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Head to head

Nassau

Three matches in one round: the front nine, the back nine and all 18. Win a hole to go 1 up. Fall behind and press.

Players
2, or two teams of 2
Scoring
Gross or net
Holes
18
Bets
Front, back, 18

How it works

  1. Play one on one, or two teams of two. A team plays its best ball.

  2. Lower score wins the hole. Same score halves it.

  3. Three matches run at once: front nine, back nine and all 18.

  4. Fall behind and press: a new bet on the rest of that nine.

Scoring

  • Each match is won on holes, not strokes. It closes once the lead is bigger than the holes left, written like 3 and 2.
  • A match that ends all square is halved. By default a halved match pays nothing, or set ties to carry that stake into the next match.
  • Presses start automatically when a side falls 2 down, or when the side that's behind calls one. You set the number.
  • A press runs to the end of its nine at the same stake, or 2x or 3x.
  • Net, one on one: the higher handicap gets the full difference in strokes. Two on two: strokes are 90% of the difference from the lowest handicap.
  • Nassau needs all 18 holes.

Example

Nassau example
MatchFront 9Back 9All 18Back press
You2 up1 down1 up1 up
Dale2 down1 up1 down1 down
WinnerYouDaleYouYou

You win the front 2 up. Dale takes the back, but you were 2 down after 13 and a press started on 14. You win that press 1 up and the full 18 by one. Three bets to one.

Nassau in Scuds

  • Stakes for front, back and 18: 1/1/1, 2/2/2, 5/5/5, 5/5/10 or your own
  • Automatic or manual presses, at the number of holes down you choose
  • Press limits, 1x to 3x press stakes, and re-presses
  • Ties split or carry over
  • Gross or net scoring
  • Handicaps straight from GHIN
  • Match status and dormie on every hole

Questions

What's a press?

A new bet that starts on the next hole and runs to the end of that nine. It's usually called by the side that's behind.

When do automatic presses start?

At the end of a hole when a side is down by your number, 2 by default. They won't start on the last hole of a nine, or when a side is dormie.

What if a nine ends all square?

By default it's halved and nothing is paid. Set ties to carry over and that stake rolls into the next match: front into back, back into the 18.

Can four players play a Nassau?

Yes, as two teams of two. Each team counts its best score on every hole.

Can a Nassau be 9 holes?

No. Nassau needs all 18 holes.

Play a Nassau this weekend.

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