Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose Nassau when you want three linked match-play bets across the front nine, back nine and overall, with agreed stakes. Choose Snake when you want an informal putting side bet where each three-putt transfers the pot, subject to house rules.
Nassau in brief
Three linked matches: front nine, back nine and the overall 18-hole result.
Snake in brief
A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot.
Table
| Comparison | Nassau | Snake |
|---|---|---|
| One line | Three linked matches: front nine, back nine and the overall 18-hole result. | A putting side bet where the last player to three-putt loses the pot. |
| Players | Minimum 2 in a head-to-head match; 4 is ideal for two sides, with 1v1 or 2v2 agreed in advance. | Minimum 2 players; ideal 3-4 players in an individual field. It can run alongside a head-to-head match, but Snake itself is not a match-play competition. |
| Scoring unit | Holes for each match segment; the front nine, back nine and overall 18-hole contests are tracked separately. | Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser. |
| 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 standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage. |
| 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. | Agree a fixed dollar amount per three-putt before play. Add that amount to the pot each time, then have the final snake holder pay the pot to the other players; agree in advance whether the amount doubles, how unfinished rounds are handled and how any tie is resolved. |
| 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 the same as ordinary stroke play when everyone holes out in turn, but it can be slower if players debate whether a putt counts or add a separate token-and-settlement routine. |
| 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. | Three or four players who want a simple putting-focused side bet alongside their normal round or another agreed game, with clear stakes and no gimmes unless the group agrees otherwise. |
| Weakness | Unagreed press rules and unclear handicap treatment can make the settlement confusing, especially when a 2v2 side is mixed with individual scoring. | The final loss can depend on one late three-putt rather than overall scoring, and informal conventions differ on putts from the fringe, conceded putts, doubling and the payout. |
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 last-three-putt Snake rule, Alex holds the Snake at the end and pays $2 to each of Ben, Chris and Dana: net −$6 for Alex and +$2 for each other player. Agree the trigger before play.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2; WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C
Sources: www.golfdigest.com , www.golfdigest.com , www.randa.org , www.usga.org
Common questions
How do Nassau and Snake score differently?
For Nassau: Holes for each match segment; the front nine, back nine and overall 18-hole contests are tracked separately. For Snake: Three-putts on completed holes. The first three-putt starts the snake, each later three-putt transfers it, and the player holding it after the agreed round is the loser.
How do handicaps apply in Nassau vs Snake?
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. Snake: No standard WHS handicap allowance applies to Snake because it is an informal putting side bet, not a WHS competition format. If it accompanies an underlying handicap competition, use that competition's Committee-specified allowance; do not invent a Snake percentage.
When should I choose Nassau instead of Snake?
Choose Nassau when you want three linked match-play bets across the front nine, back nine and overall, with agreed stakes. Choose Snake when you want an informal putting side bet where each three-putt transfers the pot, subject to house rules.