Official Golf (Card Game) Rules

Last Updated on April 9, 2025 by The Official Game Rules Team

Golf is a fun and engaging card game, typically a two player game (but can be played with more), where the objective is to accumulate the lowest score possible, much like the sport of golf. Each player starts with a layout of cards, initially face down, and during the game, they draw cards from a stock or discard pile to replace cards in their layout. The goal is to achieve the lowest score by strategically replacing cards.

You can navigate to specific variants on this page here: Four-Card Golf, Power Card Golf, Six-Card Golf, and Eight-Card Golf

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How to Play Golf (Card Game)

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Golf Variation

Golf has several variations, each with its own rules regarding the number of cards dealt, special power cards, and the conditions for ending the play. The two most common versions are Four-Card Golf and Six-Card Golf, with the main difference being the number of cards dealt to each player. Some versions introduce power cards, such as the Cambio or Pablo, which add an exciting layer of strategy by allowing players to perform actions like swapping or peeking at cards. Whether you’re playing a quick four-card layout or a more complex six-card version, the game remains a competitive and fun way to test your memory and decision-making skills.

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Four-Card Golf

Players and Cards

Four-Card Golf uses a standard 52-card deck and can be played by two to eight players, though it’s best with around four participants. If there are more than seven players, it’s common to shuffle two decks together.

Setup

The dealer shuffles and deals four cards to each player one at a time, which are laid face down in a square formation. The remaining cards are placed in the center to form a stockpile, and the top card from the stock is turned face-up next to it, creating the discard pile.

Before play begins, each player is allowed to look at two of their cards, but they must keep these cards hidden from the others. After this, players are not allowed to view their cards again until they are discarded or scored at the end of the game.

The Play

The game proceeds clockwise, with the player to the left of the dealer going first. On each turn, a player must choose between three actions: drawing a card from the stock, taking the top card from the discard pile, or knocking to end the game.

• Drawing a card: When drawing a card, players must replace one of their four face-down cards with the new card. The replaced card is discarded face-up on the pile. Players are not allowed to look at their cards before deciding which one to replace.
• Taking the discard: If a player takes the top card from the discard pile, they must replace one of their cards with it. Players cannot simply return it to the discard pile without using it.
• Knocking: If a player knocks, it ends the round immediately. The other players will each have one more turn to play, after which the game ends.

It is important to note that players cannot look at any face-down card in their layout unless they are replacing it with a drawn card.

Scoring

Once the game ends, players reveal their four cards and score them based on their values:

• Numeral cards score their face value (Ace = 1, Two = 2, etc.).
• Jacks and Queens each score 10 points.
• Kings score 0 points.

The player with the lowest total score after nine deals wins the game.

Variations of Four-Card Golf

Looking at Cards

In some variations, players may be allowed to look at more than two cards before starting the game or even during the play. Some variations impose a penalty for looking at cards, adding points to the player’s score for each glance at a face-down card. Others let players see their starting two cards or their replacements at any time during the game.

Replacing Cards

A few rule variations allow players to replace cards more than once or only allow replacements of specific cards, like those that were initially unseen. The replacement rules can significantly impact strategy.

Turning Cards Face Up

In certain variations, when a card is replaced, it is placed face-up. The round ends once a player has exposed all their cards, and every other player gets one more turn. Other versions make it so that cards cannot be replaced once they are face-up, forcing players to strategically manage their replacements.

Alternative Scoring Rules

There are many variations of scoring. For example, pairs of equal cards may be worth 0 points, and in some cases, players might score 0 points for a set of four equal cards. In some versions, the Queen might have a higher value than 10 points, or Jacks may be treated as wild cards. Additional rules could involve Joker cards, where each Joker scores negative points.

Special Scoring for Knocking

The player who knocks may face various consequences depending on the outcome. If the knocker has the lowest score, some versions reward them with a reduced score, while others penalize the knocker by adding points to their total. In some games, the knocker may collect a pot if their score is the lowest.

Ending the Game

For a longer game, you can extend the number of rounds to 18 or set a target score (e.g., 100 points). The player with the lowest score at the end of the agreed-upon number of rounds or when a target score is reached wins.

