The Nassau bet gets its name from the Nassau Country Club on Long Island, where the format was invented in the early 1900s by club captain John B. Coles Tappan. The game also is known as "2-2-2", and "Best Nines."

The Nassau is a type of bet in golf

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

 that is essentially three separate bet

Gambling

Gambling is the wagering of money or something of material value on an event with an uncertain outcome with the primary intent of winning additional money and/or material goods...

s. Money is wagered on the best match play score in the front nine (holes 1–9), back nine (holes 10–18), and total 18 hole

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

s. The Nassau is one of golf's most classic and most popular wagers.

The amount of the bet is established -- often $2 or $5 -- for each nine with a third bet for the overall 18-hole match. Points are calculated by scoring each hole as a separate match. The player with the lowest score on a hole wins a point. If the scores tie for a hole, this results in a "push," or no points won or lost.

Nassau Presses

This is a side bet offered during a Nassau match by the side that is losing in an effort to even their money for either the front nine, back nine or overall. If the player who "presses" (offers the press) then beats his opponent over the remaining holes on a given nine, he wins the press bet. In effect it is a double-or-nothing proposition. When a side/overall is two or more points down in the match, they may request a press. The opposition has the option to accept or reject the press, although it is usually accepted.

The press bet runs for only the remaining holes to be played on either the front nine or back nine holes. In addition, a press on overall (the entire 18 holes) by the losing opponent will continue throughout the match. Press bets can themselves be pressed if the player falls two points behind on the press bet. The amount of the press bet is the same as the original match bet. For example, in a $2 Nassau, presses are for $2. This is basically a double-or-nothing proposition for the player in the lead. A "flipperooski" occurs if the player who falls behind wins the press bet on the 9th or 18th hole.

As with any golf game, players of greatly different abilities can compete. Handicaps

Golf handicap

A handicap is a numerical measure of an amateur golfer's playing ability based on the tees played for a given course. It is used to calculate a net score from the number of strokes actually played, thus allowing players of different proficiency to play against each other on somewhat equal terms...

are used to determine how many strokes one player must give another.