Golf Card Game Rules

Golf is a popular card game originating in North America, particularly widespread in the United States and Britain. It is a draw and discard game designed for 2-8 players, requiring a standard 52-card deck. The objective of the game is to score as little as possible, mimicking the sport of golf where a lower score is better.

Objective

The goal of Golf is to have the lowest score at the end of a series of 'holes' or deals. Each player aims to reduce their point value by strategically drawing and discarding cards from their layout.

Setup

To set up the game, a standard 52-card deck is used. Players can range from 2 to around 8 or more, though the game is said to be best for about 4 players. With a large number of players, say eight or more, two packs may be shuffled together. The dealer deals four cards to each player, face down, in a square layout. The remaining undealt cards form the draw stock, placed face-down in the center of the table. The top card of the stock is turned face-up and placed beside the stock to start the discard pile. Each player may peek at their two nearest cards without showing them to others before play begins. The cards in the layout must remain face-down until they are discarded during play or scored at the end.

How to Play

The player to the left of the dealer begins the game. On their turn, a player can draw the top card from the stock, the top discard, or choose to knock to end the play. If a card is drawn, it replaces one of the four cards in the player's layout. The player must remember the card's value without looking at their layout before deciding which card to replace. The drawn card is placed face-down in the layout, and the discarded card is placed face-up on the discard pile. If the drawn card is not used, it can be discarded face-up on the discard pile, and the next player's turn begins. If a player chooses to take the discard, it must replace one of their layout cards, and cannot be put back on the discard pile. Knocking causes the play to end after each of the other players has one more turn.

Scoring and End of Game

At the end of the play, each player turns their layout face-up to score the cards. Numeral cards score their face value (Ace=1, Two=2, etc.). Jacks and Queens score 10 points, while Kings score zero points. The player with the lowest cumulative score after nine deals wins.

Common Variants

There are several variations of Golf, particularly with the method of ending the play. Some versions allow a player to look at any of their four cards during the play, at a cost of additional points. Others limit the number of times cards can be replaced or require face-up cards to stay that way once exposed. Scoring methods can also vary, with some cancelling pairs or groups of equal cards, giving higher scores to certain cards, or using wild cards.

A Fun Fact or Record

Despite its popularity, Golf is seldom found in card game books. The game is sometimes known by other names like Polish Polka, Polish Poker, Turtle, Hara Kiri, or Crazy Nines, depending on the number of cards and variations played.

Where to Get the Game

Enjoy a thrilling game of Golf with a standard 52-card deck. 52-card deck on Amazon

Beginner Mistakes to Avoid

1. Not remembering the value of face-down cards: Be mindful when drawing a card and deciding which one to replace, as you cannot check the value of a face-down card and leave it in place.
2. Not using the discard wisely: Don't discard a valuable card without considering its potential use in replacing a higher-scoring card in your layout.

FAQ

1. Can I look at my cards during the game in Golf?

   • Some variations allow players to look at their cards during the game, but this may incur additional points to the player's score.

2. How many cards can I replace in my layout during Golf?

   • In the standard 4-card Golf, there is no limit to the number of times you can replace cards. However, in some variations, the two cards that you did not look at to begin with can be replaced only once.

3. What happens if I knock and my score is not the lowest in Golf?

   • In some variations, the player who knocks but turns out not to have the lowest score is penalized. The penalty can take various forms, such as adding a specific number of points to the player's score, doubling the player's score for the hand and adding additional points, or taking a score equal to the highest scoring player for that hand.

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