Page type: Format comparison (two named formats)
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When each fits
Choose dormie when you are describing a live head-to-head match position, such as Alex leading 3 up with 3 holes left, rather than selecting a competition schedule. Choose round robin when three or more players or sides should meet in separate matches and a published table will decide the outcome.
dormie in brief
A match-play score state, not a standalone golf format.
round robin in brief
A schedule where each player or side meets the others in separate head-to-head matches.
Table
| Comparison | dormie | round robin |
|---|---|---|
| One line | A match-play score state, not a standalone golf format. | A schedule where each player or side meets the others in separate head-to-head matches. |
| 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 3 competitors or sides for a meaningful schedule; ideal 4-8, with each participant playing the others in turn. This is an individual field or a field of sides, not one group playing every hole together. |
| Scoring unit | Match-play holes. Dormie describes a lead equal to the holes remaining, such as 3 up with 3 to play. | Each match is scored hole by hole as match play; the overall table uses agreed match points, wins, halves or another competition countback. |
| 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 individual handicap match play, use the competition's stated allowance; WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of the unrounded Course Handicap for individual match play. After Playing Handicaps are calculated, the lowest plays off zero and each opponent receives the difference. A round robin involving teams or another form must not automatically inherit this allowance: the Committee should state the allowance and stroke-index method in the Terms of Competition. |
| 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 if stakes are agreed: settle after the round-robin table, using the announced value for each match point, win or final placing. The Rules of Golf do not set a round-robin payout or betting convention. |
| 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. | Slower overall than one stroke-play round for the same field is the usual tendency, because a round robin requires multiple head-to-head matches and scheduling; this is an editorial planning judgement, not a measured statistic. |
| Best for | Explaining a late-match scoreboard or labelling a match-play position before it is officially won. | Club leagues, social groups and small competitions that want everyone to meet several opponents rather than be eliminated after one loss. |
| 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. | It needs more match slots than a knockout and can create tie-break disputes or uneven schedules when players withdraw, so the Committee must publish the draw, points and tie procedure. |
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. Four entrants Alex, Ben, Chris and Dana in an all-play-all schedule need 6 pairings. That schedule is different from the rotating six-hole partner game sometimes given the same name.
Rule reference: Rules of Golf Rule 3.2a (when a match is won); WHS Appendix C (match-play allowances); Committee Procedures Section 5A (Terms of Competition for handicap and multi-match competitions)
Sources: www.usga.org , www.randa.org , www.golf.org.au , www.usga.org , www.randa.org
Common questions
How do dormie and round robin 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 round robin: Each match is scored hole by hole as match play; the overall table uses agreed match points, wins, halves or another competition countback.
How do handicaps apply in dormie vs round robin?
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. round robin: For individual handicap match play, use the competition's stated allowance; WHS Appendix C recommends 100% of the unrounded Course Handicap for individual match play. After Playing Handicaps are calculated, the lowest plays off zero and each opponent receives the difference. A round robin involving teams or another form must not automatically inherit this allowance: the Committee should state the allowance and stroke-index method in the Terms of Competition.
When should I choose dormie instead of round robin?
Choose dormie when you are describing a live head-to-head match position, such as Alex leading 3 up with 3 holes left, rather than selecting a competition schedule. Choose round robin when three or more players or sides should meet in separate matches and a published table will decide the outcome.