Nassau golf game rules

Agree a stake per bet — a "$5 Nassau" means $5 on the front, $5 on the back and $5 on the overall. A "2-2-2" is $2 on each. Play head to head, or two-man teams using each side's best ball.

Each bet is usually match play: win a hole, go 1 up; halve it and nothing changes. Whoever is ahead when the nine (or the 18) ends wins that bet. A bet that finishes all square is a push — no money moves. Some groups play stroke play instead, comparing total strokes for each nine.

A press is a new bet that starts on the next hole and runs to the end of that nine, for the same stake. It gives the side that's behind a way back in.

• Auto press: a new bet starts automatically every time a side goes 2 down (or whatever number you agree) in any running bet.
• Manual press: the side that's down taps Press when they want it.
• By default there's no press on the last hole of a nine.
• The overall bet can't be pressed.

Net Nassau gives each player their strokes by hole stroke index. Side Pot can also play it off the low player (everyone gets the difference) with a % allowance.

Dave and Mike play a $5 Nassau, match play, auto press when 2 down. Mike wins holes 1 and 2, so Dave goes 2 down and a press starts on hole 3. Dave then wins 3, 4 and 5. On the back nine Dave wins hole 12 and everything else is halved.

Dave wins the front (1 up), the first press (3&2), the second press (1 up), the back (1 up) and the overall (2&1). That's five $5 bets: Mike pays Dave $25.

These numbers come straight from the scoring Side Pot uses in a real round. Load them into the calculator below and change anything.

• Match PlayWin holes, not strokes. Singles or two-man best ball.
• SkinsWin a hole outright to win the skin; ties carry over.
• SixesPartners rotate every six holes — three matches in one round.