Rules · Scoring · Strategy

How to Play Four Card Golf

Four Card Golf is the quickest traditional Golf card-game variant: build two vertical pairs and finish nine holes with the lowest total score.

Play Four Card Golf

Quick rules

  1. Deal the grid. Each player receives four cards in a 2 × 2 layout. Turn one card face-up to begin.
  2. Take a turn. Draw the top stock card or take the visible discard.
  3. Replace or discard. Replace one card in your grid. A card taken from the discard pile must be used.
  4. Finish the hole. When one grid is fully face-up, the other player receives one final turn.
  5. Score low. Add the card values after applying the matching-column rule.

Scoring

2−2 points
A1 point
3–10Face value
J / Q10 points
K0 points
Matching-column bonus

Two cards of the same rank in a vertical column score zero points for that column.

Simple strategy

Protect zeroes

Do not break an existing matching column unless the replacement creates an even better result.

Use the discard pile

A visible card is especially valuable when it completes a match or replaces a high card.

Watch Finn’s grid

The discard pile reveals what your opponent rejected and may hint at the ranks they want.