Golf History FAQ: Origin of "Dormie"

There are some legends floating around that Mary Queen of Scots had something to do with the origin of the term "dormie." It's true that Mary was a golfer, but the word "dormie" did not originate with her or because of her.

Dormie comes from the word "dormir," which shares a French and Latin origin. "Dormir" means "to sleep." "Dormie" means that a player has reached a match-play lead that is insurmountable - and so the player can relax, knowing that he cannot lose the match. "Dormir" (to sleep) turns into "dormie" (relax, you can't lose).

At least, that's what the USGA Museum says. Most dictionaries list the etymology of "dormie" as unknown.

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