How a Nassau works
A Nassau is really three bets played at the same time, each for the same stake:
- The front nine — holes 1–9.
- The back nine — holes 10–18.
- The overall — all 18 holes.
A “$5 Nassau” means $5 on each of the three bets, so the most you can win or lose (before any presses) is $15. You’ll also hear it called “5-5-5.” Some groups weight the overall higher, like $5-$5-$10.
Most Nassaus are played as match play: you win, lose or tie each hole, and whoever wins more holes in a segment wins that bet. You can also play it as stroke play, where the lowest total score for each nine (and for the 18) wins.
Scoring a match-play Nassau
In match play, the score is kept as how many holes one player is “up.” Win a hole and you go 1 up; lose the next and you’re back to all square (“AS”). A segment ends when one player is up by more holes than remain, or when the last hole of that segment is played.
Tip: The overall isn’t a separate match you track from scratch — it’s simply the running total of holes won across all 18. If you win the front 2 up and lose the back 1 down, you win the overall 1 up.
A worked example: $5 Nassau
David and Joe play a $5 match-play Nassau.
| Bet | Result | Winner | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|
| Front nine | David wins 2 up | David | Joe pays $5 |
| Back nine | Joe wins 1 up | Joe | David pays $5 |
| Overall 18 | David wins 1 up (2 − 1) | David | Joe pays $5 |
| Net | Joe owes David $5 |
Presses
A press is a new side bet that starts mid-segment, usually offered by the player who’s losing. It covers the remaining holes of that nine and is worth the same stake as the original bet. Presses are what turn a friendly $5 Nassau into a real game.
- Manual press: the player who is down can call a press at any time (some groups only allow it once you’re 2 down).
- Automatic press (“2-down auto”): a new bet starts automatically whenever a player falls 2 holes behind in any active bet.
- Pressing a press: if you fall 2 down in a press, it can be pressed again — agree on a limit before you tee off.
Presses in OnlyBirdies: call a press manually whenever you want, or turn on automatic presses and set how many holes down triggers one. OnlyBirdies tracks every press alongside the front, back and overall, and includes them when it settles the bets.
Example: Joe is 2 down after hole 5 and presses. A new $5 bet covers holes 6–9. Joe wins two of those holes and halves the other two. He wins the press 2 up, and the front nine finishes all square — a push — so the press is the only front-nine money that changes hands.
Playing a Nassau with handicaps
For a fair game between players of different abilities, use net scores. Take the difference between the two players’ course handicaps; the higher-handicap player gets that many strokes, applied on the hardest holes by handicap index (the “HCP” row on the scorecard).
Four-ball Nassau
With four players, split into two teams of two and play best ball: each team takes its lower score on every hole. Everything else — front, back, overall and presses — works the same way.
Nassau FAQ
How much is a $5 Nassau?
A $5 Nassau is three $5 bets: front nine, back nine and overall. Without presses, the most you can win or lose is $15.
Is the overall bet a separate match?
No. The overall is decided by the total holes won over all 18. If you win the front 2 up and lose the back 1 down, you win the overall 1 up.
What happens if a Nassau bet is tied?
A tied segment is a push: nobody pays for that bet. Some groups play extra holes to settle the overall, but most just call it even.
What is a press in a Nassau?
A press is a new bet, for the same stake, that starts partway through a nine and runs to the end of it. It is usually called by the player who is losing, often once they are 2 holes down. OnlyBirdies supports both manual presses and automatic presses at the number of holes down you choose.
Why is it called a Nassau?
The format is widely credited to the Nassau Country Club on Long Island, New York, around the turn of the 20th century.
