What Is a Nassau in Golf? Scoring and Presses

A Nassau in golf splits one round into three separate contests: the front nine, the back nine and the full 18. Each contest is worth its own value, usually the same, so a 1-1-1 Nassau puts 1 point on each part and 3 points on the round. Most Nassau golf games are scored as match play, hole by hole.

This guide covers Nassau scoring, an 18-hole example, presses, stroke play, handicaps and how to set one up on TheGrint.

If you'd rather not track three contests on a scorecard, TheGrint lets you add a Nassau to a Skins game or set separate front nine, back nine and total values in Medal, and keeps the result updated as you enter each hole.

What is a Nassau in golf?

A Nassau is a golf format that turns one round into three matches running side by side: holes 1 to 9, holes 10 to 18, and all 18 holes. Each match is won, lost or halved on its own, so one round produces three results instead of one.

• Front nine: holes 1 to 9 are the first contest.
• Back nine: holes 10 to 18 start fresh at all square, whatever happened on the front.
• Full 18: every hole of the round counts toward the third contest.

That is the appeal: lose the front and you still have the back nine and the overall match to play for.

How does a Nassau work?

A Nassau usually works as match play: the lower score wins each hole, and each nine, plus the full 18, goes to whoever wins more holes in that stretch. Under the Rules of Golf, a player wins a hole by completing it in fewer strokes than the opponent, and a hole played in the same number of strokes is tied, or "halved" (Rules of Golf, Rule 3.2a).

1. Agree on the values before you tee off: 1-1-1 is the standard, with 1 point each for the front nine, back nine and full 18.
2. Choose gross or net: gross uses raw scores; net subtracts handicap strokes on the holes where players receive them.
3. Play each hole and compare scores: the lower score wins the hole, and equal scores halve it.
4. Keep two running counts: one for the current nine and one for the full 18, each shown as holes up or down.
5. Settle each part: whoever is ahead after hole 9 wins the front, after hole 18 wins the back, and whoever won more holes overall wins the 18.

Before any presses, the most a side can win is 3 points. A split round usually ends 2-1 to whoever also won the full 18.

What does a Nassau look like on a scorecard?

On a scorecard, a Nassau is tracked hole by hole, with a running count for the current nine and a separate count for the full 18. Here is a gross 1-1-1 Nassau between Alex and Ben, including a press Alex starts on the back nine:

Alex takes the front nine and the full 18, Ben takes the back nine, so without the press Alex wins 2 points to 1. Alex also wins the press, making it 3 points to 1. Ben's fast start to the back nine won him that nine, but it also gave Alex a fresh match over the last seven holes.

How do presses work in a Nassau?

A press is a new side match that starts partway through a nine, usually when one side falls 2 down, and runs from the next hole to the end of that nine. It is scored separately from the original match and is normally worth the same value as the nine it comes from.

In the example, Alex was 2 down after hole 11 and pressed. The original back nine carried on, and Ben won it 1 up; the press started at all square over holes 12 to 18, and Alex won it 1 up. One nine, two results.

Press conventions vary from group to group, so settle them on the first tee:

• When a press can start: most groups allow one when a side is 2 down; some let a side press whenever it is behind.
• Automatic or called: an automatic press starts on its own at 2 down; otherwise the trailing side has to call it.
• Pressing a press: some groups allow a new press when a side falls 2 down in an existing one.

On TheGrint, Pro members can apply presses and auto-presses while they play. Presses are one of the Pro game controls, along with Multi-Games.

Can you play a Nassau as stroke play?

Yes. In a stroke-play Nassau, the lowest total strokes on the front nine, the back nine and the full 18 win each part, instead of the most holes won.

In the example, stroke play gives the same result: Alex 37 to 40 on the front, Ben 37 to 38 on the back, Alex 75 to 77 overall. That won't always happen, because in stroke play one blow-up hole hurts both its nine and the 18, while in match play it costs one hole.

How do handicaps work in a Nassau?

In a net Nassau, players subtract the handicap strokes they receive on each hole before comparing scores, which lets golfers of different abilities play an even match. The holes where strokes fall are set by the stroke index, which the USGA^® defines as "the value assigned to each hole on a golf course to indicate where handicap strokes are given or received" (Rules of Handicapping, Definitions).

