Nassau
A Nassau is a golf betting format made up of three separate wagers in one round: one on the front nine, one on the back nine, and one on the overall 18 holes.
What is a Nassau in golf?
Three matches run side by side over a single 18-hole round. Holes 1 through 9 form one match, holes 10 through 18 form a second, and the full 18 holes form a third. Each carries its own stake. A player can win the front, lose the back, lose the overall, and walk away owing one bet’s worth of money rather than three.
The format is usually contested 1v1 or 2v2 in match play, where the lower score on each hole wins that hole and ties are halved. Stroke play is allowed too, but match play is the convention. Stakes are agreed before the first tee, and the most common amounts are $2, $5, or $10 per match. A “$5 Nassau” puts $5 on each of the three matches, for a maximum of $15 on the line per player before any side bets.
Two features explain the format’s century of staying power. First, the three-part split contains the damage from any single bad stretch: a blown hole on the front nine ruins one bet, not the round. Second is the press, a side bet that lets the trailing player or team reopen the action mid-round. More on that below.
How a Nassau is scored
Match play scoring runs the three matches in parallel. On each hole, the lower net score wins the hole. Ties are halved, and the running score is tracked as the number of holes a side is “up” or “down” against the opponent.
Once a side is more holes up than there are holes left, that match ends early. A 4-up score with three holes to play is recorded as “4 & 3.” The same logic applies to the front nine match and the back nine match independently, while the overall match runs hole by hole for the full 18.
The back nine match starts fresh at all square, no matter what happened on the front. That reset is what keeps the format competitive even after a one-sided front nine. The overall match, on the other hand, accumulates across the whole round, so a strong back nine can still erase an early deficit on that bet without affecting the already-settled front nine wager.
Most groups play net Nassau using USGA handicaps. The higher-handicap player receives strokes on the hardest-rated holes according to the course stroke index, and those strokes apply hole by hole inside each of the three matches.
The press bet
The press is the variation that gives a Nassau its character. When a player or team falls 2 down in any of the three matches, they have the option to “press,” which opens a brand new wager for the same dollar amount as the original bet, covering only the remaining holes of that segment.
The original bet keeps running. A pressed front nine match, for example, splits into two simultaneous wagers from that point on: the original front nine bet and a smaller side match over whatever holes remain. According to Wikipedia’s entry on the format, presses can themselves be pressed if the trailing side falls another two holes behind. Stakes match the original, so a $2 Nassau has $2 presses.
Some groups use “automatic presses,” where a new bet opens the moment a side goes 2 down without needing to ask. The leading side can technically refuse a press, but Golf Digest notes that pressing has become so standard in casual play that going 2 down practically guarantees one will be offered. Declining is widely treated as poor form.
Where the name comes from
The Nassau bet originated at Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, Long Island, around 1900. The club’s own history credits prominent member J.B. Coles Tappan with designing the three-part scoring system. Tappan’s idea was simple: even if a player got dismantled on the front nine, the back nine, and the overall match was still alive as separate contests.
The backdrop was an inter-club competition. Nassau CC teams were dominant against neighboring clubs and were running up lopsided victories that other clubs found embarrassing to read about in the next day’s newspapers. The new format turned a single 18-hole match into three smaller results, so a blowout could be reported as 3-0 rather than something like “8 and 7.” The other clubs were more willing to play, and the wager spread quickly through the Northeast and then nationally.
The name itself just references the club. It has no connection to the Bahamas, despite the shared word.
Nassau vs. other golf bets
Among golf betting formats, the Nassau sits between simple match play and points-based games like skins or Stableford. The table below summarizes the main differences.
| Format | Bet structure | Scoring | Typical group size |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nassau | 3 bets (front, back, overall) | Match play (sometimes stroke) | 2 or 4 |
| Match play | 1 bet over 18 holes | Holes won and lost | 2 or 4 |
| Stroke play | 1 bet on total strokes | Lowest total score wins | Any |
| Skins | 1 bet per hole, carries on ties | Hole-by-hole, lowest score | 3-4 |
| Wolf | Points per hole, partner chosen off the tee | Rotating partner format | 4 |
Different formats reward different styles. Skins rewards a hot streak more than anything, while stroke play asks for consistency across the whole round. Nassau lands somewhere in between, breaking the round into three smaller verdicts rather than one final number.
Common variations and shorthand
Most matches get named by their stakes rather than by the word “Nassau.” A “2-2-2” is a $2 Nassau. A “5-5-5” is a $5 Nassau. Uneven amounts get written front-back-overall, so “5-5-10” means $5 on each nine and $10 on the overall, weighting the round’s full result.
Other common variations include:
- Automatic press: a new bet opens by rule whenever a side goes 2 down.
- Aloha press: a final, one-hole press on the 18th tee, sometimes automatic.
- Best Nines: another name for the basic Nassau format.
- Junk bets: side bets layered on top of the Nassau for events like birdies, sandies (up-and-down for par from a bunker), or greens hit in regulation on par 3s.
Side bets like junk and Aloha presses are layered on at the group’s discretion and have no fixed rules of their own.
Related Golf Terms
- Money ball — A designated ball in a team format that must be counted for scoring.
- Municipal course — A publicly owned golf course open to all players.
- Member’s bounce — A lucky bounce that helps the ball, as if the course is favoring a member.
- Mental game — The psychological aspects of golf including focus, confidence, and course management.
- Mulligan — An informal do-over shot, not allowed in official play.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called a Nassau?
The bet is named after Nassau Country Club on Long Island, where it was devised around 1900 by club member J.B. Coles Tappan.
Is a Nassau played with handicaps?
Usually, yes. Most recreational Nassaus are played net, with the higher-handicap player receiving strokes on the hardest-rated holes per the course stroke index. Some groups play gross when handicaps are similar.
What is a $2 Nassau?
A $2 Nassau (also called “2-2-2”) is a Nassau with $2 wagered on the front nine, $2 on the back nine, and $2 on the overall. Maximum exposure before the presses is $6 per player.
Do you have to accept a press?
Technically, no, but Golf Digest and other sources note that refusing a press is considered poor etiquette. In most casual groups, presses are accepted as a matter of course or set to automatic before the round.
Can three players compete in a Nassau?
A Nassau works best for two players head-to-head or four players in 2v2 teams. Three players can compete in a stroke-play Nassau, though match-play handicap math gets uneven with three.
Can a Nassau be played in stroke play?
Yes. The lowest stroke total on each nine and on the full 18 wins the corresponding bet. Match play is more common, but stroke-play Nassau is the simpler scoring option when more than two players are involved.
Sources
- Nassau Country Club. “History of Nassau Country Club.” Accessed May 2026.
- Wikipedia. “Nassau (bet).” Accessed May 2026.
- Golf Digest. “How to play a ‘Nassau’: A basic guide to one of golf’s most common match play games.” Accessed May 2026.
- Golf News Net (Ryan Ballengee). “Golf games: How to play a Nassau, including the Press.” Accessed May 2026.
- 18Birdies. “Nassau.” Accessed May 2026.
- GolfSpan (Brendon Elliott, PGA Professional). “Nassau Golf Game: What It Is, How It Works, & Strategy Tips.” Accessed May 2026.
- Stick Golf. “How to Play Nassau in Golf: Rules, Presses & Settlement.” Accessed May 2026.
