Rules of Disc Golf

Rules of Disc Golf

About

Competitive disc golf has a full and very thorough set of rules governed by the Professional Disc Golf Association or PDGA. These rules must be followed for tournament play, but  can be simplified to a few basic principles for recreational play. 

Safety First
Never throw when other people are within range and give members of the public right of way. Be aware of other players near you and keep a lookout for wayward throws.

Tee Throws
Each hole begins with a throw from the teeing area, usually marked by tee markers, synthetic grass, concrete pad or painted line.

Throwing Order
The player with the least number of throws on the previous hole tees of first on the next hole. After teeing off, the player whose disc is farthest from the hole always throws next.

Playing From Your Lie
After teeing off, throws must be made from directly behind your disc (or lie). You can throw from a stand-still or with a run up and follow-through. If you are within 10 metres of the target, you must not step in front of the lie until your throw comes to rest.

Mandatory (or mando)
A mandatory is one or more designated trees or poles that must be passed as indicated by arrows. If your throw passes the wrong side of the mandatory, you receive a 1 throw penalty and throw your next shot from next to the mandatory, on the correct side.

Disc in Tree
If your disc comes to rest above the ground, such as stuck in a tree, your lie is on the ground directly below the disc. You throw your next shot from this lie without penalty.

Out Of Bounds (OB)
Most courses will have areas of OB. These may be marked by a painted line, string or be a road, building or waterway. You are deemed to be OB if your disc is fully surrounded by OB ground. You must play your next shot from a point 1 metre in bounds from where your disc crossed the OB line and add 1 penalty throw to your score. If any part of your disc is touching an in-bounds area, your disc is safe. 

Completion Of Hole
A disc that comes to rest in the basket or chains constitutes successful completion of that hole. A disc coming to rest on top of the basket is not “in”. 

Courtesy While Playing

  • Be respectful of others and the course.
  • Don’t talk and stand still while others are throwing.
  • Keep music at a reasonable volume.
  • Stand behind the player who is throwing until their throw is complete.
  • Help new players learn the rules.
  • Allow faster groups to play through when possible.
  • Don’t litter and pick up rubbish you find on the course.
  • Don’t damage or alter the course in any way, including trees and bushes.
  • If you find a disc, try to return it to it’s owner (look for name and number)