Nassau

Agree a stake for each of three separate bets before teeing off, e.g. $5-$5-$5 or $5-$5-$10 with the 18 worth more. Play match play (or stroke play) 1v1 or 2v2 best ball; the front-nine bet closes after hole 9, the back-nine bet covers 10-18, and the overall bet runs all 18. A side that falls behind, usually 2 down, may press: a new bet of the same value starts from that point to the end of that nine while the original bet stands. Only the trailing side may press, and presses cannot be applied to a bet that has already closed.

Each of the three bets pays its agreed unit, so maximum exposure with no presses is the sum of the three (e.g. $15 on a 5-5-5). Each press is an additional bet of the same amount; winning a press while losing the main bet breaks you even. Junk (birdies $1, greenies, sandies, barkies) is tallied separately and netted at the end.

• Automatic press whenever a side goes 2 down (very common club rule)
• Adjust the bet after the front nine to give the losing side better odds
• Hi-Lo Nassau: two streams (low ball and high ball) each with front/back/18 = six pots
• Stroke-play Nassau instead of match play
• Presses on presses if the pressed bet also goes 2 down
• Automatic 2-down presses
• 6-6-6 Nassau: three six-hole matches
• Three-way Nassau (each player vs. each opponent)

• Settle press rules (manual vs automatic, 2-down trigger) on the first tee
• Only the side that is losing may press; track every live bet on the card
• Press when you have handicap strokes coming on the remaining holes
• Agree press rules on the first tee
• Keep stakes small; presses multiply exposure