Knowing the Rules of Disc Golf

Disc golf is an outdoor sport played to get the flying disc to land in an elevated basket in the fewest number of strokes.

Disc golf’s popularity has been consistently growing. In the United States alone, there are thousands of registered disc golf courses and over half a million regular players. Today, the game can be played and is accessible in around 80 countries.

All you need is a starter disc, appropriate pair of, and a hydrating bottle to get started. While the sport requires minimal qualifications and is accessible to all ages and fitness levels, some rules need to be understood and followed.

This ensures that you are equipped with the basics to avoid getting embarrassed in your future disc golf rounds.

Disc Golf Rules Explained

Not anyone who has played disc golf knows the proper etiquette on the course.  Disc golf does not require prior experience but arming yourself with the right equipment, patience, and the basic rules will guide you on how the game is played while at the same time maintaining fairness and equality.

General Rules

• Disc golf players must provide their own discs when playing. The discs must meet the standards set by the PDGA Professional Disc Golf Association and must be uniquely marked.
• The course is made of 9 or 18 holes set in areas with diverse terrain or in wooded areas for natural obstacles and must not be altered in any way to change the level of difficulty favorable for the player.

Courtesy

• Disc golf players must play safely and sensibly all the time. Players must only throw when the course is clear on when he/she is certain that the disc cannot possibly arm anyone present.
• Players must refrain from doing visual distractions or movements when another player is throwing.
• Stay quiet when another disc golfer throws.
• When playing as a team, players must watch and ensure team members comply with the rules; like assisting in the search for a lost disc golf disc or keeping score properly.
• Smoker players should not allow their smoke to distract other players and must dispose of cigarette butts in proper litter bins.
• Subsequent courtesy violation of any type results in one penalty throw while repeated violations of courtesy rules may result in disqualification.

Order of Play

• The first tee is determined at random or is based on mutual agreement between involved parties.
• Teeing order on subsequent tees is determined as per scores from the previous hole. The player with the lower score will throw first and so on.
• Once all players have teed off, the player farthest from the hole will throw first.
• Players are given a maximum of 30 seconds to make their throw after the last player has thrown and marked their lie.

Teeing Off

• Teeing off must be done within or behind the tee area.
• And at least one of the player’s feet must touch the surface of the teeing area once the disc is released.

The Lie

• The thrown disc must be left where it came to rest until the marker is placed on the lie.
• The thrown disc may also be used as a market provided that it is touched or repositioned.

Obstacles and Relief

• A player can request for people to move away or their things from the player’s stance of play but is not allowed to remove natural obstacles or casual obstacles to lower the difficulty level.
• Violation of obstacle relief will lead to one penalty throw without warning. Purposely damaging any part of the obstacle will result in two penalty throws without warning or may be disqualified.
• Clearing of obstacles and course equipment must be returned to its proper working order.

Interference

• The disc that hits a spectator, an animal, or another player must be played where it came to rest.
• The thrower has the option to do a re-throw during intentional interference.
• A player caught altering the course of another player’s thrown disc will be penalized with two penalty throws.

Unplayable Lie

• Any disc that lands or rests above the ground is considered an unplayable lie. For Example, a disc that lands in a tree or bush. The disc must be thrown directly below the unplayable lie.

Out of Bounds

• A disc that lands out of bounds like water hazards or public roads must be played 1 meter or 3 feet in bounds from where the disc rests out of bounds.

Lost Disc

• A disc is declared lost if the player cannot locate it within three minutes from the time the player arrives at the spot where the disc was seen.
• The player with a declared lost disc will receive one penalty throw.

Scoring

• The disc that successfully gets in the basket completes the hole.
• The player with the lowest score wins the game.

If you are looking for a way to keep score check out our free disc golf scorecard download.