Basic Rules of Disc Golf

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How to Play Disc Golf – rules in a nutshell

Basic Rules for Recreational Play -

The rules for disc golf are like those for traditional golf.  The main difference is that the disc golfer throws a flying disc for each shot instead of striking a ball with a club.  It is played on courses of usually 9 or 18 holes, with designated teeing areas and corresponding targets and posted par for each hole.  The order of play on the first hole is determined by chance but is determined thereafter by the lowest score on the previous hole.  The player who is about to throw should first survey the area ahead to make sure there are no people with in range of his throw. Keep in mind the modern discs are heavier with sharper edges and could cause serious personal injury. The disc golfer begins play by throwing his disc, making sure his foot does not cross the tee line until after the disc is released.  After everyone in the group has teed off, the order of play for the second shot is always determined by the farthest lie from the hole.  The players in the group should never proceed past the farthest lie, again to prevent possible injury from a thrown disc.  The disc is either left on the ground as a marker or is marked by placing a "mini marker" touching the front edge of the disc. The score for the hole is the sum of all throws from the tee off until the disc comes to rest in the bottom of the basket.

Penalty strokes are assessed for throws determined to be out-of-bounds or O.B.  Many O.B. requirements are determined by local rules and are sometimes indicated on tee signs, or scorecards, or by tournament or event directors.  There are several situations which are considered O.B.. The first (now optional and designated or agreed to at the beginning of play) is when your discs sticks in a tree above 2 meters (6'6").  The second is when your disc comes to rest and is surrounded by water (other than temporary puddles).  If stuck in a tree you mark your lie directly below and add one stroke to your score.  It the case of water you mark your lie where the disc first crossed the water’s edge. The third situation is when the disc crosses an out of bounds line and comes to rest fully surrounded by out-of-bounds.  The remedy for this is to mark the disc where it crossed the line, except on a tee off, in which you re-tee.  In any of these cases you add a one strike penalty to your score.

Some courses have mandatory dog legs (Mando) which must be marked (tree, post, etc.) and indicated as such on something official like a sign, tee sign, scorecard, by event directors order, or by unanimous local consent.  The mando means your throw must pass the mando marker (tree, pole, etc.) to the side indicated.  If it passes to the wrong side of the marker, you must proceed to a designated drop zone and throw your next shot from there with a one stroke penalty.  When the last hole is completed you add the sum of the scores on all holes played and that is your score for the round.

Learn the rules of play and insist your playing partners play by the rules.

For a complete listing of the Official Rules of Disc Golf proceed to:

https://www.pdga.com/rules/official-rules-disc-golf