How to play Morning Strokes

Morning Strokes is a daily golf game. Every morning at 6 AM Eastern, three new holes are released, and the goal is to finish them in as few swings as you can. One round a day counts, and everyone plays the same course.

Aiming is one motion

Press the ball and pull back, like a slingshot. The farther you pull, the more power in your shot, and the arc you see is exactly where the ball will go. The catch: the harder you swing, the less accurate you get. The faint ring around your aim shows how far off you might land, and it grows with your wind-up.

The four clubs

The driver runs long and low, and it's your tee shot on anything with distance. The iron sits in the middle of everything, a shorter and more dependable flight. The wedge climbs high and drops close to where it lands, which is what you want over water or onto a small green. The putter only rolls. On the green, reading the slope before you commit is where strokes are saved.

The terrain matters

Fairway is honest and the green is fast. Rough and sand steal power and accuracy from your next swing, so escaping them is its own little decision. Water costs a one-stroke penalty and sends you back to play again from your previous spot.

Scoring

Each hole has a par, the number of swings it should take. Your day is measured against the total par of all three holes, and at or under is a good morning. Reach nine swings on a hole without holing out and you pick up and move on. Only your first round of the day counts; after that you're playing for the fun of it, today's course or any day in the archive.

Common questions

Is Morning Strokes free?

Yes. There are no ads and nothing to buy. Open the site and play.

Do I need to download an app?

No. Morning Strokes runs in your web browser, on your phone or your computer. If you want it on your home screen, your browser's “Add to home screen” works and it behaves like an app from then on.

When do new holes come out?

Every morning at 6 AM Eastern, three new holes are released. Each course is built by hand and never repeated.

Can I play past days?

Yes. The calendar on the home screen and the course archive both let you open any released day and play it. Only your first round of the current day counts as your score, so the archive is for fun.

How does scoring work?

Every hole has a par, and your day is measured against the total par of the three holes. At or under par is a good morning. If you hit nine swings on a hole without holing out, you pick up and move on.