The strokes start from each golfer's Course Handicap^™, which converts a Handicap Index^® for the tees being played; our guide to what a golf handicap is explains how. TheGrint offers two handicap formats for net games:

• USGA Format (the default on TheGrint): the group is re-based around the lowest Course Handicap. The best player plays off 0, and everyone else gets the difference. With Course Handicap values of 3, 7, 12 and 15, the players play off 0, 4, 9 and 12.
• Modified Format: every player gets as many strokes as their own Course Handicap, no matter who they play, so 3, 7, 12 and 15 stay 3, 7, 12 and 15.

In a two-player Nassau the gap is the same either way, but the holes can change. If Alex has a Course Handicap of 8 and Ben 14, USGA Format gives Ben 6 strokes on stroke index 1 to 6. In Modified Format, both players get strokes on stroke index 1 to 8, which cancel out, so Ben's real advantage falls on stroke index 9 to 14.

An estimated handicap from an app is not an official Handicap Index; see how handicaps on TheGrint work, including official Handicap ID options for U.S. golfers.

Where did the Nassau come from?

The Nassau dates to 1900 at Nassau Country Club in Glen Cove, on Long Island, New York, according to the USGA (USGA, "Nassau Scoring System Originated at 2014 U.S. Women's Amateur Venue").

In the 1890s, New York-area club matches were reported in local newspapers, and lopsided results made for embarrassing reading. Club member J.B. Coles Tappan divided each match into three parts, so the worst a player could lose was 3-0, and other clubs adopted the idea.

How do you play a Nassau on TheGrint?

On TheGrint, you can play a Nassau through two of the six games every member gets, Medal and Skins, and the app keeps each part of the result updated as scores are entered hole by hole.

• Start it from your round: tap Play, then Start Round. Once the round is open, tap Games in the bottom menu.
• Medal for a stroke-play Nassau: Medal can be set with separate values for the front 9, the back 9 and the total 18, so each part is scored on strokes.
• Skins with a Nassau: in a Skins game, you can add a Nassau and set a point value for each part.
• Net or gross: for a net game, pick USGA Format (the default) or Modified Format.
• Presses with Pro: you can apply presses and auto-presses while you play. Presses and Multi-Games are Pro game controls. Free members run one game at a time. For more advanced features, try TheGrint Pro free for 7 days.
• A Nassau inside a bigger event: in a Group, one foursome can run its own Nassau side game while the whole group plays a full-field competition. Players in the side game need to be on the same scorecard.

The Nassau values on TheGrint are points only and are not tied to real money. The app does not handle payments. If your group likes to settle up friendly wagers in person after the round, the Nassau points can serve as a guide.

For the rest of the lineup, see the games and live leaderboards on TheGrint, how skins in golf works, how Stableford scoring works, and what Free and Pro include.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an automatic press in golf?

An automatic press is a press that starts on its own, without anyone calling it, whenever a side falls a set number of holes behind, usually 2 down. Groups agree on it before the round so nobody has to decide in the middle of a nine. Each automatic press is a new match from the next hole to the end of that nine.

What does 1-1-1 mean in a Nassau?

1-1-1 means the front nine, the back nine and the full 18 are each worth 1 point, so 3 points are in play before any presses. A side that wins all three parts takes all 3 points, and a split round often ends 2-1. Some groups weight the full 18 more, such as 1-1-2, so the overall match counts most.

Can you play a Nassau with four players?

Yes. The most common four-player Nassau is 2 vs 2 best ball: each team's lowest score on a hole is its score, and the lower team score wins the hole. The front nine, back nine and full 18 are then scored as team matches. A foursome can also run separate one-on-one Nassau matches between players.

What happens if a Nassau nine is tied?

If both sides win the same number of holes on a nine, that nine is halved and is typically worth no points to either side. The other two parts still count, so a round can end with one side winning the 18 while a nine is halved. Groups that want a winner every time should agree on a tiebreaker before teeing off.

What is the difference between a Nassau and skins?

A Nassau is three matches, the front nine, the back nine and the full 18, each won by the side that wins more holes in that stretch. Skins awards each hole on its own to the one player with the outright low score, and tied holes carry over. In a Nassau, a halved hole simply leaves the match where it was.

Play your next Nassau with TheGrint

Start a round, tap Games, and set up your Nassau in Medal or Skins. TheGrint keeps the front nine, back nine and full 18 current hole by hole, and both games are free for every member. Get TheGrint.

Handicap Index®, Course Handicap™ and related marks are owned or licensed by the United States Golf Association® (USGA®) and/or The R&A. All rights reserved.