Golf Card Game Variations
Golf changes by grid size, how a hole ends, and what scores zero. This page compares layouts from Pagat and links to free online formats on this site.
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Variation comparison at a glance
| Variation | Layout | Hole ends when… | Zero rule | Play online? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-card (Turtle) | 2×2, face-down | Knock (4-card standard) | Pairs optional (house) | Rules only (see Quick*) |
| 6-card Classic | 2×3, flip 2 | All six face-up | Column pair = 0 | Classic |
| 8-card | 4×2 columns | Last card face-up | Column pair = 0; two pairs −10 | No |
| 9-card (Crazy Nines) | 3×3, flip 3 | All nine face-up | Triple column = 0 | 9-Card |
| 10-card | 5×2, two decks | Same as 6-card | Column pair = 0 | No |
| Golf with jokers | 6-card + 2 jokers/deck | All six face-up | Pair = 0; J −2, 2 = +2 | Jokers |
| Knock Golf | Often 4-card | Knock ends hole | Varies by layout | Knock |
*Our Quick format uses a 2×2 grid with face-up swaps like six-card Golf. It is not traditional peek-and-knock four-card Golf.
4-card Golf (Turtle)
Four cards sit face-down in a square. Pagat lets you peek at two nearby cards once. New cards stay face-down. You must remember them. A hole often ends when someone knocks. Everyone else gets one more turn.
On Pagat, A=1, numbers count as face value, J/Q=10, K=0. Twos are not −2 in base four-card rules. Knocker penalties (+10, and others) show up at some tables.
How to play (six-card walkthrough) · Dedicated 4-card rules page coming soon.
6-card Golf (Classic)
This is the default for most groups: six cards in a 2×3 grid, flip any two, then draw and replace. New cards go face-up. Pagat ends the hand when a player's last card is face-up; many groups give everyone else one more turn before scoring.
A matching pair in the same column scores zero for that column, including two twos.
Full 6-card rules → · Play Classic free →8-card Golf
Pagat's eight-card form uses four columns of two cards (like six-card play but wider). Column pairs score zero. Bill Whitnack's double-deck version on Pagat also scores minus 10 when equal pairs appear in any two columns, and jokers at minus 5 each.
We do not offer 8-card online yet.
9-card Golf (Crazy Nines)
Nine cards sit in a 3×3 square. Pagat turns three face-up to start. Pairs do not score zero. Only a full column of three equal ranks zeros that column. Pagat says Nine Card Golf is played with two or more decks.
9-card rules → · Play 9-Card free →10-card Golf
Pagat deals ten cards in five columns of two and needs at least two decks. Flip two to begin; play and scoring follow six-card Golf (column pairs zero out).
Golf with jokers
A common six-card tweak adds two jokers per deck. Pagat notes twos become +2 and jokers are −2 in that case. Twos stop helping you. Two jokers at −2 (−4 total) replace four twos at −2 (−8 total) in one deck.
Jokers rules → · Play Jokers free →Knock Golf
Knocking is the usual ending in four-card Golf on Pagat: you skip drawing, and each other player takes one normal turn. Our Knock format uses a six-card grid but keeps the knock button (you need at least two face-up cards). Turning all six face-up also ends the hole.
Common variant
Pagat lists knocker penalties if the knocker does not have the lowest score: +10 points, double the hand plus 5, or taking the highest score on the table.
Power-card Golf (Cabo, Cambio, Pablo)
These games start like four-card Golf but add power cards (peek, swap, and special endings). Pagat treats them as a separate branch. Cabo was published in 2010. We do not host power-card Golf here. The rules differ too much from Classic.
House scoring rules you may see
- Pairs anywhere in the layout score zero, not only in columns (Pagat six-card variation).
- Four equal cards in two columns: −10 (Pagat; −20 with two decks for six equal cards).
- Four equal cards in a 2×2 square: −20 on Pagat (−40 for a six-card block with two decks).
- Queens at 12 or 13 instead of 10; one-eyed jacks at 0 (Pagat lists these as variations).
- Play to 100 total instead of a fixed nine or eighteen holes.
Agree on house rules before the first deal. Details live on our 6-card rules.
Quick, Extended, and other formats on this site
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common way to play Golf?
Six-card Golf with a 2×3 grid. Some players call it Hara Kiri. Face-up replacements and column pairs.
How do jokers work in Golf?
Often two jokers per deck at −2, with twos at +2. See our jokers rules page.
Can you play Golf with 2 players?
Yes. Use the same rules. Pagat allows two players with one deck for six-card Golf.
How many holes?
Nine is standard on Pagat. Eighteen is common for a longer game, or play to 100 total.
Ready to play?
Pick any of six formats. All are free in your browser.
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