Press
A press in golf is a side bet started during a round that runs alongside the original wager. The trailing player or team uses it to open a new match on the remaining holes, giving themselves a fresh chance to come back.
What is a press in golf?
A press is a betting term, not a rule of the game. It appears almost exclusively in friendly match play, most often within a Nassau format, where three separate bets are already in play across the front nine, the back nine, and the full 18.
When one side falls behind in a Nassau, that original bet starts to feel out of reach. A press opens a fresh wager covering only the remaining holes of the segment being pressed. The original bet keeps running. If the trailing side wins more holes than its opponent across the press window, the press loss is cancelled. A convincing win across that window can bring the side back to even on the day.
The term itself comes from “pressure.” Pressing a bet raises the stakes for everyone, including the side sitting comfortably ahead. Wikipedia’s entry on the Nassau bet describes the press as a side bet offered by the losing side in an effort to even their money for the front nine, back nine, or overall. No governing body sets the rules. Groups agree on whether presses are allowed, how often, and for how much, before teeing off.
How a press works
Most presses follow a simple pattern. A side falls two holes behind in a segment, then calls a press at the start of the next hole. A new bet begins, identical in stakes to the original, but covering only the holes left to play. Golf Digest describes the standard convention this way: a press can be implemented any time a player or team goes two down, opening another bet for the same amount as the original.
Here’s a typical example. Two pairs are playing a $5 Nassau, which means $5 on the front nine, $5 on the back, and $5 on the total. Team A is two down through five holes. They press the front nine. A new $5 match opens for holes 6 through 9. If Team A wins that stretch by one, they break even on the front nine portion of the bet. If they lose, they owe $5 on the front plus $5 on the press, $10 total before the back nine even starts.
Presses can stack. If the trailing team wins enough holes to take a 2-up lead inside an open press, the other side can press them back. Layer two or three of these, and the math gets dense quickly. In the book Golf Games You Gotta Play, Chi Chi Rodriguez illustrates how a modest $2 Nassau can balloon into roughly a $50 commitment by the end of the round once presses start stacking up. Most groups set a cap on total losses or on the number of presses to keep things friendly.
Manual vs. automatic press
There are two ways to trigger a press. The choice shapes how aggressive and predictable a match becomes.
| Manual press | Automatic press | |
|---|---|---|
| When it opens | The trailing side calls it whenever they want | Triggers automatically once one side is 2 down |
| Control | Lies with the player or team behind | Set by rule, no discretion |
| Typical use | Casual rounds with experienced gamblers | Standard in apps and serious money groups |
| Risk | Can be timed for advantage (e.g. stroke holes) | Removes timing as a factor |
| Reputation | Open to gamesmanship | Considered the fairest version |
The 2-hole automatic is the most widespread convention. Golf Crow notes that an open press has to reach +2 or -2 within itself for the next press to open, meaning a two-hole swing inside the current press triggers the next one. Manual pressing leaves room for tactical timing, which some groups treat as part of the fun, and others view as poor form.
Common press variations
Beyond the standard Nassau press, a few variations show up often enough to know by name.
| Press type | How it works |
|---|---|
| Standard Nassau press | A side bet at the same stakes, covering the remaining holes of a segment. Most often called when the trailing side is 2 down. |
| Automatic press | Opens automatically once one side reaches a 2-hole lead. No verbal call required. |
| Aloha press | A last-hole press, typically on the 18th. The trailing side puts half of their losses at risk to try to cut the damage. |
| Air press | A one-hole bet called while an opponent’s tee shot is in the air, usually after a bad-looking strike. Stakes are agreed upfront. |
| Re-press | A press placed against an opponent’s press, opened when the pressing side itself falls behind in the new bet. |
The air press has a strict rule that distinguishes it from other types. Golf Compendium explains that the air press can only be called by a player who has not yet hit on that hole, and it must be invoked while a golf ball is still in the air. That timing requirement ensures the opponent has the option to double the bet in return.
Press vs. forward press
Two unrelated meanings of the word “press” exist in golf, and search results sometimes blur them.
The press described on this page is a betting term. It involves wagers and match play, nothing to do with the swing.
A forward press is a swing concept. It refers to a small, deliberate hand or shaft motion toward the target just before the takeaway begins. The motion is a swing trigger. By breaking the static tension of the address position, it gives the takeaway a moving start. Sam Snead believed the forward press helped trigger smoothness on both the backswing and downswing. The two terms share a word and nothing else. Readers who came here looking for the swing technique can head to the forward press glossary entry.
Related Golf Terms
- Pre-shot routine — A consistent set of actions performed before each shot.
- Pot bunker — A small, deep bunker common on links courses.
- Preferred lies — A local rule allowing players to move the ball to a better lie within a certain distance.
- Plus handicap — A golfer good enough that they add strokes rather than subtract them.
- Practice green — A green designated for putting practice before a round.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can presses be banned from a match?
Yes. Presses are a convention, not a requirement. A group can agree to play a Nassau or any other match with no presses allowed, sticking only to the original wagers.
When can a press be called?
By convention, the trailing side calls a press when they fall two holes behind in a segment. In an automatic press format, it triggers on its own at the 2-down mark. Manual presses can be called at any point both sides agree to, though calling one while ahead is generally frowned upon.
Does a press have to be accepted?
In most casual groups, yes. Refusing a press is technically allowed, but the convention is to accept. The simpler approach is to agree on press rules at the first tee, so no one is caught off guard mid-round.
Are presses worth the same as the original bet?
Usually yes. A $5 Nassau press is another $5 bet on the remaining holes. Some groups halve the press amount to keep the original bet’s importance higher, since it covers more holes.
Is there a limit to how many presses can stack?
There is no official limit. Within a 9-hole match using 2-hole automatic presses, up to four presses can open, and the math produces 93 possible outcomes by the final hole. Most groups cap presses at two or three to keep the round manageable.
Are golf presses legal?
Friendly betting between players in a private match is legal in most US states, but rules vary by jurisdiction. Players unsure of local laws can check with their state gaming authority.
Sources
- Wikipedia. “Nassau (bet).”
- Golf Digest. “How to play a ‘Nassau’: A basic guide to one of golf’s most common match play games.”
- Golf Monthly. “What Is A Nassau In Golf?”
- Golf Crow. “What is a Press in Golf? How to Spice Up Match Play.”
- Golf Compendium. “Explaining the ‘Air Press’ in Golf.”
- Hole19 Golf Glossary. “Press.”
- LiveAbout. “What It Means to Press a Bet in Golf.”
- Rodriguez, Chi Chi. Golf Games You Gotta Play.