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Power Card Golf

Overview

Golf with Power Cards is a variation of the standard Four-Card Golf game where special cards, known as “power cards,” are added to the deck. These power cards introduce unique abilities that players can utilize during their turn, affecting the game in various ways. Power cards go by different names depending on the version, such as Cambio, Pablo, Cabo, Cactus, or Dacz. Some versions are played with custom-designed cards, while others use a standard deck of 52 cards with added jokers or special cards.

Basic Rules

The basic rules of Golf with Power Cards mirror those of Four-Card Golf. Each player starts with four cards laid face down, either in a row or a square formation. They are allowed to look at two cards privately before the game begins. On their turn, players can either draw a card from the stock or discard pile, then replace a card from their layout or use the drawn card’s power. After each turn, the player discards a card face-up on the discard pile. The aim remains to have the lowest possible score at the end of the game.

Power Cards and Their Effects

In this variant, certain cards are designated as power cards, each with unique effects. When drawn, players can either use the card as a regular card or activate its special ability. Once used, the power card is discarded and cannot be used again during the game. In some versions, these abilities might alter the number of cards in a player’s layout, allowing for layouts with more or fewer than four cards.

Here are some examples of the powers granted by power cards:

Ashbir Dhillon’s Version (Malaysia)

• Card Values: Ace to 10 face value; picture cards and jokers are worth 10 points each.
  • Jack: Look at one of your own cards.
  • Queen: Look at one card from an opponent’s layout.
  • King: Swap a card with an opponent without seeing either.
  • Joker: Force an opponent to shuffle their cards.

John Roberts’ Version (Pablo)

• Card Values: Ace to 10 face value, picture cards 10 points, jokers -5 points.
  • Sevens: Swap one of your cards with an opponent’s card.
  • Eights: Privately look at one card in either your own or an opponent’s layout.
  • Jack: Look at one of your own cards and one opponent’s card, with the option to swap them.

Andrew Soule’s Version (Cumbia)

• Card Values: 2 of diamonds -10 points, red kings -5 points, black kings 0 points, queens 12 points, jacks 11 points, other cards face value.
  • Power Cards: 4, 5, 6, 7, 10, Jack.
    • 4 or 5: Look at one of your own cards.
    • 6 or 7: Look at one card in an opponent’s layout.
    • 10: Swap any two cards between players.
    • Jack: Look at one of your own cards and one of an opponent’s, and swap if desired.

Chris Smyth’s Version (Cabo)

• Card Values: Kings, except for the king of diamonds (0), are worth 13 points, queens 12 points, jacks 11 points, and numbered cards have their face value.
  • Power Cards: 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen.
    • Seven or Eight: Look at one of your own cards.
    • Nine or Ten: Look at one card from an opponent’s layout.
    • Jack or Queen: Swap two cards on the table.

Connor Chew’s Version (Cactus)

• Card Values: Ace 1 point, King 0 points, Queen 10 points, Jack 10 points, other cards face value.
  • Power Cards: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, Jack, Queen.
    • 6, 7, or 8: Look at one of your own cards.
    • 9, 10, or Jack: Look at one card from an opponent’s layout.
    • Queen: Exchange a card with an opponent without looking at either card.

Kamila A. Śledź’s Version (Dacz)

• Card Values: Ace 1 point, cards 2-10 face value, Jack 11 points, Queen 12 points, black Kings 13 points, red Kings 0 points.
  • Power Cards: Jack and Queen.
    • Jack: Swap any two cards without looking.
    • Queen: Look privately at one card, either from your layout or an opponent’s.

Ending the Game

The game ends in different ways depending on the version being played. In most versions, the game continues until a player reaches 100 points or more. The player with the lowest score wins. However, the conditions for ending the round and the scoring methods vary based on the version, especially when power cards like “Cabo” or “Cactus” are used.

For example:

• In Pablo, a player calls “Pablo” at the end of their turn, and then everyone else gets one more turn before scoring.
• In Cumbia, a player calls “Cumbia” during their turn, after which each player gets one more turn to score.
• In Cactus, the round ends when a player calls “Cactus,” and the lowest-scoring player wins the round.

Variations and House Rules

Golf with Power Cards has numerous variations, and players often adjust the rules based on personal preferences. These can include:

• The addition of extra power cards.
• Changes to card values or the specific effects of power cards.
• Adjustments to the game’s end conditions or how scoring works.

