Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Nassau when two sides want three linked match-play contests—front nine, back nine and overall—with agreed stakes and handicaps. Choose skins when a group wants a hole-by-hole individual game with optional carryovers, accepting that ties and any gross-or-net method require house rules.
Nassau in brief
Three linked matches: front nine, back nine and the overall 18-hole result.
skins in brief
A hole-by-hole game where the player with the best agreed score wins that hole’s skin or carryover.
Table
| Comparison | Nassau | skins |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Three linked matches: front nine, back nine and the overall 18-hole result. | A hole-by-hole game where the player with the best agreed score wins that hole’s skin or carryover. |
| Players | Minimum 2 in a head-to-head match; 4 is ideal for two sides, with 1v1 or 2v2 agreed in advance. | Minimum 2; ideal 3–4 players in one group. It is an individual field game, not automatically a head-to-head match. |
| Scoring unit | Holes for each match segment; the front nine, back nine and overall 18-hole contests are tracked separately. | Holes and skins. A skin is awarded only under the group’s agreed tie and carryover rules; scores may be gross or use an agreed net method. |
| Handicap method | For 1v1 match play, use the recommended 100% individual match-play allowance and give the full Playing Handicap difference from the lower player. For 2v2 better-ball/four-ball sides, the recommended allowance is 90% for four-ball; apply strokes within each side under the Terms of the Competition. Allowances are applied to unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap, not directly to Handicap Index. | No WHS handicap allowance or stroke-allocation recommendation exists for net skins. For a casual game, agree in advance whether it is gross or net and document any house method; do not present individual match-play’s 100% allowance as a skins rule. |
| Money settles how | Agree one stake for each of the three contests before teeing off. Settle the front-nine, back-nine and overall bets separately at the agreed amount; presses or unequal values are optional house terms, not automatic Nassau rules. | Per hole, with the value of an outright skin and any carryover agreed before play; settle the total after the round. Money is optional and only applies where stakes are agreed. |
| Pace | Same to slightly slower than ordinary stroke play: playing the holes does not require extra shots, but recording three concurrent results and any agreed presses adds administration. | Usually similar to stroke play, but it can be slower when players wait to confirm the lowest score, resolve ties or calculate net scores; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured claim. |
| Best for | Two golfers or a foursome who want match-play pressure with three chances to win, while keeping an 18-hole result in play after a poor nine. | Friends wanting a simple hole-by-hole contest with optional carryovers and a result that keeps interest alive across the round. |
| Weakness | Unagreed press rules and unclear handicap treatment can make the settlement confusing, especially when a 2v2 side is mixed with individual scoring. | Tie, carryover and handicap arrangements can become contentious because skins has no single WHS method for net play; the group must write its house rules first. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. For an agreed $2 singles Nassau with no presses, Alex wins the front nine, ties the back nine and wins the overall match: net +$4 for Alex and −$4 for Ben. Under a chosen pooled skins rule, four players each contribute $2 to a hole. Alex's outright low 4 against 5, 5 and 6 wins the $8 pool: net +$6 for Alex and −$2 for each other player.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C; USGA guidance on net skins
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Nassau and skins score differently?
For Nassau: Holes for each match segment; the front nine, back nine and overall 18-hole contests are tracked separately. For skins: Holes and skins. A skin is awarded only under the group’s agreed tie and carryover rules; scores may be gross or use an agreed net method.
How do handicaps apply in Nassau vs skins?
Nassau: For 1v1 match play, use the recommended 100% individual match-play allowance and give the full Playing Handicap difference from the lower player. For 2v2 better-ball/four-ball sides, the recommended allowance is 90% for four-ball; apply strokes within each side under the Terms of the Competition. Allowances are applied to unrounded Course Handicap when calculating Playing Handicap, not directly to Handicap Index. skins: No WHS handicap allowance or stroke-allocation recommendation exists for net skins. For a casual game, agree in advance whether it is gross or net and document any house method; do not present individual match-play’s 100% allowance as a skins rule.
When should I choose Nassau instead of skins?
Choose Nassau when two sides want three linked match-play contests—front nine, back nine and overall—with agreed stakes and handicaps. Choose skins when a group wants a hole-by-hole individual game with optional carryovers, accepting that ties and any gross-or-net method require house rules.