Golf Solitaire looks deceptively simple: tap a card, watch it fly to the waste pile, repeat. But the difference between a casual run and a cleared board is almost entirely about planning the order in which you take cards. This guide explains the rules exactly as CardHearth plays them, then walks through the principles that actually win games. If you just want to dive in, you can play a hand and refer back here.
The goal, in one sentence
Clear all seven tableau columns by moving the bottom-exposed card of any column onto the waste pile whenever it is exactly one rank higher or lower than the current waste card. When you run out of legal tableau moves, draw from the stock to put a fresh card on the waste and open new possibilities. Empty all seven columns and you win.
Does rank wrap around? No.
This is the rule that trips people up, so it's worth stating plainly: rank does not wrap around on CardHearth. A card plays only if it sits exactly one rank above or below the waste top — a 9 accepts an 8 or a 10, and nothing else. Crucially, an Ace does not connect to a King. If the waste shows an Ace, your only legal play is a 2; a King will only accept a Queen. Sequences therefore dead-end at both ends of the deck rather than looping, which is exactly why planning the chain matters so much.
One more rule with strategic weight: the stock does not recycle. Once you've turned a stock card over, it stays on the waste — you never get a second pass. Your draws are a finite, one-way resource.
Four principles that win games
1. Plan the chain before you commit
A single card on the waste can often start a long run: play a 6 onto a 5, then a 7, then an 8, and so on. But the order you take cards changes what's exposed underneath, so a greedy first move can cut a run short. Before you tap, trace the sequence: which exposed cards can follow, and which column they free up next. The best opening move is the one that leads to the longest unbroken run without needing a draw.
2. Prioritise the tallest columns and the cards that open the most
A column you never dig into is dead weight at the end of the game. Favour plays that bite into the tallest stacks early, because they hold the most cards and the most future options. When two moves look equally legal, take the one that exposes the most useful next card — the one that keeps your chain alive or unlocks a stuck column.
3. Conserve your stock draws
Because the stock is limited and never recycles, every draw is a card you can't get back. Only draw when no tableau move helps your plan. If you can keep a run going by playing off the columns, do that first; save the stock for the moment you're genuinely stuck and need a new bridge card to restart.
4. Use reversals to extend a run
Because you can move up or down by one, you can change direction mid-run: climb from a 5 up to a 7, then come back down through 6 if another 6 is exposed. Spotting these reversals lets you stitch together cards you'd otherwise strand, often clearing two or three extra cards before you ever touch the stock.
Common mistakes that lose games
- Drawing from the stock too early — the number-one win-killer. Spend tableau moves first; a draw you make now is a card you can't make later.
- Taking a legal card that strands a column, leaving a card with no partner and no way to clear it.
- Not planning the sequence — playing the first legal card you see instead of the one that opens the longest chain.
- Forgetting undo exists — on CardHearth, undo is unlimited, so test a line and take it back if it dead-ends.
Practise the right way
Every CardHearth deal has a number, so you can replay the exact same hand to try a smarter order, or share it with a friend to see who clears it. Because not every Golf deal is winnable, unlimited Undo is your best teacher: explore a chain, see where it breaks, and rewind to find the line that goes further.
Frequently asked questions
Does the rank wrap around in Golf?
No. On CardHearth, rank does not wrap around: an Ace and a King are not adjacent. You can only play a card that is exactly one rank higher or lower than the current waste card (so a 7 accepts a 6 or an 8). When the waste shows an Ace you can only play a 2 on top of it, and a King only accepts a Queen.
When should I draw from the stock?
Only when no tableau move advances your plan. Each draw is one-way — there is no recycling the stock in Golf — so every card you turn over is spent for good. Exhaust the useful tableau plays first, then draw to open a fresh chain.
Are all Golf deals winnable?
No. Some deals cannot be cleared no matter how you play, because the cards needed to bridge between columns are buried or the stock runs out first. CardHearth gives every deal a number, so you can replay a tough one to test a better line, and unlimited undo lets you explore without penalty.
Keep going
Ready to put it into practice? Play Golf Solitaire now, or branch out: our guide to winning Klondike rewards a different kind of planning, and the best free solitaire and puzzle games roundup points you to more. Our guides hub covers the whole CardHearth library.