The Rules of the Game - INTRODUCTION

Yeah, yeah. I know. Why does this section show up here and not at the very start of this series of posts on the Rules? It's the workings of a "not-right mind." Really, I felt that since this blog is for a league that's been in existence for going on three years that most everyone involved has a basic understanding of the game. Then, remorse set in as I thought, "Better include all that's found on the PDGA site about the Rules for the bare bones beginner so they get the whole picture." So, here I go adding subjects that are listed in the very beginning of the PDGA's discussion about the rules.

800.01 DESCRIPTION OF THE GAME

Last updated: Monday, December 24, 2012 - 18:13.

The object of the game of disc golf is to traverse a course from beginning to end in the fewest throws of the disc. The competitor who plays the stipulated round or rounds in the fewest throws plus penalty throws is the winner.

Play on each hole begins at the teeing area and ends at the target. After the player has thrown from the tee, each successive throw is made from where the previous throw came to rest. On completing a hole, the player proceeds to the teeing area of the next hole, until all holes have been played.

Disc golf courses are normally laid out in and around wooded areas with diverse terrain to provide natural obstacles to the flight of the disc. These natural obstacles are very much a part of the game and must not be altered by a player in any way to decrease the difficulty of a hole. Players must play the course as they find it and play the disc where it lies unless allowed otherwise by these rules.

800.02 DEFINITIONS

Last updated: Monday, December 24, 2012 - 18:13.

APPROXIMATE LIE - A lie established by the player's group in order to resume play from a lie which is not marked.

APPROXIMATE POSITION - A position established by the player's group that is as close as possible to the original position of the disc.

AWAY PLAYER - The player whose lie is farthest from the target.

CASUAL WATER - A body of water which is not out-of-bounds, and which has not been declared by the Director to not be casual water.

CHAINS - A deflection assembly which is designed to direct a thrown disc down into the tray component of a basket target.

CHAIN SUPPORT - The structure from which the chains are suspended; a deflector support which often forms the top of a basket target.

DIRECTOR - The person in charge of the tournament or event. The term Director may refer to the Tournament Director, or to a Course Director in a tournament played on multiple courses.

DROP ZONE - An area on the course, as designated by the Director, from which play is resumed as an alternative to or in replacement of play from the lie. The throwing area from within a drop zone is marked and played in a manner similar to the marking and playing of a teeing area. A teeing area may be used as a drop zone. A drop zone is a lie.

GROUP - The competitors who are assigned to play a round together for the purpose of verifying scores and ensuring play in accordance with the rules.

HOLE - A numbered segment of the course that is a separate unit for scoring.

HOLE OUT - To successfully complete play of a hole.

IN-BOUNDS - Any area of the course that is not out-of-bounds.

LIE - The spot on the playing surface behind the marker, upon which the player takes a stance in accordance with the rules. It is a line 30 centimeters in length extending back along the line of play from the rear edge of the marker disc. The lie for the first throw on a hole is the teeing area. A drop zone is also a lie.

LINE OF PLAY - The imaginary line on the playing surface extending from the center of the target through the center of the marker disc and beyond.

MANDATORY An object or objects that the disc must pass in a designated manner. A mandatory functions to limit the allowable path the disc may take to the target.

MARKER (or Marker Disc) - The mini marker disc or the thrown disc at rest, either of which may be used to indicate the lie from which the next throw is to be made.

MINI MARKER DISC (or Mini) - A small disc, not used in play, which may be used to mark the location of the lie.

OBSTACLE - Any feature of the course that may impede any aspect of play.

OFFICIAL - A person who is authorized to make judgments regarding the proper application of the rules during play.

OUT-OF-BOUNDS - An area designated by the Director from which a disc may not be played, and within which a stance may not be taken. The out-of-bounds line extends a plane vertically upward and downward. The out-of-bounds line is part of the out-of-bounds area.

PAR - As determined by the Director, the score an expert disc golfer would be expected to make on a given hole with errorless play under ordinary weather conditions, allowing two throws from close range to hole out.

PENALTY THROW - A throw added to a player's score for violating a rule, or for relocation of the lie, as called for by a rule.

PLAYERS' MEETING - A meeting of players with the Director prior to a tournament, where players are given instructions about tournament procedures, the course, and any special conditions which will apply during the tournament.

PLAYING SURFACE - A surface, generally the ground, which is capable of supporting the player and from which a stance can reasonably be taken. A playing surface may exist above or below another playing surface. In cases where it is unclear whether a surface is a playing surface, the decision shall be made by the Director or an official.

POLE - A central pipe or post which supports the other components of a basket target.

POSITION - The location of the disc after it has been thrown and has initially come to rest.

PRACTICE THROW - A throw of more than two meters during a competitive round that does not change the lie. Provisional throws, misplayed throws, and stance violations are not practice throws.

PREVIOUS LIE - The lie resulting from the most recent throw, as evidenced by the marker disc or, if the marker disc has been moved, the corresponding approximate lie.

PROVISIONAL THROW (or Provisional) - An extra throw, sanctioned by the player's group or an official, that is part of an alternative sequence of throws that may be used in the case of a disputed ruling or to save time. Only one set of throws will be counted in the player's score once a final ruling is made.

PUTT - Any throw from 10 meters or less as measured from the rear of the marker disc to the base of the target.

RELIEF - A change made to the player's lie or surrounding area, such that an obstacle is removed from the vicinity, or when that is impractical, the lie is relocated away from the obstacle.

RE-THROW - An additional throw from the same lie which is played instead of the previous throw from that lie.

SUPPORTING POINT - At the time of release, any part of a player's body that is in contact with the playing surface or some other object that provides support.

TARGET - A device whose purpose is to clearly determine completion of a hole. A basket target is designed to catch discs and generally consists of a tray, chains, and a chain support mounted on a pole. An object target generally has a marked target area.

TEE LINE - The line at the front of the teeing area, or the line between the outside edges of two tee markers.

TEEING AREA (or Tee) - The area bounded by the edges of a tee pad, if provided. Otherwise, the area extending three meters perpendicularly behind the designated tee line. The teeing area is also a lie.

THROW - The propulsion of a disc by a player that results in a new lie.

TRAY (or Basket) - An open-topped receptacle into which the disc may fall or be thrown.

WARNING - Where prescribed by a rule, the initial advisement a player is given for violating that rule, making the player susceptible to receiving a penalty throw for subsequent violations of that rule within the same round.