How a Nassau works
- The front. Holes 1 to 9 are one bet.
- The back. Holes 10 to 18 are a second bet.
- The 18. The whole round is the third.
Each bet is for the same stake. A "$5 Nassau" means $5 on the front, $5 on the back and $5 on the 18, so the most you can win or lose is $15, before presses.
Match play or stroke play
The classic Nassau is match play between two players or two teams. Each leg goes to whoever wins more holes over those nine (or all eighteen), and a leg that finishes level is a push.
In a bigger group it's usually played as stroke play: the lowest score on the front nine wins the front, the lowest on the back wins the back, and the lowest total wins the 18. With handicaps, it's net scores.
An example
A stroke play Nassau for three players, net scores:
| Player | Front 9 | Back 9 | 18 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Al | 38 | 42 | 80 |
| Ben | 40 | 39 | 79 |
| Cal | 41 | 39 | 80 |
Al wins the front by two. Ben and Cal tie the back on 39, so that leg is shared (or a push, if that is your rule). Ben wins the 18 by one. Three legs, three different stories, which is the point of the game.
Presses
A press is a new bet started partway through a leg, usually by the player who is behind. The common rule: once you are 2 down in a leg, you can press, and a new bet for the same stake starts on the next hole and runs to the end of that nine (or to 18, for a press on the overall).
Many groups make it automatic: "2 down auto press" means a press starts every time someone falls two holes behind, without anyone having to call it. A press can be pressed too, which is how a friendly $5 Nassau gets expensive. Agree the press rules before you tee off.
The Nassau on LeaderboardLive
Every 18-hole round gets a Nassau on the Stats page automatically: Front 9, Back 9 and 18. Stroke events take the lowest score on each leg, Stableford events the most points, and Ryder Cup matches the most holes won on each leg. Ties share the leg.
While a leg is being played it shows who is leading and how many holes they've played. Once the leg is done it shows what it was won by. Presses and money aren't tracked, so keep those on the side.
FAQ
What does a $2 Nassau mean?
$2 on each of the three bets: the front nine, the back nine and the full 18. Without presses, the most anyone can win or lose is $6.
What is an automatic press?
A press that starts on its own whenever a player or team falls 2 down in a leg. The new bet runs from the next hole to the end of that leg, for the same stake.
What happens if a leg of a Nassau is tied?
Most groups call it a push: nobody wins that leg and no money changes hands for it. Some carry it over. Agree it first.
Can you play a Nassau with handicaps?
Yes. In stroke play each player's net score counts. In a match, the higher handicap gets the difference in strokes on the hardest holes by stroke index.
Can more than two people play a Nassau?
Yes. A group plays it as stroke play (lowest score on each leg), and two-man teams can play it as a best ball match.
Why is it called a Nassau?
The usual story credits Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, New York, around 1900. Splitting the round into three bets meant nobody lost by an embarrassing margin.