golf G₂O₁L₁F₄

GOLF is the ball game in which players hit a ball into a series of holes, usually 18 or nine. The four-letter word ranks 2,621 in frequency. A single F worth 4 points gives it more weight on the board than its size suggests.

GOLF at a glance

• Four letters: G, O, L, F.
• Base score is 8, and F is worth 4 of those.
• The anagram is FLOG; ten neighbours include GOLD, WOLF and GULF.
• Frequency rank 2,621, with a count of 13,415.

Which words are one letter away from GOLF?

Ten words qualify. GOLD, WOLF, GULF, GOOF and GOFF are the clearest examples, and each changes a single tile. WOLF scores 10, since W is worth 4.

GOLD scores less at 6, because D is worth 2 and the F is gone. Which neighbour you pick depends on which letter your rack gives you, and on whether the lane leaves room for a W or a U.

Why is FLOG a useful companion?

FLOG uses the same four tiles and also scores 8, so a rack with G, O, L and F offers two plays. Placement decides: GOLF ends on the heavy F, FLOG starts with it.

That matters for hooks. If the board lets you extend the end of a word, the F at the front of FLOG is the easier spot for a premium square.

Ten neighbours also mean GOLF is a useful anchor: GOLD, GULF and WOLF each turn one tile into a different play.

How rare is the GOLF frame?

An F finish is thin ground: just 116 of the 5,577 four-letter words end that way, about 2 percent, against 277 that start with G, about 5 percent. The -OLF tail matches WOLF, WEREWOLF, MINIGOLF and ROLF in spelling. Check your game’s word list before trying ROLF or GOFF.