Ready to Play Golf The Card Game? Let's🏌️♀️Tee Off in Minutes!
This quick guide will get you playing Golf The Card Game (GTCG) in just a few minutes. You don't need to know anything about real golf to have a blast! The goal is simple: have the lowest score possible after 9 or 18 "holes" (rounds). Just like golf, lower scores are better!
Download instructions here.
Quick Start Setup: For Each Hole ⛳️
1- Deal Your Hand: Each player gets 4 cards face down in a 2x2 grid in front of them.
2- Mulligan Time: Holes 1 & 10 only deal a 5th card (a "Mulligan") to each player, also face down. Set this one slightly apart from your 2x2 grid.
3- Deck & Discard: Place the rest of the cards as a draw deck in the center. Flip the top card from the deck face up to start the discard pile.
Before You Play: 🫣 Peek & Remember!
Once cards are dealt:
1- Secret Peek: Look at any 2 of your 4 face-down cards in your 2x2 grid. Remember what they are, then place them back face down.
2- Mulligan Mystery: Never look at your Mulligan card (if you have one) until you use it! It's a surprise!
Your Turn: Draw, 🤔 Decide, Discard
Step 1: Draw a Card
Choose one:
- Take the top card from the draw deck (it's a mystery!).
- Take the top card from the discard pile (you know what it is!).
Step 2: Decide What to Do
Choose one:
- Keep It & Replace: Replace one of your current face-down cards in your 2x2 grid with the card you just drew. Place the new card face up, and discard the old card.
- Discard & Reveal: Don't want the drawn card? Place it directly onto the discard pile. Then, choose one of your own face-down cards in your 2x2 grid and flip it face up.
Important 🚨 Rules to Remember!
- Once a card is face up, it stays face up. You can't flip it back down.
- Face-down cards are a mystery until you replace them or are forced to reveal them.
- Your main goal is to replace your high-value cards with lower ones!
Special Cards Explained: Your Secret 💥 Weapons!
Golf Cards (0 Points - The Best!)
- What they do: Give you the lowest possible score for that spot.
- Strategy: Always try to keep these!
Wild Cards (Flexible & Fun!)
- What they do: Perfect for creating matching sets or getting a super low score.
- Strategy: Use them wisely to complete pairs or reduce your score.
FORE! Cards (Game Changer!)
- Special Power: When you place a FORE! Card face up, immediately yell "FORE!" You then must swap it with ANY face-up card from ANY other player.
- Important: You must use this power on the turn you play the FORE! Card, or before your last turn of the hole.
- Strategy: Steal low-value cards from opponents and stick them with your high-value FORE! Card!
Mulligan Cards (Your Second Chance!)
- How to use: After everyone has finished their normal turns AND all of your 4 main cards are face up, you can choose to replace any one of your 4 face-up cards with your face-down Mulligan.
- Important: You don't know what your Mulligan card is until you flip it over – it's a gamble for a potentially better score!
Scoring 🧮 Made Simple: Count Your Points!
When a hole ends, players calculate their score for that round. Download scorecards.
Card Values:
Card Type Points Example
Golf Card 0 points Best possible!
Cards 1-9 Face value Card shows 5 = 5 points
Cards 10-16 10 points All worth 10 points
Matching Bonuses:
If you have two or more of the same number (e.g., two 7s, three 5s) in your final 2x2 grid, their combined value is reduced!
Match Type Points. Example
2 of a kind 0 points Two 7s = 0 points total for those two cards
3 of a kind -10 points Three 5s = -10 points total for those three cards
4 of a kind -20 points Four 2s = -20 points total for those four cards
Scoring Example:
Let's say your final 4 cards are: 3, 3, Golf Card, 12
- Two 3s = 0 points (because of the pair bonus!)
- Golf Card = 0 points
- 12 = 10 points (cards 10-16 are 10 points each)
- Total for this hole: 10 points!
Downloads 📄
2 Minute Start Guide
Scorecard