Miles Bennett
Golf is a card game where players try to earn the lowest score over multiple deals, mirroring the objective of the sport of golf. The game is also known as Polish Polka, Polish Poker, Turtle, Hara Kiri and Crazy Nines, and it has many variants. The number of cards dealt to each player depends on the variant, with four-card, six-card, eight-card, nine-card and ten-card versions of the game. The four-card version is the most common, with each player receiving four cards face down and looking at two of them. The aim is to reduce the value of the cards in front of you by swapping them for lower-value cards or pairing them with cards of equal rank. The player with the lowest score after a set number of deals or when their score reaches a certain threshold wins.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of players | 2-8 players for the standard 52-card deck version; 4+ players for the 104-card deck version |
| Cards dealt to each player | 4 or 6 cards in the basic version; 8, 9 or 10 cards in less common versions |
| Card arrangement | 2 rows of 3 or 3 rows of 3; cards are arranged face down and players choose 2 cards to turn face up |
| Objective | To have the lowest value of cards by the end of the game |
| Gameplay | Players take turns drawing single cards from the stock or discard piles; drawn cards may be swapped for one of the player's cards or discarded |
| Scoring | Each ace counts 1 point; each 2 counts minus 2 points; numeral cards from 3 to 10 are face value; jacks and queens are 10 points; kings are 0 points; a pair of equal cards in the same column scores 0 points for that column |
| Game rounds | Typically 9 rounds ("holes"), but can also be played for 18 rounds |
| Winning condition | Player with the lowest total score after all rounds is the winner |
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What You'll Learn
Golf card game rules
Golf is a card game where the objective is to get the lowest score, similar to the sport of golf. The game is also known as Polish Polka, Polish Poker, Turtle, Hara Kiri, and Crazy Nines. It is typically played with a single 52-card deck for 2-3 players, and a double deck of 104 cards for 4 or more players.
Six-Card Golf
In Six-Card Golf, each player is dealt six cards face down. The remaining cards are placed face down, and the top card is turned up to start the discard pile. Players arrange their cards in two rows of three in front of them and turn two of these cards face up. The remaining cards stay face down and cannot be looked at. The objective is for players to have the lowest value of cards in front of them by swapping them for lower-value cards or by pairing them up with cards of equal rank.
Players take turns drawing single cards from either the stock or discard piles. The drawn card may be swapped with one of the player's cards or discarded. If the card is swapped for one of the face-down cards, the new card remains face up. The round ends when all of a player's cards are face-up. A game typically consists of nine "holes" (deals), and the player with the lowest total score wins.
Four-Card Golf
In Four-Card Golf, each player receives four cards face down in a 2x2 grid and reveals two before play begins. The game is played similarly to Six-Card Golf, with players taking turns drawing and swapping cards. The end of a round is initiated by a player "knocking," after which the other players get one final turn.
Scoring
Scoring varies depending on the card combinations achieved. Here are some common scoring rules:
- Each ace counts as 1 point.
- Each 2 counts as minus 2 points.
- Number cards from 3 to 10 are worth face value.
- Jacks and queens are worth 10 points.
- Kings are worth zero points.
- A pair of equal-ranked cards in the same column scores zero points for that column.
- Four of a kind wins the game automatically.
- A 9-card straight scores -12 and is considered a "hole in one".
- A player may "shoot the moon" by getting 60 points, causing all other players to receive 60 points.
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Scoring
The objective of the card game Golf is to score as few points as possible, similar to the outdoor game of golf. The player with the lowest number of points at the end wins.
There are two main forms of the game: 4-card Golf and 6-card Golf, according to the number of cards in each player's layout. There are also 8-card, 9-card, and 10-card forms of Golf, but these are less common.
In 4-card Golf, each player receives four cards face down, which they arrange in a 2x2 grid before turning two of them face up. In 6-card Golf, each player is dealt six cards face down, which they arrange in two rows of three, turning two cards face up.
There are also variations in scoring depending on the version of Golf being played. For instance, in 4-card Golf, four cards in a square pattern of the same face-point value results in a negative score. In 9-card Golf, one-eyed jacks automatically form a pair with an adjacent card.
The game typically consists of nine rounds or "holes", but players can also opt to play eighteen rounds.
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Variations
The card game Golf has many variations, which differ in the number of cards dealt to each player, the way the cards are dealt, and the rules for scoring.
Number of Cards
The most common variations are four-card Golf and six-card Golf. Less widespread versions include eight-card, nine-card, and ten-card Golf.
