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It’s not just the rules of golf that have changed this year. The terminology used to define them is also different, as this week’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play has exposed.
The term ‘dormie’ has been removed from the rule book altogether, whilst ‘all square’ and ‘halved’ are also no longer preferred.
TV viewers tuning in to the first day’s play from Austin Country Club in Texas were quick to jump onto social media to question why commentators kept referring to matches as ‘tied’.
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Cara Banks, a British presenter on the Golf Channel, explained that the new terminology was part of the recent rules changes and shared a screenshot of what appears to be instructions emailed to her.
As you might expect, that only invited more questions and criticism, led by four-time PGA Tour winner Bob Estes.
I just learned that the term ‘dormie’ has been “taken out of the rule book.” It’s now fair to question any and all rule changes. https://t.co/DFhxOqgiHl
— Bob Estes (@BobEstesPGA) March 27, 2019
Got to keep using all square and dormie – stick it right up them.
— Robert Bowman (@RobertMBowman) March 27, 2019
It'll always be All Square to me.
— Ryan Ballengee (@RyanBallengee) March 27, 2019
I will, of course, be sticking with “all square.” Tied??? Ugh…almost as bad as “hole location.”
— John Huggan (@johnhuggan) March 27, 2019
Pity dormie has gone – an old Scotsman once admonished me that one could only be dormie 2 or 3 etc but not dormie 3 up and never dormie 3 down https://t.co/Djl5VIeWaj
— Dan Retief (@Retief_Dan) March 28, 2019
So in match play, no longer say "all square" or match is "halved", now use "tied"…. that is so weak! Do the @USGA eliminate the word "dormie" too? @garywilliamsGC @GCMorningDrive @golftalklounge @jermovegas @FrankNobiloGC ??
— Craig Goleno (@Goleno) March 27, 2019
The “dumbing down” of society is leading to taking out the unique nomenclature of golf. The stymie, dormie, all square,hazard, etc. the next thing will be to introduce no winner competitions.
— John Parry Evans (@Evansgolf1John) March 27, 2019
No more “all square”, no more “dormie”. Ruling bodies got rid of them apparently. Those terms are too difficult for modern pea brains to understand.
— JamieSlonis (@JamieSlonis) March 27, 2019
‘Dormie’ no more – your thoughts?
What do you think of these golf terms being removed from the official golfing lexicon? Will you continue to use them? Leave your thoughts in our Comments section below.
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