Rules in Disc Golf

The Rules You Need to Know to Play Disc Golf

Disc golf is a sport that anyone can start playing without much difficulty. All you need is a disc and an understanding of the basic rules. Here are the fundamentals of how to play disc golf.

The objective of the game is to throw your disc into the basket with as few throws as possible. A round of disc golf usually consists of 18 holes, but it can be played with fewer or more depending on the course.

Read: How To Play Disc Golf

Basic Rules of Disc Golf

To ensure fair play, here is a simplified guide to the rules of disc golf.

A player starts each hole by throwing from behind the designated tee area. A successful throw lands on the fairway, stays in bounds, and remains on the course. The player then continues towards the basket, throwing from where their previous throw landed and came to a complete stop, until they manage to get the disc into the basket. The hole is completed when the disc comes to rest in the basket or chains. If a putt or longer throw hits the chains and bounces out, it must be played from where it lies.

How to Score in Disc Golf

Scoring in disc golf is not more difficult than in golf. In fact, it’s easier as handicaps do not exist in disc golf. The basic premise is simple: the goal is to have the lowest score possible. Each hole has a designated par, which can vary depending on the hole’s difficulty. Par is the expected score for a hole. But don’t worry, it’s common to throw more than the designated par.

If the par for a hole is three, you are expected to make it in three throws. If you succeed, your score is 0. If you throw four times, you get +1, called a bogey. You can get double bogey (+2), triple bogey (+3), quadruple bogey (+4), and so on. If you make it in two throws when par is 3, you get a birdie and -1 in score. If you hit the basket on the first throw, it’s an eagle (-2). Then you sum up all the holes you’ve played and get a total score above or below par.

What is OB – Out of Bounds?

If a throw goes outside the marked boundaries of the course, the player must take a penalty throw. The player must play their next throw from where the previous throw went out of bounds. If a player loses their disc, they take a penalty throw and play the next throw from where the previous throw was made.

What is Mando – Mandatory?

On some holes, you may encounter something called “mando,” which stands for mandatory. These exist primarily to make the course safer, but sometimes to make the hole more challenging. A mando is usually marked with a sign showing which way your throw must go. If you miss the mando, there is usually a “drop zone” where you must throw your next throw. In most cases, missing a mando results in a penalty throw, but not always. Check the tee sign before you throw to see the rules for the hole.

Triple Mandatory – What Is It?

Triple mandatory. Here, the disc must go through the obstacle. You are not allowed to throw around it.

Advanced Disc Golf Rules

Advanced disc golf rules are designed to provide a more challenging and competitive game for experienced players. These rules can be used in tournament play or in tougher battles with friends.

This section will be updated over time with more rule questions.

Generally, players should avoid improving their lie by moving leaves, branches, stones, etc., out of the way when playing through each hole. If something on the course interferes with your lie, you can ask for relief without penalty by taking a stance no closer to the hole than the original lie and within a reasonable distance from the original lie to avoid interfering with other players’ lies (maximum 2 meters radius). You can also move loose obstacles (leaves, branches) from your lie but not improve your lie by doing so (e.g., moving your lie from under a tree branch).

By following these guidelines, you can make each game more challenging and exciting for everyone involved!