How to play Nassau
Three match-play contests run at the same time: the front 9, the back 9 and the overall 18, each played for its own stake. Lose the front and you still have the back and the overall.
The rules
- Play 1-on-1, or 2-on-2 as Best Ball Nassau.
- Set a stake for the front 9, the back 9 and the overall 18. Stakes can be dollars, points or off.
- Each hole is match play: the lower score wins it, and a tie halves it. Each hole counts in the front or back match and in the overall.
- The side behind can open a press: a new bet at the same stake on the remaining holes of that match. Automatic presses fire at 2-down; by hand, you can press from 1-down.
- Each match and press settles on its own. Add them up at the end.
One nine, start to finish
Player A wins the front 9 and $5. The back 9 hasn't started and the overall is still 1 up.
On the board
Who it's for
Two golfers, or four as two teams of two. On a Ryder Cup trip, Nassau runs in each pairing, and the side that won more money takes the point (or more matches, with stakes off).
Variations ForeBoard supports
Choose these when you set up the round.
Presses by hand or automatic
By hand, the trailing side taps to press, from 1-down on. Automatic fires a press at 2-down.
Press the overall too
Off, the overall can't be pressed. On, it can be pressed on the front nine only.
Tied nine
Nothing: a tied nine washes. Carries on: its stake is added to the next match. Double or nothing: the next match's stake doubles. A tied front goes to the back, a tied back goes to the overall, and a tied overall washes.
Gross or net
Either works for singles or Best Ball Nassau.
How presses work
A press starts all square on the next hole and runs to the end of that match, hole 9 or hole 18. The original match keeps going, so you can win the press and still lose the base bet.
Presses cascade: a press that itself falls behind can be pressed again. Each match can only be pressed once, so climbing back to 1-down and falling to 2-down again doesn't open another. A closed match can't be pressed, and a tied press pays nothing.
Best Ball Nassau
The same game, 2-on-2. Each team's lower ball is its score on the hole, then everything above applies: three matches, presses and tied nines. Team A's 4 and 6 make a 4, which beats Team B's 5 and 5 and wins the hole.
Questions golfers ask
Who can press?
Only the side that's behind. By hand, that's from 1-down; automatic presses wait for 2-down. The side ahead can't press back.
Is there a limit on presses?
Press caps are not supported in ForeBoard, so presses are unlimited. If your group wants a limit, agree it first and press by hand.
What about a Vegas press on 9 or 18?
Not supported in ForeBoard on new rounds.
Does a press use the bigger stake after a tied nine?
No. A press is always worth the match's original stake.
Can we play without money?
Yes. Set stakes to points, or turn them off and ForeBoard counts matches won.
Score it free on ForeBoard
Choose Nassau, share the link, and everyone sees the score as you play. No app, no account.
Start a round