PDGA Rules of Disc Golf

Approximate Lie: A lie established by the player's group in order to resume play: to correct a misplay from out-of-bounds (801.04 B (4)), following the thrower's election to throw from the previous lie after declaring an optional rethrow (803.06 A), following the thrower's election to throw from the previous lie after throwing out-of-bounds (803.09 B (1)), following an instance where the thrower's disc has been thrown and removed by another player (803.10 B), following a lost disc (803.11 B), following a lost marker disc (803.11 D), or following a rain or hazardous conditions delay (Competition Manual 1.7 C).

Away Player: The player whose lie is farthest from the hole and who shall throw next.

Basket Target: A disc-catching device designed to clearly determine completion of a hole. A basket target generally consists of a tray, chains, chain support, and pole.

Casual Water: Bodies of water other than those that have been specifically designated by the director prior to the start of the round as out-of-bounds or those that have been specifically designated by the director prior to the start of the round as not being casual water.

Chains: A deflection assembly which is designed to deflect 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.

Completion of a Round: The round has been officially completed for all competitors when, in the director's opinion, the last group on the course has completed their final hole and has had reasonable time to travel from their final hole to tournament headquarters.

Director: The person in charge of the tournament or event. The term director may be used to refer to the tournament director or the course director in multi-site tournaments. The Director may designate an official to rule on appeals.

Drop Zone: An area on the course, as designated by the course designer or director, from which play is resumed after the preceding shot (1) was thrown out-of-bounds, (2) missed a mandatory, or (3) was declared lost, or (4) landed in a protected area (governed by 804.01, Special Conditions). The throwing area from within the drop zone shall be clearly marked and played in a manner similar to the marking and playing of a teeing area.

Fairway: The in-bounds path or field over which a player throws while advancing from the teeing area to the hole.

Group: The competitors who are assigned to play a round together for the purpose of verifying scores and proper play in accordance with the rules.

Hole: The target that must be reached in order to complete that segment of the course. The term hole also refers to the numbered segments of the course that are separate units for scoring.

Holed-Out: A term used to signify completion of a hole. See 803.13, Holing Out.

Lie: The spot on the playing surface upon which the player takes his or her stance in accordance with the rules.

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. This line has no thickness; therefore one support point must be directly behind the center of the marker.

Mandatory: An object or objects that the disc must pass in a designated manner on its way to the hole. A mandatory functions to limit the allowable path the disc may take to the hole.

Marker: A term used to indicate either the mini marker disc or the thrown disc at rest, both of which can be used to indicate the lie from which a thrower's next shot shall be played.

Marker Disc: See Marker.

Mini: See Mini Marker disc.

Mini Marker Disc: A disc used to mark the location of the lie. (See 803.03 marking the lie, and 802.03, size restrictions).

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 prior to the start of play from which a disc may not be played. The out-of-bounds line extends a plane vertically upward and downward. The out-of-bounds line is itself out-of-bounds. An out-of-bounds disc is not a lost disc.

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