Nassau is a simple game to play and rewards consistency.
Overview
It is a game based on match play where each hole is worth a point. There are 3 matches to a Nassau game.
Front 9
Back 9
Total 18
Each of these matches has a wager attached to it. Our app defaults to $5 for each but you can set it to anything you want.
To win one or all of the matches, you have to win more holes than your opponent. As an example:
The Front 9 will be the first 9 holes you play (if you are in a shotgun start, that may be holes 4-12). Each of the 9 holes is worth a point. Ties don't count, so you must win the hole to win a point.
At the end of the 9 holes, the player with the most points wins the wager amount.
Point totals are expressed as Up/Down. So if you win the first hole, but your opponent wins the next 2 holes, you are now 1 Down.
If the players tie at the end of the Front 9, the wager is forfeit, the wager does not carryover in any way.
The Back 9 is played the same way, as is the 18 hole match. At the end of the round, the 3 matches are calculated and wagers settled.
Presses
Pressing is a big part of some Nassau matches. For instance, if you are 4 Down after 6 holes, you cannot win the Front, so the only way to get your money back is to press. This starts a new bet (usually for the same amount as the Front 9 wager) that starts on the next hole.
So in this example, if you press after hole 6, the new bet starts on Hole 7 and only lasts for 3 holes (Hole 7-9). If you win the press bet but lost the original Front 9 bet, you push for the overall Front 9.
Pressing can be made by any player that is down in the match. It cannot be done by a player that is up. However if you are up on the Back 9 match but down in the Total 18 hole match, you can press the Total 18 hole match.
Try it out in TeeRival, you will find the app makes the scorekeeping easy, even if you have 7 presses. Anyone who has tried to score keep for multiple presses before will appreciate an app that can keep your mind off the scorekeeping and on your golf game.