Staff enter no bid, according to terms (3)
I believe the answer is:
rod
'staff' is the definition.
(both can mean a pole or stick)
I don't understand how the remainder of the clue works.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for rod that I've seen before include "An angler's stick" , "Old saying 'Spare the . . . and spoil the child'" , "Former measure equal to a quarter of a chain" , "Spare it and spoil the child, they used to say" , "Fishing implement" .)