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Six Card Golf

In Six Card Golf, the goal is to make pairs in your layout while keeping unpaired cards as low as possible. Pairs of equal cards in a column score zero, adding a unique challenge to the game.

Players, Cards, and Deal

This version is played with a standard 52-card pack, and it’s suited for two to four players. For more than four players, an additional pack is used. The dealer deals six cards to each player in a 2×3 grid (two rows of three cards each). The remaining cards form the stock pile, with the top card placed face up to start the discard pile. Before play starts, players turn two cards face up in their layout.

The Play

Players take turns in clockwise order. On their turn, a player draws the top card from the stock or the discard pile. This card can replace any one of the six cards in their layout. If a player replaces a face-down card, they cannot look at it before deciding. After replacing a card, the old card is discarded face-up.

Players cannot draw a card from the discard pile and discard the same card in the same turn. If a card from the stock is drawn but not used, it must be discarded. The turn then passes to the next player.

The play ends when a player has exposed all six cards in their layout. Scoring is then done based on the exposed cards.

Scoring

• Ace: 1 point
• Two: -2 points
• 3-10: Face value
• Jack/Queen: 10 points each
• King: 0 points
• Pair of equal cards: 0 points (even twos)

After scoring, the player with the lowest score after nine deals wins.

Variations

• Decks: Some versions use two decks for more players, and jokers are sometimes included, with varying point values.
• Turned-up Cards: The initial face-up cards can be arranged in different ways, and players may rearrange their cards once they are face-up.
• Ending the Play: Some rules allow players to end the game early by turning all their face-down cards face up.

Special Scoring Variations

In some versions, jokers score negative points, or other special rules apply to their value.

A block of equal cards (such as four sevens) in two columns can score a negative value, depending on house rules.

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Eight Card Golf

Eight Card Golf is a variation of Six Card Golf, where each player arranges their cards in four columns of two cards each. The objective remains the same: to make pairs and keep unpaired cards as low as possible, while avoiding penalties for pairs or equal cards in the layout.

Players, Cards, and Deal

This game is typically played with a double 52-card deck (108 cards total), including four jokers. For larger groups, additional decks and jokers can be added. Each player receives eight cards, dealt face down in a 2×4 grid. The dealer places the next card face-up to begin the discard pile, with the rest of the deck placed face-down as the stock pile. The player to the dealer’s left begins, and play proceeds clockwise.

The Play

The player starts their turn by turning one column of two cards face-up. After this, the player draws a card either from the top of the stock pile or from the discard pile. They then have three options:

1. Replace one of the face-up cards in the layout with the drawn card, discarding the old card face-up on the discard pile.
2. Replace one of the face-down cards in the layout with the drawn card, without looking at it first, and discard the replaced card face-up.
3. If the card was drawn from the stock pile, discard it face-up and turn one of the face-down cards face-up.

As turns continue, players will eventually have two or three face-up cards. A player whose layout has only one face-down card left can also choose to draw a card from the stock and discard it without turning the last face-down card face-up.

When a player turns the last card of their layout face-up, the other players take one more turn. All remaining face-down cards in the layouts are then turned face-up, and scoring takes place.

Scoring

• Jokers: -5 points each
• Kings: 0 points
• Queens, Jacks: 10 points each
• Aces: 1 point each
• Numerals 2-10: Face value
• Pair in a column: 0 points
• Two equal pairs in different columns: -10 points

After scoring, the player with the lowest total score after nine deals (or “holes”) wins.

Examples of Scoring

1. First Example:
   • Layout: 6♣ 4♣ | K♦ 10♦ | 2♣ 4♥ | A♠ 10♠
   • Scoring:
     • Column 1: 8 points (6 + 2)
     • Column 2: 0 points (pair)
     • Column 3: 1 point (0 + 1)
     • Column 4: 0 points (pair)
     • Total: 9 points
2. Second Example:
   • Layout: A♥ 2♠ | 6♣ 2♣ | K♦ 2♥ | 4♦ 2♠
   • Scoring:
     • Column 1: 1 point (1 + 0)
     • Column 2: 0 points (pair)
     • Column 3: 10 points (6 + 4)
     • Column 4: -10 points (pair equal to the pair in column 2)
     • Total: 1 point

Variant

In some variations, players may turn any two cards face up during their first turn. Once both cards in a column are face-up, they can no longer be exchanged.