In this Article
What is a Nassau in golf? It is three bets in one round: front nine, back nine, and overall. Learn the rules, how presses work, a worked example, and 5 tips to win more.
You are standing on the first tee, someone suggests ‘a five-dollar Nassau,’ and half the group nods like it is obvious. So, what is a Nassau in golf? It is the most popular betting format in the game: three separate bets in one round, one for the front nine, one for the back nine, and one for the full 18.
I have organized Nassaus for my students in Chicago for seven years, and it is the first betting game I teach. This guide covers the rules, how a press works, a full worked example, handicaps, and five tips to win more.
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
What Is a Nassau in Golf? The Short Answer
A Nassau is a wager made of three matches that run at the same time. You play the front nine as one bet, the back nine as a second bet, and the whole 18 holes as a third. Each bet is won, lost, or tied on its own.
The name comes from Nassau Country Club on Long Island, where the format was reportedly devised in the early 1900s. The idea was to soften big defeats. If you got crushed on the front nine, you could still win the back, halve the overall bet, and lose 2-1 instead of 3-0, according to Golf Monthly.
That forgiving structure is why the Nassau works for almost any group. Nobody is out of it after three bad holes, and the stakes can be as small as you like.
How the Three Bets Work
Before you tee off, agree on a stake. Most Nassaus are written as a set of numbers, so a $5 Nassau means $5 on each of the three bets. Some groups write it as 2-2-1, which means $2 on the front, $2 on the back, and $1 on the overall.
| Bet | Holes | Who wins it |
|---|---|---|
| Front | 1-9 | Better score or more holes won on the front nine |
| Back | 10-18 | Better score or more holes won on the back nine |
| Overall | 1-18 | Better score or more holes won across the round |
With a $5 Nassau, the most you can lose without a press is $15, and that only happens if you lose all three bets. A split, like winning the front and losing the other two, costs you $5.
Ties are simple. A tied bet is a push, and nobody pays. You do not carry it into the next bet.
Match Play vs Stroke Play
A Nassau can be scored two ways, and you should settle which on the first tee.
Match play Nassau
This is the classic version for two players or two teams. You win a hole by scoring lower on it, and the bet goes to whoever wins more holes in that nine. A player who is 3 up after seven holes can end the front-nine bet early, 3 and 2.
Stroke play Nassau
Here you add up total strokes over each nine and over 18. It lets more than two players join, so a foursome can all play against each other. The lowest total on each bet wins. As The Golf News Net explains, match play is limited to two sides, while stroke play can handle larger groups.
What Is a Press?
The press is what makes a Nassau exciting. A press is a new side bet, offered by the player who is losing, that covers only the holes remaining in the bet. It is usually for the same amount as the bet you are trailing in.
Say you are 3 down on a $5 front-nine bet with three holes left. You call a press, and now you are playing a fresh $5 bet over those last three holes. If you win the press, you break even on that side. If you lose it, you are out $10 for the nine.
Auto-press
Many groups use an automatic press. The moment a player goes 2 down in a bet, a new bet starts without anyone having to ask. It keeps the game moving and avoids awkward ‘do you want to press?’ conversations.
You can only press a bet that is still alive. A front-nine press ends when the front nine ends, and you cannot apply it to the back. The Wikipedia entry on the Nassau bet covers the same basics if you want a second reference.
A Worked Example
Here is a $5 match play Nassau between two players, Sam and Dana, with no handicaps and no presses.
| Bet | Result | Money |
|---|---|---|
| Front nine | Sam wins 2 up | Dana pays Sam $5 |
| Back nine | Dana wins 1 up | Sam pays Dana $5 |
| Overall 18 | Sam wins 1 up (2 up, then 1 down) | Dana pays Sam $5 |
Sam won two bets and lost one, so he nets $5. Notice how the back-nine win cut Dana’s loss from $15 to $5. That is the Nassau doing its job.
Handicaps and Teams
If one player is much better than the other, give strokes. The higher handicap receives strokes on the holes marked hardest on the scorecard, and you compare net scores on every hole. It is the same idea behind low net golf.