Dealing
In four-card Golf, each player receives four cards face down, which they arrange in a 2x2 grid. In six-card Golf, each player is dealt six cards face down, which they arrange in two rows of three. In nine-card Golf, each player is dealt nine cards, which they arrange in a 3x3 grid.
Scoring
In four-card Golf, some versions include power cards that enable players to perform actions such as swapping cards or looking at another player's cards. In six-card Golf, a pair of equal-ranked cards in the same column scores zero points for that column. In nine-card Golf, a column of three equal cards scores zero, and four cards in a square pattern of the same face-point value results in a negative score.
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Power cards
Golf is a card game where players try to earn the lowest score over the course of multiple deals, usually nine. Each player tries to reduce the score of their rectangular card layout by drawing and discarding. The game is played with a single 52-card deck for 2 to 3 players. If played with four or more players, a double deck of 104 cards is ideal.
In Four-Card Golf, several cards are designated as power cards that enable a player to perform an action such as peeking at a card, swapping a card with another player, and so on. The power cards go by various names such as Cambio, Pablo, Cabo, Cactus, or Dacz. The power cards have special effects when drawn from the stock. For example, in a simple version of the game played in Malaysia, a Jack allows a player to look at one of their own cards, a Queen allows a player to look at one of their opponent's cards, a King allows a player to swap one of their cards with their opponent's, and a Joker allows a player to change the positions of their opponent's cards.
In Four Card Golf, or Cambio, the power cards are as follows: 7 and 8 allow a player to look at one of their cards without a penalty; Queen allows a player to look at any two cards belonging to any player and swap them; Black King is worth 12 points; Red King is worth -1 point; and Joker is worth -2 points.
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How to win
Golf is a card game where players try to earn the lowest score over the course of multiple deals, or "holes", usually nine. The game is suitable for 2 to 8 players and uses a standard 52-card deck. If there are more than 8 players, you can combine two decks. The rules for winning at Golf are as follows:
- Understand the objective: The objective of the game is to have the lowest score at the end of the game, similar to the outdoor game of golf.
- Know the card values: Each ace counts as 1 point, each 2 counts as minus 2 points, each numeral card from 3 to 10 is worth its face value, each jack or queen is 10 points, and each king is worth zero points. Jokers are usually worth -5 points each, but some variants give them a value of +15 individually or -5 as a pair.
- Get familiar with the game setup: Each player is dealt a set of cards face down, either in a 2x2 or 3x3 grid, depending on the variation of the game. The remaining cards form a draw pile (also called a stock pile) in the center of the table. The top card of the deck is turned face up next to the draw pile to create the discard pile.
- Know your options during gameplay: During your turn, you can either draw the top card from the stock or discard pile, or you can swap a card from your layout with the card on top of the discard pile. If you draw a card, you can choose to keep it or discard it without looking at the face-down cards. If you discard it, the next player in turn order loses a turn.
- Reduce the value of your cards: The goal is to reduce the value of the cards in front of you, one card at a time. You can do this by swapping cards from your layout with cards from the discard pile or the deck. If you get two of the same card in a column, remove both. If you get three of the same card in a column, remove all three, and that column scores zero points.
- Take advantage of special cards: In some variations of the game, certain cards are designated as power cards or magic cards, which can have special effects such as allowing you to peek at another card, swap cards with another player, or cancel out higher cards to reduce your score.
- Know when the game ends: The game ends when a player has all their cards face up, or when a player knocks to indicate that they believe they have the lowest score. After the final round is initiated, each player gets one more turn to improve their hand.
- Calculate your score: Once all players have taken their final turn, all remaining face-down cards are turned face up, and each player calculates their score. Remember that a pair of equal-ranked cards in the same column scores zero points for that column.
- Play multiple rounds: A full game typically consists of nine hands or "holes", but you can also play eighteen hands for a longer game. The player with the lowest total score after all the rounds is the winner.
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Frequently asked questions
In the card game golf, a card refers to a standard playing card, from a deck of cards.
The number of cards used depends on the variation of the game. Golf can be played with 4, 6, 8, 9, or 10 cards per player. The most common variations are 4-card and 6-card golf.
Golf can be played with 2 or more players. The 4-card variation is best played with 4 players, while 6-card golf is suitable for 2 to 8 players.
The objective is to have the lowest score at the end of the game, similar to the sport of golf. Players aim to reduce the value of their cards by drawing and discarding, or by pairing cards of equal rank.
