowest score wins!
Players
2-8 players. Works best with 3-6. Use two decks for 5+ players.
Cards
Standard 52-card deck (or two decks for more players). Some versions add jokers.
Game Length
Play 9 "holes" (rounds) like real golf, or 4, 6, or any agreed number.
Game Setup (6-Card Golf)
Deal Cards
Deal 6 cards to each player, face down. Players arrange them in a 2x3 grid without looking.
Create Draw and Discard Piles
Place remaining cards face down as the draw pile. Flip the top card face up to start the discard pile.
Peek at Two Cards
Each player secretly looks at TWO of their six cards (typically the bottom two), then puts them back face down. Remember them!
Card Layout
Your 6 cards should be arranged like this:
[?] [?] [?] ← Top row (unknown)
[?] [?] [?] ← Bottom row (peek at 2)
Taking Your Turn
Draw a Card
Choose one:
- Draw the top card from the discard pile (face up - you know what you're getting)
- Draw the top card from the draw pile (mystery!)
Swap or Discard
If you drew from discard pile: You MUST swap it with one of your grid cards (put your old card on discard face up).
If you drew from draw pile: Either swap it OR discard it (putting it face up on discard).
Flip the Swapped Card
When you swap, the new card goes face UP in your grid. You now know (and everyone sees) that card!
Key Rule
Cards in your grid start face down but are flipped face up when replaced. By the end, all cards are visible!
Ending the Round
Knocking
When you think you have the lowest score, you can "knock" at the END of your turn (after drawing and swapping/discarding). When you knock:
- Every other player gets ONE more turn
- Then everyone flips all remaining face-down cards
- Add up scores - lowest wins!
Alternative: All Cards Flipped
The round also ends when any player has all 6 cards face up (even without knocking). Same rules - everyone else gets one more turn.
Alternative: 4-Card Golf
A simpler, faster version:
- Deal 4 cards in a 2x2 grid
- Peek at the bottom 2 cards only
- Same rules otherwise
- Matching columns cancel to 0 (see scoring)
Standard Card Values
Point Values
Kings are Gold!
Kings are worth 0 points - the best card to have! Never discard a King unless you're getting a matching pair.
Matching Pairs (6-Card Golf)
Column Matching
In 6-card Golf, if two cards in the same COLUMN are the same rank, they cancel out and score 0 points together!
[5] [K] [7]
[5] [3] [7]
↓ ↓
0 + 3 + 0 = 3 points total!
Scoring Example
Sample Hand (6-Card Golf)
Knock Penalty
Don't Knock Unless You're Winning!
Common house rule: If you knock but DON'T have the lowest score, you get a penalty:
- Your score is doubled, OR
- Add 10 penalty points, OR
- No penalty (friendly version)
Decide which rule to use before playing!
Game Scoring (9 Holes)
Full Game Example
Opening Strategy
Remember Your Peek Cards!
Your memory of the two cards you peeked at is crucial. If they're high, replace them first. If low, protect them!
Replace Unknown Cards Safely
When you have a low card (A, 2, 3), swap it for an unknown card. Average card value is ~6, so you're likely improving.
Building Matches
Prioritize Matches
A matching column (even two 10s) is worth 0 points. Two 10s matched = 0 points. Two 10s unmatched = 20 points!
Watch the Discard Pile
If you need a 5 to match and see one discarded, your odds just dropped. Adjust your strategy!
Don't Break Good Matches
Once you have a matching pair in a column, leave it alone unless you're getting Kings!
When to Knock
Knock Conservatively
Remember: opponents get one more turn after you knock. They might improve significantly! Only knock when you're confident.
Knock Indicators
- You have mostly Kings and matching pairs
- Your visible score is very low (under 10)
- Opponents have high visible cards
- Few low cards remain in the deck
Reading Opponents
- Quick discard: They probably drew a high card
- Taking from discard: They have a strategic need - maybe building a match
- Protecting a card: If they keep drawing rather than replacing a certain spot, that card is probably good
- Hesitation: Tough decision = borderline card value
Advanced Tactics
Information Game
When you have a choice, sometimes replace a known card to gather information about an unknown card - even if it's not strictly better.
Defensive Discarding
Watch what opponents need. If someone has a 7 showing and is clearly looking for another, don't discard 7s!
Common Variations
Deal 4 cards in a 2x2 grid. Simpler, faster, more luck-based. Popular for quick games and teaching new players.
Deal 9 cards in a 3x3 grid. Three matching cards in a row (horizontal, vertical, or diagonal) score 0. Much more complex!
Some groups peek at different cards: any two, only corner cards, or no peeking at all (pure luck version).
Add Jokers worth -2 or -5 points. Makes for exciting finds and lower scores! Very popular variant.
Alternative Scoring Systems
2s are worth -2 points instead of +2. Makes them even more valuable than Kings!
Queens = 12, Jacks = 11 (instead of both being 10). Minor variation that adds differentiation.
In 6-card Golf, allow horizontal matches (rows) in addition to columns. More matching opportunities!
Game Length Options
- 9 Holes: Standard full game (like front 9 in golf)
- 18 Holes: Full round, shuffling decks between holes
- Best of 5: Quick version, lowest total of 5 rounds
- Target Score: Play until someone exceeds 100 (or 150), lowest score wins