Teams are easy too. In a four-player Nassau, two pairs can play best ball, where each side takes the better score of its two players on each hole. You can also play stroke play with team totals, such as combining all four scores or dropping the worst one.
Whatever you choose, write it on the back of the scorecard. Most Nassau arguments come from handicaps nobody agreed on.
Common Variations
- Adjust. Some groups add a bet after the front nine, usually in match play, to give the losing side a better chance on the back.
- 27-hole Nassau. A single three-nine event where you play nine-hole bets across 27 holes.
- Two-down auto-press. A new bet starts every time a side goes 2 down, which can stack several bets quickly.
- Stableford Nassau. The bets are scored with Stableford points instead of strokes, which rewards aggressive play.
Nassau vs Other Golf Side Games
The Nassau is a score-based game, so the best player usually has an edge. If your group has a wide skill gap, give strokes or switch games. A skins game pays out hole by hole, while bingo bango bongo golf rewards position instead of raw score.
The wolf golf game changes partners every hole, which is a nice contrast to the fixed matchups of a Nassau. Many groups run a Nassau as the main bet and add a side game like wolf on top.
One thing to plan for is time. A match with presses can drag if players keep conceding and re-pressing, so check our guide on how long 18 holes of golf takes before you add extra rules.
5 Tips to Win More Nassau Bets
Knowing what a Nassau is only gets you to the first tee. These are the habits I teach to win more of them.
1. Play the bet you are in, not the one you lost
Each bet is separate. If you lose the front nine, start the back as if the round just began. Players who sulk over nine bad holes hand over the other two bets.
2. Press when you have the edge, not when you are angry
A press is a good bet when you are 2 down with a par 5 coming and you hit it long. It is a bad bet when you are 4 down with two holes left. Ask whether the remaining holes suit your game.
3. Protect a lead on the closing holes
If you are 1 up with two to play, take the safe line. A bogey is often enough to halve a hole, and halving keeps your lead alive.
4. Know your strokes before you tee off
Check which holes give you a stroke. On a stroke hole, a par can win the hole outright, so you can play for the middle of the green and let the stroke do the work.
5. Agree on the rules on the first tee
Settle the stake, match or stroke play, auto-press, handicaps, and gimmes before the first drive. Five minutes of talk saves an argument on the 17th green.
4 Mistakes New Players Make in a Nassau
Once you know what a Nassau in golf is, the next step is avoiding the errors that cost beginners money. I see the same four over and over.
Pressing too early
Pressing when you are only 1 down gives away your chance to press with a real edge later. A press is most useful when the holes left favor your strengths, so wait for the right stretch.
Forgetting the overall bet
Players focus on the front and back and lose track of the 18-hole match. Keep a running total on the scorecard so you always know where the overall bet stands. A 1 up lead on the back can still decide that third bet.
Skipping the handicap talk
If a 5-handicap plays a 20-handicap with no strokes, the bet is over before the second hole. Decide strokes up front, even if it means a quick look at both players’ handicap indexes.
Letting the bet slow the round
Do the math while you walk, not while the group behind you waits. Announce the match status on each tee, such as ‘you are 1 up,’ and keep playing ready golf. Good etiquette matters more than any $5 bet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a Nassau in golf?
It is a betting format with three bets in one round: the front nine, the back nine, and the overall 18 holes. Each bet is decided separately.
How much does a Nassau cost?
It depends on the stake you set. In a $5 Nassau, you risk $5 on each of three bets, so $15 is the most you can lose before any presses.
What does it mean to press in golf?
A press is a new bet started by the trailing side. It covers only the holes left in that nine or in the overall match, usually for the same amount.
What is an auto-press?
An auto-press starts a new bet automatically when a player falls 2 down. Many clubs use it so nobody has to ask.
Can you play a Nassau with more than two players?
Yes. Use stroke play so everyone competes on each bet, or split into two teams and play match play with best ball.
Do you use handicaps in a Nassau?
You can, and it is wise when skill levels differ. The higher handicap gets strokes on the hardest holes, and you compare net scores.
The Bottom Line
So, what is a Nassau in golf? Three bets, one round, and a built-in safety net that keeps every player in the game. Agree on the stake and the press rules, and play each bet on its own. Do that, and your next round will have a lot more to play for.
