Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose dormie when you are labelling a live match-play position—such as 3 up with 3 to play—not selecting a competition format or handicap method. Choose greensomes when two-player sides should both tee off, select one tee shot, and continue with alternate shots under stated event terms.
dormie in brief
A match-play score state, not a standalone golf format.
greensomes in brief
A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots.
Table
| Comparison | dormie | greensomes |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A match-play score state, not a standalone golf format. | A pair chooses one of two tee shots, then plays that ball in alternate shots. |
| Players | Minimum: 2 players in one head-to-head match; ideal: 2 players or 2 sides in a match. It is not an individual-field format. | Minimum 2 players as one pair; ideal 4 players as two pairs in head-to-head match play or a two-pair stroke-play field. Larger fields can run multiple pairs under the Committee's terms. |
| Scoring unit | Match-play holes. Dormie describes a lead equal to the holes remaining, such as 3 up with 3 to play. | Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so. |
| Handicap method | Dormie has no separate WHS allowance because it is a match state, not a format. Apply the underlying match allowance: Appendix C recommends 100% for individual match play and 90% for four-ball, then compare Playing Handicaps with the lowest off zero. | For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms. |
| Money settles how | Only where house stakes for the underlying match were agreed. Settle when the match result is decided; dormie creates no automatic per-hole, per-point or payout rule. | Only by prior agreement: settle a match stake at the end of the match, or settle a stroke-play pool after the final net scores. Greensomes itself does not prescribe money, stakes, or a payout method. |
| Pace | Same as the underlying match play (editorial tendency). Dormie adds no holes or strokes; it only describes the lead, so pace still depends on normal match-play decisions and concessions. | Usually slower than ordinary four-ball stroke play because each hole starts with two tee shots and the chosen ball is then played alternately; this is an editorial tendency, not a measured timing claim. |
| Best for | Explaining a late-match scoreboard or labelling a match-play position before it is officially won. | Pairs who want shared decisions and alternate-shot pressure while keeping both players involved from every tee. It suits a four-player head-to-head match or a small pairs competition with clear Committee terms. |
| Weakness | It is often mistaken for a guaranteed win. A dormie lead equals the holes left; the match is won only when the lead exceeds the holes remaining or the opponent concedes. | A poor tee-shot choice can leave the partner an awkward second shot, and alternate play means one mistake can affect the whole pair. Minimum tee-shot quotas, tie procedures, and whether the event is stroke play or match play must be settled in advance. |
Worked example
Illustrative inputs and selected terms, not historical results. Alex being 2 up with 2 holes left is a dormie state, not a separate game. If Ben wins both holes and an extra-hole extension is required, Alex could still lose the extended match. Alex and Ben both tee off, select Alex's drive, and Ben plays the second shot before alternate play finishes in 4. Chris and Dana finish in 5, so the first side wins this defined scratch hole.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2a (match result); WHS Rules of Handicapping Appendix C (match-play and greensomes allowances and Playing Handicap calculation); greensomes procedure is set by Committee Terms.
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.usga.org , www.randa.org , englandigolf.co.uk
Common questions
How do dormie and greensomes score differently?
For dormie: Match-play holes. Dormie describes a lead equal to the holes remaining, such as 3 up with 3 to play. For greensomes: Strokes per hole, normally totalled as gross or net stroke play; the same pair-versus-pair structure can be used for match play if the competition terms say so.
How do handicaps apply in dormie vs greensomes?
dormie: Dormie has no separate WHS allowance because it is a match state, not a format. Apply the underlying match allowance: Appendix C recommends 100% for individual match play and 90% for four-ball, then compare Playing Handicaps with the lowest off zero. greensomes: For a team handicap, apply the recommended WHS allowance of 60% of the lower player's unrounded Course Handicap plus 40% of the higher player's unrounded Course Handicap, then follow the applicable Playing Handicap and competition terms. In match play, the lowest team Playing Handicap generally plays off zero and the other team receives the difference, but the Committee sets the allowance and terms.
When should I choose dormie instead of greensomes?
Choose dormie when you are labelling a live match-play position—such as 3 up with 3 to play—not selecting a competition format or handicap method. Choose greensomes when two-player sides should both tee off, select one tee shot, and continue with alternate shots under stated event terms.